I visited Naruse, a restaurant that has been ranked number one in the tempura category on Tabelog for four consecutive years.It’s located about a 10-minute taxi ride from Shizuoka Station, and I was guided to the waiting room 30 minutes before my reservation, where I could relax and enjoy some tea.The premium seating, which accommodates only 8 guests, allows for easy communication with the owner, Takeo Shimura, and his apprentices, while the view of the garden from the seats is simply stunning.◯ Peach Sorbet with Finger Lime◯ Sashimi of Hanadai (Flower Sea Bream)→ The Hanadai was excellent, but the accompanying pickled onion with lemon was outstanding!◯ Sashimi of Swordtip Squid and Bonito◯ Spanish Mackerel◯ Okra◯ Round Eggplant→ I appreciated that it was served slightly cooled. Often, freshly fried dishes are too hot to taste properly, but letting it sit for a bit allowed me to fully enjoy the flavor of the eggplant.◯ Scad→ So fluffy!!!Incredible...◯ Squid→ A whole squid with liver inside.It was my first time trying this, and it was fantastic!◯ Freshly Caught Corn→ Topped with raw corn, allowing me to enjoy the differences in temperature, flavor, and texture.◯ Horse Mackerel→ Perfectly cooked, whether rare or fried.Much better than fried horse mackerel!◯ Sweetfish→ The flesh was fluffy, and the texture of the scales was crispy!◯ Potato→ Potatoes fried slowly for over an hour were sweet and fluffy.Sprinkled with buffalo butter and salt.◯ Meigo→ A cold soup made from crushed tomatoes, mixed and enjoyed with diced cucumbers, giving it a refreshing summer vibe.◯ Salad to Refresh the Palate→ Featuring the luxurious Doman Crab, often referred to as a mythical crab, along with figs.The meat of the Doman Crab was incredibly sweet!◯ Burdock→ Retaining a bit of earthiness and texture while also being sweet. This is perfection.◯ Ebodai→ Served with a cold tempura dipping sauce for a refreshing taste!◯ Grilled Eel Rice→ The eel is from the sea. Compared to lake eel, sea eel, which eats a variety of things, is definitely tastier.The rice is cooked in a clay pot.Only those who have trained for three years at Naruse can prepare the clay pot rice, as it requires years of experience and intuition to know when to open the lid.◯ Kakiage Rice BowlTo finish, I could choose from three options, and of course, I had them all.I started with the kakiage rice bowl.◯ Tempura Bara Rice Bowl→ The Tempura Bara Rice Bowl served at Ginza Kitagawa is made by those trained at Naruse.Naturally, the original is delicious.I added tea halfway through to make it a tempura tea bowl.Afterward, I moved on to tea and dessert.The tea was poured by Chef Shimura himself.The dessert was a gelato made with jasmine from Makinohara, drizzled with black syrup made from sugarcane from Kakegawa.I heard the dessert is made by his apprentices.After the meal, I took a stroll in the garden.The garden, illuminated at night, was beautiful.Everything was perfect, not just the flavors but also the hospitality.Although it was an alcohol pairing, they refilled my glass when it was empty.I usually struggle with pairings at other places, often leaving drinks behind or forcing myself to drink, resulting in headaches, but here, the high-quality wines and sake were easy to enjoy!I would love to go back if I have the chance (＾∇＾)
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