Page 2 - Dining Out - Jan 23, 2022

Restaurant Insider with Anne Lee
Nan Zan GiroGiro
560 Pensacola St. No. 107, Honolulu nanzangirogiro.com 808-524-0141 (call) or 808-782-0142 (text) 5-10 p.m.
Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays
ANNE LEE
speaks with owner/chef
YOSHIHIRO MATSUMOTO
Photos by
ANTHONY CONSILLIO
Owner/chefYoshihiro Matsumoto first came to visit Hawaii in 2004 and it was love at first sight. He wanted to find a way to live and work here, and that
dream became a reality when Nan Zan GiroGiro debuted in April 2011. This popular kaiseki restaurant was always busy and hard to get reservations for. I can understand why — every bite of each course has intention with a modern take on kaiseki and fresh local flavors. ChefYoshi prepared some highlights of his January nine-course winter menu, and each dish took me on a flavor-filled journey.
AL: Explain the experience that you want guests to have when dining here.
YM: Nan Zan GiroGiro is a Kyoto kaiseki restaurant with a monthly changing tasting menu, where I prepare specific courses that I would like guests to try based on the season and emphasize the flavors without heavy seasoning. Either nine or six courses are available, and each dish I prepare is a performance of how I use local ingredients and keep the traditional Kyoto kaiseki-style, but I add a modern twist to enhance the flavors of each ingredient. I do import seasonal fish and seasonal ingredients from Japan, but 60-70% is local ingredients in my monthly menus.
AL: What is the meaning of GiroGiro?
YM: “Gi” is my mentor’s last name and “Ro” represents Rosanjin, a very famous ceramic artist, who we have tre- mendous respect for. This may sound funny for a restaurant name, but many customers tell me they remember it. Nan Zan is the ceramist that creates unique dishware that we use and have shipped from Kyoto.
These one-of-a-kind pieces are available for purchase, depending on the time of the year. Not many people understand the history of traditional Kyoto with the ce- ramic pieces and the cuisine I create, so I want guests to be able to understand. When I do have local older Japanese guests, they understand and can appreciate the seasonal flavors.
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Dining Out
/ Jan. 23-29, 2022