Seasonal Pairing1. Nagaimo Shio-ni ↔︎ Champagne Chartogne-Taillet “Hors Série” The nagaimo has a very subtle flavor and a strong yam taste. The broth from the shio-ni is rich in umami and delicious. I was surprised at how much flavor nagaimo can release. The champagne is common for the first two dishes, made from old vines with a mild acidity that pairs well with food.2. Crab with Mikan ↔︎ Champagne The pairing of the crab legs on top and the sansho pepper is delightful, and I was amazed at how well the mikan mixed with the crab miso. The crab is incredibly delicious.3. Sashimi (Sea Bream, Octopus) ↔︎ Two types of Japanese Sake (Hanaho, Tawarayuki Natsu-zake) The sashimi was truly impressive. I enjoyed the sashimi of Akashi octopus and sea bream with sea bream salt water and octopus salt. Watching the chef skillfully cut the fish right in front of me was a treat. The octopus had a fun texture with different cuts and suction cups, and I felt it was the best octopus I’ve ever had. The sea bream was also wonderful, but what impressed me next was the way to eat it. Eating with two different salts, octopus salt and sea bream salt water, the octopus salt particularly enhanced the umami of both the octopus and sea bream. I usually prefer soy sauce for sashimi, but the salt brought out stronger flavors, making me reconsider.4. Hamo, Umeboshi Tempura, Onion Soup The soup is made with hamo and onion broth. Eating the onion brings out the fish flavor strongly, while the hamo highlights the sweetness of the onion. It’s an interesting soup where you can clearly distinguish these differences. Hamo and ume are a classic pairing, but the umeboshi tempura is gentler and seems to pair better with the soup than ume flesh.5. Striped Horse Mackerel with Cucumber and Shiso Oroshi ↔︎ Solitude (White Wine from Hokkaido) When served, I could smell a cucumber-like aroma, it was very fragrant. The striped horse mackerel was grilled with the skin on and paired well with the cucumber. I could sense a seasonal aroma reminiscent of summer grass.6. Turban Shell and Turnip Surinashi & Clam Broth ↔︎ Daishichi Natsu-zake The turnip flavor is rich. The clam is subtle and hard to detect in the surinashi alone. I’ve never had turban shell sliced this thin, and it was delicious. Eating it with the surinashi brought out a different flavor, and the clam broth served as a great connector.7. Grilled Sweetfish with Salt ↔︎ COTE ROTIE This is a farmed sweetfish from Nagano Prefecture, simply grilled with salt. You can really appreciate the flavor of the sweetfish.8. Smoked Grilled Sweetfish ↔︎ COTE ROTIE The sweetfish is smoked using the oil that accumulates while grilling. This might be closer to the image of grilling sweetfish while fishing in a river.9. Fig with White Miso ↔︎ Sankai Personally, this was the best pairing of the day. It uses a rice I’m not familiar with from Okayama. When I tasted it, it had a strong koji flavor, reminiscent of sweet sake. It paired perfectly with the fig white miso, enhancing each other’s flavors.10. Sweetfish Wrapped in Thin Omelette ↔︎ Ando Suigun (Warm Sake) This is a fried natural sweetfish combined with crispy fish bones. I wrapped it with wasabi leaves and vinegared rice in a thin omelette. I learned that wasabi pairs well with sweetfish while wrapping and eating it myself. This method really brings out the bitterness of the sweetfish. The bones add a nice crunch, and the warm sake pairs well.11. Eggplant Somen Inside the leaves of the Kaji and the thread Tanabata decoration, there are somen soaked in eggplant and broth. It’s refreshing.12. Corn Karasumi ↔︎ Kuro Ryu Sparkling Omitted.13. Winter Melon and Boar Soup ↔︎ Gevrey-Chambertin I really like the winter melon and broth soup and have tried making it myself, but I had never paired it with boar. The addition of meaty boar adds a bit of heartiness and flavor.14. White Rice, Summer Vegetable Pickles, Dried Sardines, Simmered Dish The meal consists of simply delicious rice and red miso soup, pickles, and side dishes. The red miso is intentionally made stronger to pair well with the rice.15. Blueberry and Anko This was a combination I had never encountered before, but it works well. The sweetness is balanced by the blueberries, making it not too rich.16. Zunda Dorayaki The aroma of edamame is very pleasant. The skin is chewy and pairs well with the zunda.This was my first visit, and it was very delicious. The menu changes eight times a year, and the next one will be in September. (The following one will be from October to mid-November.) I plan to visit again in September.