Koke, creative Michelin-star dining in Kyoto
Can Kyoto & Okinawan cuisine successfully be mixed with Spanish?
The space is minimalist, the counter a stage. To the right, a stream of water falls, smoothly, seamlessly from the ceiling, down into the counter — a thread, connecting the restaurant to its surroundings. To the back left, a grill glows with promise, adding a fiery kiss to ingredients that pass its way.
This is Koke, a stylish Michelin-star restaurant in Kyoto. Water and fire underpin its kodawari (speciality/focus). The water is drawn from a well in the garden, valuing its life-giving force. The grill uses both firewood and charcoal to apply just the right amount of heat and flavour.
Koke isn’t afraid of juxtapositions, and its cuisine evades pigeonholing. Creative, fun and — crucially — delicious, it strikes the balance between playful ideas and flavours that deliver.