Second Helpings (XVI).

New seasons, menus, and special events.

Takahisa x Taku

It is no secret that I’m a (massive) fan of Takahisa. Thus, when I was invited to another collab, I (of course) said yes, even if it was at the new-to-me downtown location and beyond my preferred Bluewaters spot. The most recent lineup included Chef Takuya Watanabe (who was among the first to collaborate with the restaurant several years ago).

What made the collaboration work wasn’t the professionalism or the luxury ingredients (they were, of course, present and didn’t hurt): it was the cohesion. Every course felt deeply considered, restrained in the best possible way, and quietly confident enough not to oversell itself. Every collaboration is a bit unique, but in this case, rather than the ‘your course/my course’ philosophy, the team shared responsibility for each course, and the meal was better because of it. Overall, each course was delicate, beautifully plated, and perfectly portioned. With the number of plates served, one might think there could be a miss or decline…