The Reservation: SoNoMa by SingleThread is the restaurant’s first international outpost.
Three Michelin stars, a ‘best restaurant in the world’ title from La Liste, and a spot on 50 Best’s extended ranking program: SingleThread’s resume is a stellar one. And now, in its 10th year, the restaurant is going international for the first time, with the opening of SoNoMa, inside the freshly launched Capella Kyoto.
First opened in 2016 by farmer Katina and chef Kyle Connaughton, SingleThread has built its reputation on its commitment to hyper seasonal and local ingredients, sourcing much of its produce from its own 24-acre farm, right in the middle of Sonoma Wine Country. Awards have stacked since, and SingleThread continues to be one of the US’s most celebrated restaurants.
See also: The Six Hottest Supper Club Tickets to Book in NYC Right Now
On paper, Japan makes sense for the Connaughtons’ first overseas venture: the duo spent several years living there. But guests might wonder how the SingleThread experience – which is one so deeply connected to the biodiversity of the Californian landscape – can be transported to Japan. Apparently, by literally transporting it: ingredients including heirloom tomatoes, olive oil, nuts, and cheese are being shipped from the States, surely raising some eyebrows about Katina and Kyle’s original commitment to locality.
The bounty of the Kansai region is, at the very least, being highlighted, creating an ‘evocative dialogue’ between the two sides of the world. Local Nanatani duck, for example, which is known for its tenderness, is slow-grilled and served with seasonal Honda Miso from Kyoto.
See also: Is Ottolenghi’s First Amsterdam Restaurant Worth It? Here’s Our Verdict
There’s bamboo shoots, harvested daily from a grove just thirty minutes from the restaurant, and a three-part dessert highlighting Ohara honey farms. The drink list is another amalgamation of US and Japanese produce, with Californian wines sitting alongside a range of Kyoto sakes.
“For Katina and me, this project is deeply personal; it is an expression of the years we spent living and working in Japan and the perspective that experience instilled within us. That same reverence is in every relationship we’ve built with artisans and growers in the Kansai region […] It’s this dialogue, focused on tradition and terroir that shapes how we approach every dish,” says Kyle Connaughton.
Tasked with running the kitchen at SoNoMa is chef Keita Tominaga, who was born in Sonoma County. He spent his childhood in his family’s Hana Japanese restaurant, and was professionally trained in Japan.
Big sister SingleThread is known for its intimate atmosphere (with just over 50 seats), but SoNoMa takes this to a new level with only ten spaces at its kitchen-facing counter set-up. It’s new territory for the SingleThread team, in every sense, but if the original’s success is anything to go by, Kyoto may have just gained a new star.
Добавить комментарий