Tabelog ratingImaishi Hanten Suzuka (今石飯店 涼華) is a small, intimate restaurant where chef-owner Imaishi-san single-handedly crafts modern Chinese tasting menus. The experience is omakase-style, with a focus on seasonal ingredients from across Kyushu, particularly seafood. Reviewers consistently praise the chef's precise control over heat and seasoning, resulting in dishes that are light and non-greasy yet deeply flavorful.
The multi-course menus feature a series of small, distinct plates. Signature items that guests repeatedly single out include a creative spring roll filled with crab and Comté cheese, expertly prepared seafood dishes like those featuring local shrimp (脚赤海老), and tempura of conger eel from Tsushima. The Beijing duck is also a highlight, as are the carefully tuned finishing dishes, such as crab fried rice or the special 'Suzuka Chanpon' noodles available at lunch. The warm, attentive service from the chef and his wife, who manages the front of house, is another point of frequent praise.
The restaurant is very small, with just a few counter seats and two tables, and the counter can feel hot during busy service. Given its size and popularity, securing a reservation is difficult and essential. Lunch service, in particular, often sells out. Reviewers note that even with a high price point, the quality of the ingredients and the skill on display offer excellent value.
Recent guest reviews mention lunch omakase courses around ¥5,500–¥8,000, while dinner omakase is often reported between ¥12,000 and ¥20,000. The restaurant's stated typical dinner spend is higher, from ¥20,000 to ¥29,999.
- Booking: Reservations are mandatory for both lunch and dinner and must be made at least one day in advance; booking well ahead is strongly recommended. Solo diners may need to call, as online systems may not accept single bookings.
- Access: A 3-minute walk from Nishitetsu Hirao Station.
- Payment: Visa, Master, JCB, AMEX, and Diners cards are accepted. Electronic money and QR code payments are not. A 10% service charge is added to the bill.
- Seating: 12 seats, including a 4-seat counter and two tables. Seating requests are not accepted.
- Children: Children are welcome if they are able to eat the full tasting menu.
- Dress Code: Please refrain from wearing tank tops or beach sandals.
- Parking: Two dedicated parking spaces are available in front of the restaurant.
- Smoking: The entire premises are non-smoking.
