In 2017, the number of Japanese restaurants in Chongqing increased rapidly, reaching more than 1,000 in total, many of which cost more than 1,000 yuan per capita. The high-end Japanese food in the southwest region is not in Chengdu but in Chongqing, which is really surprising. This is also related to the fact that the Japanese consulate is located in Chongqing. At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan attaches great importance to the development of Japanese cuisine in Chongqing, and has carried out various exchange activities related to Japanese cuisine. However, due to the geographical location, local consumption level and consumption concept, Chongqing Japanese food is still in the stage of enlightenment and development.
Beishan opened on December 30, 2017, and the store is located in the Jiangbeizui area, which is known as "Chongqing Lujiazui". The "north" of the store name "Beishan" is taken from the meaning of Jiangbeizui, and the "mountain" is taken from the name of the mountain city of Chongqing. Beishan serves traditional Japanese kaiseki cuisine, with a Japanese chef in charge and a high-end and stylish atmosphere, making it the best Japanese restaurant in Chongqing.
Beishan maintains the frequency of direct delivery of fresh food once every two days, and all core ingredients are transported by air, ensuring that the ingredients used on the same day are transported to the store within 24 hours. Live eel, Japanese sea urchin, pufferfish, Australian Wagyu beef, and more are all signature ingredients of Kitayama. Auxiliary materials, such as Japanese soy sauce and edible flowers for decoration, were imported from Japanese traders in Shanghai. Therefore, the high transportation costs have also increased the price of Japanese food in Beishan, and the cost of almost all food ingredients transported to Chongqing has increased from several times to dozens of times.
As the head chef of Kitayama is Kotaro Kinoshita from Japan, who works at the prestigious three-Michelin-starred restaurant "Lucky Signs" in Kyoto, Japan. All the dishes in the Kitayama restaurant are designed by the chef himself. The kaiseki set meals served in Kitayama are available at 650 yuan, 980 yuan, and 1,420 yuan, and there are also à la carte menus, with an average cost of more than 300 yuan per person. There are at least 9 kaiseki courses in the store, including prepaid, eight-inch, sashimi, kyu, and strong dishes, and the order of which is to start, carry, turn, and combine. The chef will finish one dish after another according to the speed of the diner, and the meal time is usually about two hours, and the set menu changes every month.
Kitayama is particular about the food utensils, and there are many unique items from the Edo, Meiji, and Taisho periods in Japan, such as Kutani ware hand-drawn porcelain plates from the Taisho period, lacquered bowls from Ouchi, and eight-inch glass plates. The unit price of some food utensils can even reach several thousand yuan, which is very precious.
Kitayama provides Japanese-style service throughout the process, and the waiter is dressed in a kimono, soft-spoken, and smiling modestly. There are a variety of dining options in the store, such as counters, tatami mats, and private rooms. In addition, in order to allow local consumers to better experience Japanese cuisine and culture, diners who have booked a meal at the restaurant can also enjoy the experience of wearing a kimono.
Jiangbeizui, Chongqing, where Beishan is located, is the financial center of China's central and western regions, and is known as the "third financial district of China" along with Beijing Financial Street and Shanghai Lujiazui, and is the only national core business center area in Chongqing that can be compared with Jiefangbei CBD. Therefore, the consumer group targeted by Beishan is also high-end people who live and work in the surrounding area.
