It all started as a tiny restaurant in the Kanda Sarugakucho district of Tokyo in 1937, since then Tenmasa has become one of Japan’s most recognised tempura restaurants. Chef Patron Masaji Hashii became famous for his tempura cooking filled with secrecy and integrity and he eventually passed on his legacy to his grandson Yoshiaki Hashii who has carried on and also allowed the legendary restaurant’s cuisine to be enjoyed outside Japan – in Macau to be more precise.

The Macau outlet is headed by Chef de Cuisine Takenori Noguchi who worked and was trained in Tokyo by Yoshiaki Hashii during ten years. Noguchi graduated from the top ranked Tokyo École Culinaire Kunitachi in 1997 and he has dedicated his whole professional life to the traditional Japanese tempura cooking, but he has also developed and expanded his horizon as can be seen on the menu in Macau, since it is not just tempura offered on the menu anymore. A wide variety of Japanese luxury items can be selected from the menu crafted by Chef Noguchi, like the wagyu beef with foie gras which is something you should not miss.

But a visit to Tenmasa is never complete without ordering in several pieces of tempura. The exact frying instructions and recipes are a well kept secret with the unique and amazing salt which you add included. Make sure to order in some shrimps, big-eyed flathead and conger eel to experience what Tenmasa is all about. You will enjoy some of the very best tempura outside Japan.

It is like stepping straight into the Japanese original restaurant, but on a bigger scale, when you enter the doors of Tenmasa and remove your shoes for a tranquilised moment far away from what Macau is famous for. Chef de Cuisine Takenori Noguchi made the right decision when he chose to develop the traditional tempura menu even further. Today you will have a Japanese cuisine experience amongst the best outside Japan.

Written by Andy