Visit Information Date: Sunday, around 7 PM Reservation: Yes (39 days in advance, Tabelog) Wait: None Number of Guests: 1 Seating: Four-person table Frequency: First visit Duration: 3 hours and 30 minutes Payment: Credit Card (VISA) Food Menu ◎Dinner Course Cena: JPY 13,200 (tax included) ◎Today's Small Appetizer ◎Appetizer 1: Anago Carpaccio ☆Appetizer 2: Baked Iwaki Oysters with Seaweed and Water Cloud ◎Appetizer 3: Katsuo Tataki ☆Seasonal Primo Piatto 1: Snail Risotto ☆Seasonal Primo Piatto 2: Ayu Pasta ☆Fish: Sautéed Hata with Porcini Mushrooms ☆Palate Cleanser: Chichisui Watermelon Granita ☆Meat: Kazuno Beef Shintama ☆Seasonal Dolce: Grilled Eggplant Gelato ◎Petit Fours and After-Dinner Drink Drink Menu ◎Cachina: JPY 1,650 (tax included) ☆Wine Pairing: JPY 8,250 (tax included) ☆Nino Negri, Ca' Brione Alpi Retiche di Sondrio, 2023 ☆Cantine Paolini, Gurgo Grillo ☆Palmento Costanzo, Mofete Etna Rosato ☆Cantina Giara, Fatalità Malvasia ◎Cavallotto, Langhe Nebbiolo, 2017 ☆Bertani, Catullo Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore, 2019 ◎Petrolo, Toscana Torrione, 2016 Expenses, Discounts, Others ・Service Charge (10%): JPY 2,310 Good Points ・A relaxing space utilizing Akita ingredients in Italian cuisine Bad Points ・A bit far from the station Other Notes ・The Tabelog Award Bronze: 2021-2026 ・Italian EAST Top 100: 2021-2025 (2022, 2024 not announced) ・Go-E-Miyo 3 Tock: 2025-2026 ・Go-E-Miyo 2 Tock: 2023-2024 Impression This is the 9th installment of the real Namahage appearance in Akita. Dinner on the second day in Akita. I took the JR train from Akita Station to Omagari Station, famous for its fireworks. From there, I took a taxi for about 10 minutes to visit "giueme". I made a reservation through Tabelog just over a month ago. For dinner, I opted for the Dinner Course. The venue usually opens 10 minutes before the reservation, but I arrived 15 minutes early. I was invited inside by the previous guests and was seated at the farthest table among five four-person tables. The other guests included a family of three, a young couple, and one man dining alone. The background music featured jazz vocals by Stacey Kent and others. The staff included the chef, the madam, and two female servers, all providing very polite and attentive service. For drinks, I requested the Wine Pairing, but the first glass was not included, so I ordered a craft beer made with apples from Akita's Cocopelli Orchard, Cachina. The apple flavor was refreshing, not overly sweet, and light. With each course, the madam provided detailed explanations. First, as a Today's Small Appetizer, I was served Sweet Corn Ragout, Hiramasa Ham, and Peach and Truffle Tart. The Sweet Corn Ragout combined the sweetness of corn with the saltiness of the ragout, creating a delicious balance. The Hiramasa Ham was topped with cheese and dandelion leaves. The Peach and Truffle Tart had a crispy crust with a delightful aroma and sweetness. The first wine was Nino Negri, Ca' Brione Alpi Retiche di Sondrio, 2023. It had a rich aroma but was refreshing with a mineral quality. The paired Appetizer 1 was Anago Carpaccio. The anago from Iwate was blanched, and the skin was lightly grilled to soften it. Red wine jelly was drizzled over vegetables like paprika, yellow tomatoes, figs, and microgreens. It had a subtle sweetness. The second glass was Cantine Paolini, Gurgo Grillo. This wine was also aromatic and very dry, making it easy to drink. Appetizer 2 was Baked Iwaki Oysters with Seaweed and Water Cloud. It was creamy with a good balance of sweetness and bitterness. At this point, Baguette was also served. I enjoyed it with the leftover sauce. The third wine was Palmento Costanzo, Mofete Etna Rosato. This Sicilian rosé had a sweet aroma that I liked. Appetizer 3 was Katsuo Tataki. It was served with sweet long peppers and had a sauce made from fermented strawberries and shiso on the outside. The texture was thick and refreshing. The fourth pairing was Cantina Giara, Fatalità Malvasia. This orange wine had a refreshing fruitiness and a robust body. Next was Seasonal Primo Piatto 1, which was Snail Risotto. The rice was made from Kame no O, a sake rice that the restaurant ferments. The risotto included snail liver, basil, mizuna, cucumber, okra, and vine spinach, providing a fun texture and bitterness. The fifth glass was Cavallotto, Langhe Nebbiolo, 2017. This was a robust red wine with strong tannins. Seasonal Primo Piatto 2 was Ayu Pasta. It contained the flesh of Akita ayu, pumpkin flowers topped with summer truffles, and sprinkled with ayu bones and skin. The pasta had a nice chewy texture, and the bitterness of the ayu was wonderful. Next was another red wine, Bertani, Catullo Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore, 2019. Compared to the previous one, this had a stronger fruitiness and was lighter and easier to drink. Fish was Sautéed Hata with Porcini Mushrooms. The porcini mushrooms were specially sourced for this dish. The hata was thick and deliciously plump. Next was a Palate Cleanser. This was a granita made from Akita's brand watermelon, Chichisui Watermelon. It was refreshing with amaretto and lime, and had a hint of tomato flavor. The final wine was Petrolo, Toscana Torrione, 2016, a red from Tuscany. Despite being red, it had a notable saltiness. Meat was Kazuno Beef Shintama. The sauce was made with vinegar and shottsuru. It was accompanied by water spinach, young corn, Kita Akari potatoes, asparagus, powdered dandelion, and more. The meat was quite hearty, with a sweetness from the fat, making it very delicious. For the Seasonal Dolce, I had Grilled Eggplant Gelato. It was served with a jelly made from hōzuki and a mixture of cocoa meringue and ricotta underneath. It was shocking to see eggplant transformed into a dessert. To finish, I had Petit Fours and After-Dinner Drink. The petit fours included panna cotta, Tosa bunan peel, cantucci, and vegan balls made with miso, all beautifully arranged on a copper plate. The After-Dinner Drink was Coffee. It was served three times with varying drip times. The aroma was delightful, and the flavor intensified as the time increased. Finally, I had a conversation with the chef and enjoyed a leisurely 3.5 hours before settling the bill. JPY 25,410 I paid with a credit card. It was a great meal. I would love to visit again in a different season. I took a taxi back to Akita Station.
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