Dining

Noma Kyoto ⛩️✿✿✿

Posted by markhadland on
A beautifully arranged platter featuring crab legs, garnished with seasonal leaves and a slice of lime, set against a textured background.
Crab Legs

Carter and I planned our Kyoto 2024 trip around our reservation to the Noma Kyoto popup, the same year in a row, the storied restaurant packed up from Copenhagen and relocated to the Ace Hotel in Kyoto, which is a wonderful place to stay. I secured four spots, but alas, two friends could not make it; however, we learned that Carter’s good friend Matt would be in Kyoto with his mom at the same time, so problem solved, and fortune smiled upon them, as nearly 6 months before, the tickets for the entire run were sold out within less than five minutes!

Cover of the 'Noma in Kyoto' journal, featuring a textured design with waves in shades of blue and beige, titled 'NOMA IN KYOTO' at the top.

Noma published a special book in advance detailing the pop-up format, meal, and things to do in and around Kyoto. It’s an excellent book and I highly recommend it.

Noma Kyoto 2024 promotional image featuring the restaurant name in stylized typography, with a background of textured fabric and mushrooms.
Screenshot of the Noma Kyoto reservation page, featuring the restaurant's name, details about the reservation process, and pricing information.
An artistic arrangement of various seafood including squid, shrimp, crab, abalone, and fish, displayed on a flat surface.

The Arrival & Restaurant

Entrance to Noma Kyoto with a sign displaying 'noma kyoto' on a textured fabric.
A beautifully set dining table in a cozy restaurant environment, adorned with glasses and elegant decor, creating an inviting atmosphere for guests.
A beautifully arranged dining table with elegant glassware and decorative elements in a cozy restaurant setting, featuring natural materials and warm lighting.
A beautifully set dining table at Noma Kyoto, featuring a white cloth napkin, decorative dried grass in a glass vase, elegant wine glasses, and handmade ceramic cups.

We were greeted by the same staff from Copenhagen with a high degree of personalization. I was impressed that they knew we were coming and were repeat customers (see, I said it was worth a revisit). It was fun to have the same staff members provide us with an exceptional level of hospitality.

The Menu & Meal

Menu details for Noma Kyoto 2024 showcasing various items and ingredients.
Our menu
A bottle of 2019 Bleu Paysages wine on a table with a glass and soft lighting.
A unique bottle of wine with an artistic label featuring various colored shapes, placed on a wooden table with rustic stone plates nearby.
First wines
Leaves covering the king crab
A close-up of crab legs arranged on a bed of colorful autumn leaves and pine needles, showcasing the natural textures and colors.
Steamed King Crab
A dish presented in a traditional bowl, featuring a vibrant orange flower floating in a shallow liquid, placed on a textured woven mat.
A beautifully presented crab dish featuring a whole crab with a creamy filling, served on a woven basket with a textured black base.
Jellied crab head
Salmon roe and bushi
A bowl containing foamy liquid with small yellow ingredients and decorative autumn leaves around the edge.
Ginko nuts with pinecone olives
A book titled 'Vegetable Forest Ocean' is displayed on a wooden shelf, alongside clay pots and jugs.
Two ceramic pitchers displayed on a wooden shelf, surrounded by smaller pottery items.
A textured rock placed on a light wooden table, with a blurred ceramic cup in the background.
A beautifully arranged dish featuring seafood and edible flowers served on a black plate, accompanied by large seashells and wooden utensils.
Sea snail and grilled koji
An artistic plating of seafood with edible flowers and greens in a glossy sauce, showcasing a delicate and colorful dish.
A beautifully plated dish featuring thinly sliced fish, herbs, and edible flowers arranged artfully on a dark round plate.
Bamboo with sencha butter
A plate of black rice topped with a creamy white sauce, presented on an artistic teal ceramic dish.
Black rice
A beautifully presented dish featuring a variety of fresh green herbs and plants served in a textured brown bowl, with a clear liquid at the bottom.
Mygoa in amazake sauce
A close-up of a rustic stone plate with wooden chopsticks and a small bowl containing a brown sauce, set on a light wooden table.
A rock serving as a centerpiece with thin grass-like plants arranged in it, placed on a light wooden table with a shadow cast on the surface.
A textured piece of rock displayed on a wooden surface.
A beautifully presented dish featuring a raw egg yolk in a small clay bowl, surrounded by slices of smoked ingredients and black truffles on a wooden platter.
Grilled abalone mushrooms
A close-up of a wine bottle label featuring artistic designs, including a bird silhouette and calligraphy, with the year '2019' prominently displayed.
2019 Chardonnay LIB
A bowl filled with colorful autumn leaves, including greens, yellows, and reds, placed on a dark stone surface.
Forest broth and haskap berry
A beautifully arranged dish featuring a clay bowl with various items, including mushrooms, meat slices, and a triangular piece of cheese, set on a bed of twigs and surrounded by green leaves. Beside it, a dark bowl contains a sauce with colorful garnishes.
Wild deer hot pot

A dark bowl containing a light brown liquid, garnished with small pink flowers and green herbs, set against a textured surface.
A beautifully plated gourmet dish featuring assorted mushrooms, meats, and cheese arranged artfully in a rustic earthenware bowl with garnishes of greenery.
An oyster on a bed of ice, surrounded by textured rocks, presented in a fine dining setting.
A close-up of a large oyster resting on a bed of ice, showcasing its textured shell and unique greenish hue.
A close-up of a large oyster resting on a bed of ice, showcasing its unique greenish shell and intricate texture.
Sweet oyster – made from ice cream
A beautifully presented dish featuring sea urchin inside a textured, natural shell, garnished with caviar and garnishes atop a bed of vibrant green moss.
Chestnuts with caviar
A beautifully arranged dish in a woven basket featuring a small peanut on a leaf, accompanied by a dark sauce and decorative leaves.
Peanut and mexican chocolate

I really love how Noma embraces the seasons, culture, and food in such a way as to blend in with nature seemingly and its surroundings. Dining at Noma feels like getting hugged by Mother Nature.

A decorative arrangement featuring a potted bonsai tree on a woven straw platform, with a book titled 'NOMA 2022 Vegetable Forest' displayed beside it.
See you soon Japan!

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