One plate at a time, with curiosity and a personal point of view.AJI TO KOTOWARI
Aji to Kotowari›How the scores work

SCORING

Five ways to look at a plate.

Each score is a note on how I experienced one dish or meal on that day. Every category involves my own taste. Please read the numbers alongside the reasons in the article.

The five parts

Deliciousness · 40 points. How much I enjoyed the taste, aroma, texture and finish.

Harmony · 20 points. Whether temperature, cooking, texture and flavours felt pleasingly put together.

Signature character · 10 points. How strongly the dish seemed to express something distinctive about that restaurant or dish, as I experienced it.

Worth the price · 10 points. How I felt about what I received for the amount I paid.

Personal pull · 20 points. How much the dish drew me in, whether or not I can fully explain why.

How the numbers add up

I rate each part from 1 to 5, then weight it to produce a total out of 100. A 3 in every category gives 60 points. I do not rank different cuisines, prices or orders by total score alone. Two meals with the same score may have entirely different strengths.