Ryôdô
Hollerich, Luxembourg City
10/10
Last modified: 07/07/2021
Ryôdô - this Japanese fine dining restaurant is named after its head chef, who opened his own restaurant after working in some of the big-name kitchens in Luxembourg, most notably Clairefontaine and Mosconi. Named Newcomer of the Year 2021 by Gault Millau, Ryôdô is without question, not your average Japanese restaurant.
We booked a table last year for our anniversary but due to the pandemic, we had to be patient and finally got to visit the restaurant a couple of weeks back. After receiving a lot of praise from Gault Millau, having heard a lot of good things about the restaurant ourselves, as well as considering the price range of their menu, we had extremely high expectations. Luxembourg has quite a few fine dining restaurants with steep prices but disappointing food and service, and we were rooting that Ryôdô would not be one of them.
The Restaurant
Located in an inconspicuous residential building with large windows in Hollerich, Luxembourg City, the Japanese elements on the outer facade already give a hint to the tasteful interior. Walking through the traditional Japanese "noren" (traditional Japanese fabric dividers hung between rooms) you'll find yourself in the beautiful dining room.
The interior is minimalistic, using light wood, Japanese decorative elements, and mirrors to brighten up the room as well as some pops of color to create a classy, yet homely space. The restaurant has seats for about 24 people, and screens can be pulled down between the tables, giving customers more privacy.
The Concept
Whereas there is a bento box available for lunch as well as à la carte items for lunch and dinner, Ryôdô is mostly known for its set menus that you have to prebook. Planning ahead when wanting to visit Ryôdô is essential because the restaurant is often fully booked on weekends for weeks to come. The best way to book a table is to use their handy online booking tool.
You will be asked to choose your preferred date and time, as well as choosing between à la carte or the different available menus. They offer a tasting menu, a sushi menu, and a vegetarian menu, which change seasonally, about four times a year. One important thing to note is that the whole table has to choose the same menu. Should you have any dietary restrictions, do let them know while booking and they'll try their best to accommodate your request. There is also the option to book an alcohol pairing with your menu.
As it was a delayed anniversary celebration and we wanted to get the full experience, we went all out and chose the 8-course tasting menu with the alcohol pairing. The menu came down to 120 Euro per person as well as 40 Euro for the alcohol pairing, which included 4 glasses of alcohol, one being the apéritif. For the main, you could choose between two options.
It is undeniably an expensive restaurant. À la carte starters and mains go for around 40 to 45 Euros (excluding Wagyu beef, of course), so when you go to Ryôdô you know ahead of time that it is going to be a costly night. Therefore, we fully recommend going for the set menu as it will enable you to taste a wider range of dishes.
Our menu
Appetizer: oshizushi (pressed sushi) / green shiso tempura / pressed tofu / tomato consomé / variation of corn
Starter: Miso soup with green peas, fried taro, and tofu
Sashimi: Tuna sashimi - Akami (upper back of the tuna) and Toro (fatty tuna belly)
Fish Course: Marinated Canadian black cod / edamame and broccoli salad with tofu
Sushi: Wagyu nigiri
Main: With Wagyu and truffles stuffed cabbage / truffle consomé / truffled Japanese omelet / carrots
Dessert: Matcha cake & Matcha tea
Treats: Strawberry dorayaki / orange flan & pistachios / biscuit with yuzu Panna Cotta
The Food
As you can tell from the menu, the ingredients used are quite diverse, some of which you might not have tried yet or heard of and the dishes showcase different aspects and regions of the Japanese cuisine. Due to the fact that it is such a diverse menu, there might be things that you do not like but we urge you to trust the chef and give it a try. Just like Chris does not like truffles and I usually don't eat raw fish, we absolutely loved every bite!
This is due to the quality of the ingredients, the simply outstanding preparation methods, and the phenomenal taste of the food. The focus is clearly not on creating the most flamboyant, complicated dishes but rather keeping everything clean and simple, perfectly showcasing every single ingredient. This is a much more approachable and conscious way of fine dining and one that we personally prefer.
We do recommend not going to the restaurant on a completely empty stomach but having a snack a couple of hours before. As it is an 8-course menu, it is going to take some time and portion sizes are absolutely adequate but obviously on the smaller side. It's a marathon for your tastebuds, not a sprint.
It would go beyond the limits of this post to explain in detail just how amazing each dish or component was so we'd just like to highlight a couple of our personal favorites:
- The shiso leaf - It is kinda random to have a leaf as a favorite but with the simplicity of the ingredient, the way it was prepared, and the unexpected flavor explosion, this was one of the most surprising things that evening. This plant is part of the mint family and is often served with raw fish as it's good for digestion, it is anti-inflammatory, and can help to prevent food poisoning. The taste is quite intense and delicious with hints of cilantro, anise, and cinnamon.
- Tuna belly sashimi - The fatty part of the tuna does not taste fishy but more mellow and instantly melts in your mouth. It resembles beef brisket: juicy, tender, and delicious.
- Actual wasabi - Technically, it should not come as a surprise that a restaurant of such standing is serving real wasabi but nonetheless, it was a pleasure to have the real thing instead of colored horseradish.
- Canadian black cod - This unassuming piece of fish turned out to be one of the best things we've ever eaten in our lives - we both agree on that! The fish was cooked to perfection and was surprisingly fatty, almost creamy, compared to the flaky, bland white cod we get here in Europe most of the time. Any fish we'll eat in the future will have to compare to this one!
- Yuzu Panna Cotta - This innocent-looking little bite packs a punch with a refreshing, tart yuzu filling and a crumbly biscuit on the bottom. Even the desserts are on point at Ryôdô, with different textures and flavors, without being overly sweet.
Ryôdô is also one of the few places in Luxembourg where you can find genuine A5 Wagyu on the menu, however not necessarily in the form of a traditional steak. An A5 Wagyu steak would already cost more than the whole menu, wholesale price. At Ryôdô we were so lucky to try it two ways: semi-cooked on top of the nigiri sushi and as the filling of the cabbage ball, paired with truffles. Though those were smaller, and maybe not the top-notch pieces of Wagyu, it certainly was an experience, taste, and texture-wise.
Wagyu means "Japanese cow" and typically refers to a specific breed of cows, that has the disposition to build up a lot of fat in their muscles, which in return creates the sought-after fat marbling that Wagyu is known and loved for. A5 is the highest quality grade that Wagyu beef can achieve and is typically reserved for cattle that are fed corn and grain and were raised under exceptional care.
This was our first experience eating A5 and it was amazing. The rendered fat from the semi-cooked piece on top of the nigiri had actually been absorbed by the rice, making it the most savory and delicious sushi rice ever. The beef pieces in the cabbage ball might not look the best but there was no chewiness or toughness, just plain butteriness. Now we finally understand what people mean when people say that Wagyu is like butter and why it is commonly considered to be the best meat in the world.
Alcohol Pairing
As mentioned before, we did end up going with the alcohol pairing alongside the tasting menu, expecting it to be a traditional wine pairing. In hindsight, we shouldn't have been surprised that Ryôdô also specializes in sake-food pairing and even have a sake sommelier. More on that later.
Sake is an alcoholic rice beverage, which has been produced all over Japan for hundreds of years by polishing and fermenting rice kernels. Most have an alcohol content of 15% to 20%. Clear, crisp, and pure water is an important component of the brewing process. Sake is light, dry, and sometimes sweet in taste, however, similar to wine, there are many different variations and at Ryôdô we were so lucky to taste different types of sake, most coming from small breweries in Japan.
As mentioned before, the pairing also included the apéritif and I chose a tart mixer of sake and yuzu, which was really refreshing and is amazing for summer and Chris chose a light apéritif sake to start off the night.
Each sake bottle is marked with a number, indicating the rice polishing ratio. This number references the percentage of the grain that remains after the polishing of the rice kernel. Did you know, that depending on the rice polishing ratio the characteristics of the drink change? A higher rice polishing ratio typically results in a richer, fuller body, whereas a lower rice polishing ratio points to cleaner and fruitier notes. For example, a rice polishing ratio of 60 means that 60% of the rice kernel remains whereas 40% has been polished away. Most of the time you'll find that the lower the ratio, the more expensive the sake will be.
Whereas Chris overall enjoyed the more umami, fuller-bodied sakes, I really enjoyed the lighter, fruitier ones (just as with beer) and we were quite surprised how they changed and elevated the food. For our Wagyu main, we got a total of three sakes, different in color and taste and it was a great experience pairing them with the meat dish.
Sake is served in a variety of different glasses but one thing they often have in common is the so-called "snake eye", which is made up of blue and white rings at the bottom of the glass. The white rings help assess the clarity of the sake whereas the blue rings help find any unwanted residue or cloudiness.
In Luxembourg, you can find quality sake at Sense in Japan in Strassen or Manzuko in Belair. Sake is not only great for drinking straight but is also widely used for mixing cocktails (we recommend sake-kombucha cocktails, they are delicious) as well as cooking. It truly is a versatile beverage.
The Sommelier
One of Ryôdô's strong points definitely is having their very own sake sommelier. During the course of the evening, certified sake sommelier Olivier Chocq went around the restaurant to explain to the customers the history and the brewing process of sake as well as consulting them on the different sake-food pairings. Not only was he very patient, engaging, and professional but he also really took the time to respond and cater to each and every customer and truly embodied Ryôdô's philosophy of quality service and food.
That evening we learned a lot about one of Japan's most famous beverages and it changed our view and appreciation for this alcoholic drink completely. From now on, we'll definitely have a bottle of sake at home at all times!
Service and Staff
Service in Japan is renowned for its politeness and respectfulness towards the customer and staff members at Ryôdô have completely taken on this philosophy of service. When first walking into the restaurant, we were immediately greeted by a friendly hostess, who led us to our table. In total there were two waitresses on the floor in addition to the sommelier. Both women were wearing beautiful traditional Japanese garments. The service was very low-key, calm, and genuinely polite. Everybody was made to feel welcomed, new guests and regular clients alike. The attentiveness and politeness of all staff members were simply commendable.
The kitchen staff consisted of a total of 5 people, including chef Ryôdô Kajiwara. The timing between courses was on point and the kitchen seemed to be very calm and organized. During the service, chef Kajiwara was stationed behind the bar, where he prepared some of the dishes. At the end of the night, he went around the restaurant to have a chat with each one of the tables and to engage with the customers.
Is Ryôdô worth it?
Were our high expectations met? To keep it short, they were exceeded. It is quite clear that Ryôdô is not your everyday restaurant, considering the cost and the concept. Yet it should be on the very top of your to-try list! It is such a unique dining experience and it sets a prime example for fine dining that is worth every penny. We had a wonderful night without any complaints whatsoever and are already looking forward to our next anniversary, so we have an excuse to go back!
A big thank you to Mr Kajiwara, the front-of-house staff, Mr Chocq, as well as the whole kitchen staff for a wonderful evening.
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