Kunsei Dining MOKU is a restaurant with a focus on home-smoked cuisine. It’s owned by Yokohama-born Yuminori Kohara and his wife Michiko. On opening the door to their place you are greeted by a strong but pleasant aroma that wafts out. The savory, smoky smell comes from the wild cherry tree chips that are used for smoking the food. Kohara, who loves camping and hiking, chooses the wood chips that are best fit for the food he smokes.
To make kunsei (smoked) cuisine, the food needs sufficient time to be dried then flavored in the smoker. MOKU serves about 30 kinds of kunsei food, all of which are carefully prepared as dictated by the base ingredient. Each has its own ideal drying and smoking times and temperatures.
The most popular menu item at MOKU is the homemade bacon (¥400), which is cured for two weeks. Their Caesar Salad (¥700) and Pasta Carbonara (¥1000) are topped with this cured bacon and are equally popular. Also recommended are the Smoked Half-boiled Seasoned Egg (¥350) and Smoked Cheese (¥400). Unique items such as the Smoked Shaomai (pork dumpling, ¥400) or Hampen (boiled fish cake, ¥400) are also tasty choices. The smoking process drains excess fat from food allowing you to taste the umami.
My recommendation is the Smoked Octopus Carpaccio with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (¥600). It makes for a perfect match with beer or hot wine. To make your smoky feast complete, try the Smoked Coffee (¥400). You can also get their popular smoked nuts at Yokohama Cinemarine and Cinema Jack & Betty. MOKU is a member of the food delivery platforms, UberEATS and fineDine, so you can even enjoy your kunsei cuisine with your favorite drinks in the coziness of your home.