Fernando Viola, Edificio Málaga, local 8, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
€€€ ・ Japanese
At Akase, where the restaurant describes what it offers as “market-inspired cuisine with a Japanese soul”, the focus is on ingredients sourced from in and around Cádiz in order to create surprising Japanese cuisine that is guaranteed to please guests’ palates. Chef Jaime Mena’s cooking, with its emphasis on show-cooking for a maximum of 10 covers per service, is showcased on a single tasting menu (Daimyo) that starts with several Cádiz dishes prepared with techniques from the Far East, and continues (through a selection of nigiris) with typical fish sourced from different towns along the local coast (Chipiona, Rota, Barbate, Chiclana, Conil etc). When it comes to dessert, the emphasis is on classic Japanese dishes which provide an opportunity to explore the bodegas and vineyards of Jerez and its surroundings. We strongly recommend booking ahead.