After about a month and a half, I returned to LA VAGABONDE.This time, I enjoyed a lunch with a wine pairing (in smaller portions).The meal consisted of 16 dishes, including 7 amuse-bouches, an appetizer, a fish dish, a specialty, a main course, 2 desserts, and 3 tea sweets.**Amuse-Bouche [On Fossils]** First up, the first dish. **Cocktail of Torigai** This amuse-bouche features Torigai from Mikawa Bay in Aichi Prefecture, presented in a cocktail style. The Torigai is gently cooked to enhance its sweetness, served atop a sweet puree made from new onions and a jelly derived from consomme. The yellow flowers sprinkled on top are dried canola flowers. When enjoyed with a small spoon, the various flavors blend in your mouth, delivering an exceptional umami and texture. This is an exquisite amuse-bouche I had for the first time.The experience begins with this first dish.At this point, a hand towel is provided. This service is due to the finger food nature of many of LA VAGABONDE's amuse-bouches. It's a wonderful touch.Next, three dishes: **Sea Urchin** This amuse-bouche features fresh sea urchin from Hokkaido, a classic finger food at LA VAGABONDE. Underneath, there are rice flour and nori chips, with creamy Langres cheese from the Champagne region of France sandwiched in between, topped with pea shoots. The combination of sea urchin, nori, cheese, and chips is outstanding, making this a consistently delicious classic amuse-bouche.**Ishidai Cornet** This amuse-bouche is shaped like a tube and uses Ishidai from Ishikawa Prefecture. It is filled with marinated Ishidai, seasoned with sherry vinegar for a tangy flavor, and enhanced with oil extracted from kaffir lime, lime, and fresh ginger for a refreshing finish. Topping it are small round pieces of mango and coriander. This dish allows you to enjoy the textures of both the pastry and the filling.**Hassaku Tart** On a tart crust infused with a Taiwanese spice called Margo (which has a lemongrass-like aroma), there is a filling of Hassaku citrus and Hokkaido botan shrimp marinated in Oloroso sherry for flavor, along with a filling of goat cheese from France called Sainte-Maure de Touraine, garnished with dill. This is an original amuse-bouche conceived by Mizuno-san, and the combination of ingredients offers great texture and flavor.The last three amuse-bouches: **Wagyu** This is a bresaola made from black-haired Wagyu beef produced by Chugen in Osaka. Inside, it is paired with flower pepper from Nara Prefecture and a fresh cheese called fromage blanc. You pick it up with your fingers and enjoy it in one bite; the pairing of the Wagyu bresaola with the flower pepper and cheese is delightful.**Yaito Katsuo** This dish features Yaito Katsuo in a sushi style. The skin is lightly grilled, and raspberry vinegar is sprinkled on top, garnished with shiso flowers. Underneath, there are finely shredded, aged Baron potatoes from Obihiro, Hokkaido. It's delicious.**Nanatani Duck** This is a homemade sausage made from the thigh meat of Nanatani Duck. It is seasoned with a spice called passion pepper, which has a scent reminiscent of Ethiopian passion fruit. The sausage is sautéed and topped with Karakona mustard and wild chickweed. This dish was also a first for me, and it was incredibly tasty.**Appetizer** **Hairy Crab** This is a stunning appetizer made with hairy crab from Miyagi Prefecture, resembling a work of art. Inside, there is shredded crab meat, and the transparent gel-like sheet on top is made from a brand of fruit tomato called Gokumei from Kato Farm in Aichi Prefecture. Underneath, there is a sauce of gazpacho with both acidity and sweetness, layered with a salad made from black rice and a steamed vegetable called Furuillu (fennel). Topping it are bronze fennel, marigold, cornflower, and caviar, creating a vibrant dish. An oil sauce made with Italian parsley and Kujo green onions is laid underneath, and when combined from top to bottom, you can enjoy an ultimate dish.**Fish Dish** **Kinmedai** This dish features Kinmedai from Katsuura, Chiba Prefecture. On top of the Kinmedai, there are sautéed daikon flowers, wild vegetables called urui, Kyoto bamboo shoots, and garlic chives. A slightly bitter puree made from butterbur and green olives is layered in between, and underneath is a refreshing citrus sauce made with Hyuganatsu and fresh seaweed from Hamana Lake. Dried powders of wild garlic and urui are sprinkled around. The fish dishes at LA VAGABONDE are always perfectly cooked, with a crispy skin and tender, fluffy flesh, and the various flavors blend together in a way that never fails to impress.**Off-Menu** **Foie Gras** This is a small dish featuring foie gras, a specialty of LA VAGABONDE. It consists of a cold terrine of foie gras and Miyazaki mango, wrapped in a cookie dough made with tonka beans, which have a sweet aroma similar to vanilla. On top, there is a slightly bitter and sour puree made with yuzu. Next to it is a croquant made with pecans, coated in egg whites and sugar, baked to a juicy finish, served on a hot stone. It’s always fluffy and fresh.**Main Course** **Aka-za Ebi with Foie Gras** This dish features a pie wrapped around Aka-za ebi and foie gras. Inside, there is pan-seared foie gras and lightly cooked Aka-za ebi, covered with quail meat and wrapped in pie dough before being baked. The sauce underneath is a sweet and rich sauce made with Madeira wine, with a foamy sauce made from watercress inside. The small onions are parsnips, and the asparagus-like items are a seasonal vegetable called Asperge Sauvage. Additionally, summer truffles are included, adding to the luxuriousness. Chef Iwamoto prepared this dish with the vision of it resembling a garden, including the plate. When you cut into the pie and combine it with the sauce, the flavors of the Aka-za ebi, foie gras, and quail merge, allowing you to enjoy the crispy texture of the pie. This is an exquisite dish crafted by Chef Iwamoto.**Dessert One** **Loquat** This dessert features loquats from Nagasaki Prefecture. It consists of loquat compote inside, topped with chamomile tea jelly. The green item is chamomile leaves, and on top is a white pentas flower. Inside, there are layers of sorbet, yogurt, and amaretto, which is a liqueur infused with the almond-scented kernel of apricot seeds. These are combined and layered at the bottom, and you scoop from the bottom to enjoy.**Dessert Two** **Benihoppe** This dessert features freshly picked Benihoppe strawberries from Kubota Strawberry Farm in Aisai City, Aichi Prefecture. The surface of the strawberries has three layers, surrounded by a marshmallow made with rosemary, white chocolate, and a thin layer of fruit jelly made with raspberries. Finished with sauce and powder, the sauce is a sweet and sour blend made with red wine and raspberry liqueur, while the powdered layer uses liquid nitrogen to create an ice powder made with Assam tea and cinnamon. When you cut the strawberries with a knife and combine them, you can enjoy a delicious treat.**Tea Sweets** **Macaron** This macaron is made with Taiwanese pineapple. Inside, there is a filling of pineapple flesh combined with cream cheese and vodka, topped with mojito mint.**Canelé** This is a traditional French pastry from Bordeaux. It is baked juicy with a syrup of rum and served on a hot stone. It’s always fluffy and fresh, no matter when you enjoy it.**Kumquat Compote** The kumquat compote is coated with a bitter chocolate from Valrhona called Carilobe, and further wrapped in a baked confection called feuilletine. Topped with white flowers of alyssum, this new dessert combining chocolate and citrus is incredibly delicious.A leisurely 2 hours and 50 minutes.Once again, it was a parade of first-time dishes.The cuisine at LA VAGABONDE combines various ingredients and dishes into one, but its true essence lies in the new flavors and textures that emerge when they blend in your mouth. The fusion creates a taste that is many times more delicious than the original, allowing for a fresh experience each time.For me, LA VAGABONDE is a comforting place that feels like home, providing a sense of relaxation. I believe this is thanks to the warm hospitality of Chef Iwamoto, the culinary team, and all the staff, including Mizuno-san.I look forward to visiting again after the restaurant's renovation to see what the new atmosphere will be like.As I walked away and turned the corner, I looked back to see Chef Iwamoto still seeing us off. I am grateful for such wonderful consideration.