Visit Information Date: Monday, around 6 PM Reservation: Yes (91 days in advance, via Ikkyu) Wait: None Number of Guests: 1 Seating: Counter Frequency: First visit Duration: 3 hours and 20 minutes Payment: Credit Card (VISA) Food Menu ☆Seasonal Omakase Plan: JPY 22,000 (including tax) 　　◎Fried Baby Horse Mackerel 　　◎Charcoal-Grilled Blackthroat Seaperch 　　☆Wild Sweetfish Soup 　　☆Corn Soufflé 　　☆Chuck Eye Roll Meatballs 　　☆Edamame Risotto 　　◎Sautéed Fish 　　☆Charcoal-Grilled Hinai Chicken 　　☆Loach and Lamb Salami Tagliolini 　　☆Duck Breast 　　☆Cicce Watermelon Gelato 　　☆Custard Pudding with Hinai Chicken Egg Yolk Drink Menu ◎5-Piece Omakase Glass Drink: JPY 7,700 (including tax) 　　☆Monte Rossa, Prima Cuvée Brut, N.V. 　　◎Cantina Roccafiore, Fiorfiore, 2021 　　☆Mantellassi, Scalandrino Maremma Toscana Vermentino, 2024 　　◎Roberto Sarotto, Excelsius Chardonnay, 2022 　　◎Giacomo Grimaldi, Ravera Barolo, 2018 　　◎Coppacchioli Tattini, Pinot Nero, 2024: JPY 1,760 (including tax) Good Points ・Creative Italian cuisine using Akita ingredients Bad Points ・Difficult to find the entrance Other Notes ・The Tabelog Award Bronze: 2022-2026 ・Italian EAST Top 100 Restaurants: 2023-2025 (2024 not announced) Impressions This is the 13th installment of the real Namahage appearance in Akita. This was the dinner on the third day. The starting point of my Akita trip was this restaurant, f. It used to be by invitation only, but it relocated to its current location in May 2020, and now reservations can be made through Ikkyu. So, I made a reservation three months in advance. The location is just before Hinai Chicken Skewers Sot l'y laisse, where I visited for lunch from Akita Station. It took a little over 15 minutes to walk from the station to arrive. There were no signs on the building, so I checked the exterior photo on Tabelog and went up to the third floor. Even after entering the entrance, the path to the hall is like a maze. The straight counter has about 8 seats, but on this day, there were 6 people including myself. There was one couple, one male solo diner, one inbound male solo diner, and one female solo diner. The BGM was instrumental. The staff consisted of two: the chef and the madam. We went with the seasonal omakase plan. For drinks, there was no pairing, so I ordered the 5-piece omakase glass drink. You can choose from highball, sparkling, white, or red, and I started with sparkling. Monte Rossa, Prima Cuvée Brut, N.V.. It was dry with strong acidity, refreshing and easy to drink. The first dish was Fried Baby Horse Mackerel. The batter was light and crispy, and the flesh was tender and mild in flavor. The second drink was a white wine, Cantina Roccafiore, Fiorfiore, 2021. This one also had strong acidity and was refreshing, but with a stronger astringency. Next was Charcoal-Grilled Blackthroat Seaperch. It was served on a bed of grapefruit mixed with craft gin and dill. The surface was crispy while the inside was fluffy. Wild Sweetfish Soup was served with mashed potatoes. The sweetfish was dried and boiled in water, resulting in an incredible umami flavor. The potatoes were mixed with bell pepper and prosciutto, topped with a melon and cucumber sauce. This was deliciously rich. At this point, four types of bread were served. They were paired with a mixture of reduced milk and olive oil. For the third drink, I ordered another white wine, Mantellassi, Scalandrino Maremma Toscana Vermentino, 2024. It had a floral aroma, dry yet sweet. Corn Soufflé was topped with red squid and plenty of caviar. The fluffy soufflé blended well with the saltiness of the caviar. Next was Chuck Eye Roll Meatballs. The meatballs were wrapped in celery, served with mizuna, pineapple, and whole grain mustard. The meat was incredibly flavorful. The fourth drink was another white, Roberto Sarotto, Excelsius Chardonnay, 2022. It was a barrel-aged chardonnay with a smooth mouthfeel. Edamame Risotto was topped with baked breadcrumbs, Rishiri sea urchin, and isaza mousse. The sweetness of the beans, the umami of the sea urchin, and the saltiness and bitterness of the isaza provided a nice balance. Next was Sautéed Fish. It was Akita's fresh fish, served with boiled molokhia and a sauce of plum and paprika. The skin was crispy while the flesh was moist. For the fifth drink, I selected a red wine, Giacomo Grimaldi, Ravera Barolo, 2018. This was a classic Barolo, rich and full-bodied. Then came the Charcoal-Grilled Hinai Chicken. It was topped with tomino cheese, semi-dried tomatoes, cherry vodka, and basil sauce. The meat was juicy and tender, bursting with flavor. I ordered an additional red wine, Coppacchioli Tattini, Pinot Nero, 2024. This one was also robust, with noticeable tannins. The pasta was Loach and Lamb Salami Tagliolini. It was mixed with green onions and capers. Innovative yet delicious, with a great balance of bitterness and umami. The main dish was Barbary Duck Breast. It was moist, meaty, and without any gamey taste. Accompanying it was a Star of David okra, thick, sticky, and sweet. For dessert, I had Cicce Watermelon Gelato. It contained grappa but was sugar-free. The watermelon was a mix of grilled and fresh, concentrated to enhance sweetness, and it was incredibly sweet. I also noticed a hint of tomato flavor, similar to what I experienced at Jeweme the previous day. There was another dessert, Custard Pudding with Hinai Chicken Egg Yolk. I liked the traditional firm texture. Finally, I could choose from tea, coffee, or espresso, and I opted for Espresso. After a leisurely stay of just under 3.5 hours, it was time for the bill. JPY 33,220. I paid with a credit card. I later realized that I was charged for one extra drink. This was the third billing mistake during my Akita trip. At the previous two places, I was undercharged instead, so I ended up on the plus side, but I should make sure to confirm the bill on the spot to avoid causing trouble for the restaurants. It was a great meal. Now, I’ll head back to the hotel and wrap up day three.