"Walking into Kondo, the aroma of sesame oil fills the air. The master, Fumio Kondo, bends over behind the counter as he observes the tempura frying. Part of the pleasure of dining at a tempura shop is listening to the knives chopping the vegetables and the sound of the tempura frying in oil. The meal is based on seasonal vegetables and seafood. Tempura is traditionally served with a soy-based dipping sauce, to which diners add grated daikon. Aficionados will often season theirs only with salt, to preserve the delicate fried crust. Insider tip: Request the carrots and sweet potato, which do not come with the set meals. The sweet potato takes 30 minutes to cook and must be ordered at the beginning of the meal."