La Cime

In the minimal, dark grey dining room of La Cime—which means “the pinnacle” in French—chef Yusuke Takada creates dishes that could easily be mistaken for works of art. Located in downtown Osaka, Takada’s menu is inspired by childhood memories of his hometown, Amami Oshima, a small island in Japan’s south. It’s also driven by a culinary philosophy of keikoshoukon, meaning to meditate on the past to guide the present. Takada also takes inspiration from classic French recipe books, reinterpreting traditional recipes and techniques through a contemporary lens. Recently, he’s placed his focus on aromas to accelerate appetite and evoke emotion. If you happen to catch it on the menu, order the signature Boudin Dog, which consists of a boudin noir in dough, coloured black with edible bamboo charcoal.

Tatler Tip

At La Cime, diners end the meal with a tea drink; choose the “banshirou” tea, or guava leaves sourced from the chef's home island of Amami Oshima.