01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Rather than choosing just one dessert, diners can follow a course that moves through a range of flavours. At Mikan in Kyoto, the focus is on plated desserts, served in a sequence that begins with a small amuse, moves on to the main desserts and a savoury course, and ends with petits fours. There are 2 main plated desserts of the day. The progression is not simply one sweet dish after another: a savoury palate cleanser breaks up the course before the petits fours bring it to a close, giving each plate its own moment.
One visitor described a seasonal course that began with a small dish of chilled corn soup topped with toasted buckwheat, followed by a dessert featuring Shine Muscat and Kyoho grapes, cheese and muscat espuma. Another plate paired figs with balsamic and red-wine sauce, matcha pound cake, matcha ice cream and chocolate espuma. The same visitor singled out a savoury swan-shaped choux pastry, filled with tomato espuma, avocado and cream cheese, and made without sugar. A savoury interlude like this brings a welcome change of pace between the sweeter plates. Another visitor enjoyed watching each dessert being finished to order and trying the seasonal-fruit creations. One particularly memorable plate, they wrote, paired strawberries with balsamic vinegar, sansho pepper and basil. Fruit remains at the centre, but unexpected combinations are part of the pleasure of tasting the desserts as a course.
Wine pairings are available in 3 or 4 varieties. For a non-alcoholic option, the choices include Assam and Ceylon teas, as well as fruit-herb tea without caffeine. Deciding whether to follow the course with wine or tea is part of the anticipation. One visitor also mentioned enjoying the desserts at the counter, making it a good choice for those who would like to watch each plate being finished. The experience is less about choosing a conventional cake and more about enjoying how a sequence of desserts is put together.
