Japanese Home Cooking at Kermis Restaurant, Tokyo

At Kermis Restaurant in Tokyo, chef Nobu and co-owner Yoku focus on authentic Japanese comfort food rather than the formal dishes typically associated with Japanese cuisine abroad. Their signature dishes showcase true daily eating: foil-grilled salmon with vegetables from Hokkaido, prepared simply with miso and butter, and ginger pork, which Yoku calls Japan's "soul food."

The ginger pork exemplifies Japanese home cooking—served as lunch sets with miso soup, rice, and pickles, it's beloved by businessmen and families alike. "Japanese don't eat sushi or kaiseki every day," Yoku explains. "We eat like pork ginger."

They host pop-ups and take research trips to places like Melbourne, Seoul, and Hong Kong, where they learn by eating with local friends rather than visiting tourist restaurants. This philosophy influences their menu while maintaining focus on seasonal Japanese ingredients from producers across the country, embodying a "made in Japan" philosophy throughout the restaurant.