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First of all: This restaurant may not be for everyone. If you are not happy to walk out of a restaurant with a stomach full of hearty and big food, this is not your place. If you're not willing to pay top dollars for excellent craftsmanship/artistry in food, don't bother. If you want a NY-style hip restaurant scene, you won't find it in this serene space. But if you want a 2-hour culinary holiday in Kyoto without getting on a flight, this is your place. This is possibly the most sophisticated Japanese restaurant in New York today. True, it's not cheap. You're paying for meals prepared with a tremendous amount of skilled craftsmanship and patience. The ingredients are exceptional. Many items, like the high quality teas and "fu," are basically impossible to find in the US (unless you carry it in yourself on a trip back from Japan). It's a very quiet restaurant - you'll find people taking softly and really focusing on the meal. Pay attention to the details like the seasonal theme of the ingredients and preparation. They even use appropriate, high-quality plates/bowls/trays for each course. (Dishes are a very important component of luxury dining in Japan - and very few places, even in Japan, will serve you a meal with the "good" dishes).

this is, hands down, the best meal my husband and i have ever had. the style, taste, inventiveness, everything was faultless. honestly, the best meal i've had since arriving in nyc (which was feb). i am looking forward to going back!

Kajitsu's food is meticulously/painstakingly made, which you can tell if you are gourmet. I am a Japanese so I know what shojin (vegetarian kaiseki) is, but Kajitsu's shojin is modernized and more enjoyable than authentic shojin. (Real shojin is a little bit too frugal and bland.) I do recommend this place even for non-vegetarians if they like real food.

Kajitsu is so very expensive. There are much finer establishments in the city that offer far more delectable kaiseki cusine for a lesser price. I didn't find any of the dishes particularly inspiring (Had the extended course Hana). The service was pleasant though. The atmosphere was sterile and dead quiet.