I visited in early May.Once again, I was deeply impressed by the wonderful sensibility of the head chef, Mr. Yamamoto, and his meticulous work that brings out the best in the ingredients.Here’s a summary of the dishes we enjoyed:- Blue Crab A dish featuring carefully prepared blue crab, rich crab roe, and finely chopped okra. When mixed well and brought to my mouth, the richness of the roe, the stickiness of the okra, and the sweetness of the crab combined perfectly, capturing my palate from the very first bite.- Awaji White Sweet Sea Bream Soup Upon opening the beautifully decorated bowl with a peony design, a delicate aroma of dashi wafted out. The Awaji white sweet sea bream had an astonishingly fragrant skin and moist flesh. As I untied the mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley), the clear dashi seeped into my senses, soothing my entire being.- Sashimi Awaji Akou: A delightful crunch and refined umami. Shima Ebi from Saroma Lake, marinated in kombu: The beautifully striped shima ebi melted in my mouth the moment I took a bite! Wrapped in the umami of kombu, the natural sweetness and richness of the shrimp were elevated to a profound flavor. It was incredibly delicious.- New Onion and Kuchiko (Sea Cucumber Roe) Somen Using fresh somen from Shodoshima, the texture was astonishingly chewy. The penetrating sweetness of the new onion, the rich saltiness of the kuchiko, and the umami of the dashi beautifully clung to the fine noodles. The elegant aroma of yuzu added a pleasant accent.- Eel from Aichi Prefecture and Manjanji Pepper from Kyoto Fushimi Presented in a stunning Oribe-yaki (Mino ware) dish. The grilling of this eel was a work of art! The outside was crispy and light, while the inside was surprisingly moist and juicy. The contrast with the manjanji pepper was perfect.- Fried Abalone and Green Beans from Chiba Prefecture Indulgently fried abalone. The batter locked in the umami of the abalone, releasing a juicy scent of the ocean with every bite. The crisp texture and freshness of the green beans were a perfect accent to the fried dish.- Natural Rock Oyster from Maizuru, Kyoto A large rock oyster heralding the arrival of early summer. It was so creamy and milky that it felt almost wasteful to eat it in one bite! The rich taste of the sea filled my mouth.- Kumamoto Red Eggplant and Clams from Kujukuri, Flower Pepper As soon as it arrived, I was enveloped in the vibrant aroma of flower pepper. The clams from Kujukuri were surprisingly large and had a plump texture. The creamy red eggplant, soaked in their umami, harmonized beautifully with the refreshing kick of the flower pepper.- Amagi Shamo Chicken and Koshiabura Clay Pot Rice The finale of the day was clay pot rice featuring the robust umami of Amagi shamo chicken and the springtime essence of koshiabura. With each bite of the chicken bursting with rich flavor, the slightly bitter notes of the koshiabura provided the perfect accent. Despite being full, I couldn’t stop eating due to its deliciousness.- Miyazaki Mango, Dekopon, Passion Fruit, and Apples Marinated in Cointreau We ended on a refreshing note. The apples, infused with the adult aroma of Cointreau, combined with the sweet mango, and the bursting acidity of dekopon and passion fruit, beautifully wrapped up the course.Drinks we enjoyed: - Glass of Champagne - Daina Chokarakuchi Junmai (Tochigi) - Hiropiki Tokubetsu Junmai (Fukushima) - Kamo Nishiki Nibori Sake, Akaiwa Omachi Shiboritate (Niigata) From the museum-quality beautiful dishes to the combinations of ingredients and the skillful cooking techniques, everything was flawless once again. This is a special place I want to visit with each changing season. Thank you very much.
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