At KAI, a kaiseki-inspired contemporary Japanese restaurant located on Madison Avenue, Executive Chef Hitoshi Kagawa has brought an interpretation of Japanese cuisine that artfully surpasses guests' expectations. By taking diners on a culinary journey through the symphony of small dishes (kaiseki) that comprise each of the menus at KAI, Chef Kagawa orchestrates a taste experience that begins at a pianissimo, swells to a crescendo, and gently settles with a memorable final note, accented at all parts by an exceptional menu of teas from ITO EN.
Chef Kagawa's contemporary Japanese cuisine has a hint of French influence that often includes green tea, such as the Black Cod Roasted in a Salt Crust with Tea Leaves, a fish that is roasted whole in a crust of course salt and crushed tea leaves. He prepares prix fixe menus at dinner, which are available in a range of $55, $70, and $85 as well as an Omakase (chef's choice) menu at $110 and above. As KAI is owned by the largest green tea company in Japan, the restaurant is able to compliment all of its dishes with ITO EN teas. One can stop in for afternoon tea and dessert daily between noon and 4p.m.
There are two dining rooms at KAI, one upstairs, and the other located below the ITO EN store. Tall bamboo stalks along- side the stone walls accent the Zen-inspired décor. Small trays of flowers on each table invoke the minimalist environment that is KAI.
Honoring the traditions of his native land, Chef Kagawa is forward thinking in bringing creative and harmonious interpretations of Japanese cuisine to KAI, expanding diners' culinary imagination with his symphony for the senses. TASTING DINNERS; FIXED PRICE DINNERS; WINE / SAKE TASTINGS; PRIVATE PARTIES; PRIVATE ROOMS; ON PREMISE CATERING; HANDICAP ACCESIBLE
RESERVATIONS
Suggested
CREDIT CARDS
Amex, Visa, Mastercard, Diner's Club, Discover
HOURS
Lunch
Mon. - Sat. 12 - 3
Dinner
Mon. - Sat. 5:30 - 10:30
Afternoon Tea
Mon. - Sat. 12 - 4
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ABOUT KAI |
Cuisine: Contempoary Japanese, Kaiseki-inspired
