Kai Hakone - 8th September 2022

This is the meal we had at the Kai Sengokuhara hotel/resort (near Hakone) on the 8th September 2022, it is another example of a Kaiseki meal, which is essentially a series of small dishes each presented in an artistic way. In this case most dishes came with a lid or a cover of some kind:

This was the menu - on fancy paper.

This was the steamed crab, and crab butter, with tofu skin. Note the pretty Mount Fuji table paper.

This was the main course - a group of delicacies, including assorted sashimi, all brought on one tray. I couldn't have the almond crusted ball with creamed cheese shown on the menu, so one of the items was a replacement. It was unclear whether the prawn head was garnish, or to be eaten... fairly sure garnish on this occasion. The leaf that looks like a nettle leaf is green shiso - a Japanese basil. I ate some, but they have quite a strong scent and flavour. I think the sprig of flowers is from the same plant. In one meal (not this one) one of the tempura vegetables was one of these leaves.

Then came the fried dish - Fried Potato, Fried Taro and kelp, and Tempura of Mushroom. It came with a basket-style lid (on the left)

Then came the steamed dish - Steamed and grilled scallop duumpling

In this style of dinner, the final dish (before dessert) is always a rice dish - Clay pot cooked rice, red-miso soup, and pickled vegetables (not shown). The waiter shows the clay pot with the rice inside, and the other ingredients like the cooked fish on top. Once you have appreciated this, then they mix up the rice and serve it. There is sometimes some left in the pot if you want second helpings (unlikely given all the other dishes!)

Finally dessert - sweet red bean mousse