I visited in mid-June. It was a quiet and luxurious time spent watching the owner skillfully at work across the counter.The owner, Takemasa Shinohara, was born in Shiga Prefecture in 1980. After training at renowned restaurants in the Kansai region, he opened "Japanese Cuisine Shinohara" in Koka City, Shiga, at the age of 26. Despite being located in a rural area, it became a popular restaurant with reservations pouring in from all over the country, and he relocated to Ginza in 2016.Shinohara is famous for its beautifully extravagant hassun (seasonal appetizer platter), and this time, the hassun expressed the delicate beauty of the rainy season, adorned with hydrangeas.Two dishes that particularly impressed me were the ayu (sweetfish) nigiri and the hamo (pike eel) sukiyaki. The ayu nigiri was a dish that allowed me to fully appreciate the deliciousness of the fish, and I believe even those who are not fond of ayu would find it delightful. It was my first time enjoying ayu in this form, and I was moved by the combination of its smokiness and delicacy.The hamo sukiyaki was also a first experience for me. The carefully deboned hamo flesh absorbed the sweet and savory sukiyaki broth, creating a harmonious blend of the eel's refined fat and the umami of the broth. I usually enjoy hamo in dishes like boiled or tempura, so the idea of sukiyaki was refreshing.It had been since New Year’s since my last visit, but I look forward to returning in the fall to savor dishes featuring seasonal ingredients like matsutake mushrooms.
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