IN BRIEF

Tucked away on Lake Road in Takapuna, this traditional Japanese gem is filled with locals who know the value of a deliciously long-term relationship.

WHY CHOOSE THIS RESTAURANT?

If your tastes run to sushi trains or sashimi served in bamboo boats delivered on a conveyor belt then Kyoya is not for you. Established in 1995, here you will find Takapuna’s longest-running Japanese restaurant serving traditional cuisine to a fiercely loyal customer base.

ABOUT THE MENU

It feels like Japan in this rustic wood-lined dining room as you watch the wooden platters for the tasting plates being precisely layered with an assortment of beef tataki, prawn and fish tempura, teriyaki chicken, salmon sashimi, spinach goma-ae and sushi. Although this is not a menu where you will contemplate the fleeting beauty of an intensely seasonal dégustation, it is an authentic taste of some of the most solid Japanese dishes. Tempura, tonkatsu, karaage, teppanyaki and udon are all here, and a comforting bowl of miso soup comes from a steaming pot positioned in the centre of the counter. There is a fashionable minimalism perhaps in the star-shaped portions of rice that sit alongside your deep-fried breaded pork cutlets and traditional Japanese barbecue sauce, and the set dinner menus provide a curated selection of their all-stars for the vegetarian, Asian and Kiwi palates. A sign on the counter advertises the sparkling fresh fish selection of the day and at Kyoya the sashimi shines. Snapper that is dense and rich, mini slabs of salmon ribboned with white, gleaming trevally that tastes of the sea. Someone has really taken care of choosing the fish so that a good time will be had by all.

ABOUT THE CHEF

Originally from Gifu, a city in central Japan, head chef Akiyo Horii arrived in New Zealand on a working holiday visa in 1999 and Kyoya was her very first gig. Although she ventured out to experiment at another restaurant for a few years, her heart remained tied to this first kitchen in Takapuna and she returned to Kyoya in 2008, becoming the owner in 2015. Today Akiyo sticks to what she knows best and there are no desperate attempts to bring anything trendy or contemporary to the classic menu as she works side-by-side with sushi and sashimi chefs Shinichiro Handa and Yukiko Handa to continue the legacy of Takapuna’s most enduring Japanese restaurant.

ADDRESS: 426 Lake Rd, Takapuna
Check website for opening hours
MAINS: $30 – $42
CONTACT: 09 489 2312
WEBSITE: kyoya.co.nz