I made a reservation for 11:30 AM on Sunday and visited the restaurant. After renting a car at Iiyama Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line, I drove for about 30 minutes along mountain roads. I navigated through some narrow and challenging spots where cars could barely pass each other, and finally arrived at the restaurant. This area is bustling with ski tourists in winter, but during this season of fresh greenery, the surroundings are quite tranquil, creating a very calm and peaceful atmosphere.The interior of the restaurant is spacious and open. From the large oven installed at the entrance, I could see pizzas being baked, which heightened my anticipation. This time, I ordered a course that allowed me to enjoy both soba and pizza, choosing the "Seasonal Soba Pizza" for the pizza option. It seems that this pizza features "Nezumi Bamboo," a seasonal delicacy of early summer in Shinshu.After about 10 minutes from placing my order, we started with a seasonal appetizer featuring wild mountain vegetables. Next, the "Soba Gaki" arrived, and it was more substantial than I had imagined. The moment I took a bite, the strong umami and sweetness of the buckwheat flour spread in my mouth, and I savored it slowly with salt, wasabi, and a slightly sweet soy sauce to my liking.Then came the main soba dish. The delicate, pale noodles were impressively fragrant with the aroma of buckwheat. When I tried it with just salt, the high quality was immediately evident. The dipping sauce was slightly sweet, which paired well with the delicate noodles. For the soba-yu (soba water) served after the meal, the staff advised, "Please wait about a minute after pouring before enjoying it." Waiting a bit enhances the buckwheat aroma, and when I added the provided sansho leaves, I enjoyed a refreshing flavor and an exquisite aftertaste like never before.The course concluded with the highly anticipated "Soba Pizza." This luxurious dish featured a tomato sauce base topped with seasonal Nezumi Bamboo. The crust was baked very thin and crispy, allowing it to be enjoyed like a snack, and I finished it off in no time.Despite the extensive menu, the dishes were served quickly and efficiently, with a total stay of about 45 minutes. While accessing the restaurant can be a bit of a challenge, for soba lovers, it is definitely worth the drive to visit at least once. It was a great meal!
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