Hiro Tawara Kaiseki Pop-up

As a food writer, do you have a secret place that you just want to keep to yourself? <ponder on this for a second before answering…>

Chef Hiro Tawara is a gem. His monthly kaiseiki pop-up in Pike Place Market serves up an elaborated multi-course menu, showcasing his years of experience as a kaiseiki chef in Kyoto, while incorporating local seasonal ingredients from the Pacific Northwest.

I learnt about this once-a-month event from my friend Takako. It was not well publicized, perhaps for a good reason – there are only 24 seating available: 12 at noon, 12 in the evening.

Menu changes each time based on a theme. Seating is communal style. Chef Tawara and his wife take care of everything – from cooking to sake/tea pouring, all you do is eat, drink and have a good time.

To give a better idea, I documented below dishes from April, May, June, July and September 2016. (click on a photo below to get a description of the dish, or just enjoy the beautiful presentation)

Theme of April: Spring has come!

Appetizer: Dungeness Crab, Sun Choke (Kiku-imo), Sun-dried Tomato in sweetened vinegar

Assortment of Appetizer: Grilled Tofu with sweet miso paste, Bamboo shoot with nettle Miso Fava bean, Ostrich fern tempura

Grilled dish: Grilled local snapper in dashi soup, Simmered bamboo shoot and seaweed

Rice dish: Rice cooked with clams

Dessert: Cherry blossom panna cotta

Theme of May: Children’s day celebration

Appetizer: Cold Asparagus puree soup, Deep-fried Lingcod

Assortment of Appetizer (Hassun): Green peas, Samurai helmet shaped shrimp sushi, Arrow feather shaped lotus root, Grilled Alaskan sockeye salmon, Iris shaped purple yam

Simmered dish: Bamboo shoot, Turnip, Beef steak with cucumber and vinegar sauce

Rice dish: Rice with sunchoke and pork

Dessert: Black sesame ice cream with rice cracker

Soba tea

Appetizer: Local live spot prawn mixed with “Koji” sauce, Dew green, Avocado

Sashimi: Local Albacore Tuna “Tataki”

Grilled dish: Grilled Copper River Salmon, turnip and garlic scapes Hydrangea shaped squid sushi

Rice dish

Dessert: Red Plum Sake jerry and Yogurt Blanc-mange

Theme of July: Star Festival

Appetizer: Grilled oyster mixed with grated daikon and jalapeno

Noodle dish: Cold Somen Noodle “Milky way” style

Grilled dish: Braised duck breast, Deep-fried eggplant in Dashi soup

Rice Dish: Roasted corn with rice, Akadashi miso soup

Dessert: Black beans, Nata de coco cubes and Fruits In jelly syrup

Theme of September: Moon viewing and Mum festival

Appetizer : Fig and Shishito pepper agedashi

Assortment of Appetizer (Hassun) : Dangeness crab salad mixed with edible crysantimum leaves and petal smelt sushi steamed baby taro “Kinukatugi” style

rilled dish: Grilled seasonal fish, buckwheat groats miso on top

Rice dish : Rice with Oyster and Oyster mushroom

Desert : Asian pear moose and jelly

Event is announced here on chef Tawara’s website. You can also join the mailing list by filling out the form here, or receive updates by liking chef’s facebook page. Follow the link provided in the announcement to purchase tickets. Double check that you signed up for the right seating time (noon or dinner).

Kaiseiki is often very expensive. Dinner at Naka, the only other place in Seattle I know of offering kaiseiki food, costs $120 not including drinks, tax and tips.

At $60 all inclusive, this is a screaming value, not to mention free tea/sake pouring.

Now you understand why I struggle to let the world know about this place 🙂

Chef’s Bio

Right after graduated from a university in Kyoto, Japan, Hiro Tawara started his career as an apprentice in one of the famous “Kaiseki” restaurant called “Kyoyamato“. Also, he worked for several Japanese restaurants for about 10 years to improve his cooking skills, and then became an executive chef and general manager in 2002. 

Back in 2005, he made a big decision to move to Seattle. He had worked for “I Love Sushi”, “Shiro’s” and “Sushi Kappo Tamura” since then. While he worked for those restaurants, he always wanted to introduce more variety of Japanese Food, not only “Sushi” but also “Kaiseki” to the people in Seattle.

In 2015, he started up his own business, “WA’S Kitchen” and is doing monthly events, “The Beauty of Kaiseki” to introduce Kaiseki culture. He is also doing some private dinners, collaboration “Kaiseki” events, and party caterings.