I thought I would never make it to this restaurant, but while browsing places I was interested in before bed, I found a cancellation slot and quickly made a reservation!Located just a few minutes' walk from Roppongi Station, this restaurant is situated at the top of a spiral staircase outside the building. A staff member is waiting at the foot of the stairs to escort you up. The restaurant isn’t very large, but it has a cozy atmosphere with eight counter seats.This time, I wanted to limit my alcohol intake, so I only had a glass of champagne at the start, followed by a tea pairing.The first dish was a consomme of hamo (pike eel). The fish was carefully prepared by the legendary Fujimoto from Ehime. It looked somewhat like a clear soup, but the aroma that wafted up was a delightful fresh scent of the ocean. Taking a sip revealed an incredible presence of hamo! The umami was profound, and the clear flavor made me want to sit up straight and savor it. It’s hard to believe that no salt was used, just the natural salinity of the hamo.Next was the cold fedelini with purple sea urchin. The pasta soaked up the rich broth from clams, topped with an extravagant amount of sea urchin, almost equal to the pasta itself. The fresh and rich umami of the sea urchin combined beautifully with the clam broth pasta—simply wonderful.Then came the tomato sauce with katsuo (bonito). The katsuo was perfectly cooked, and the sauce was made with Momotaro tomatoes, providing a pleasant aroma and sweetness. I never thought the combination of tomato and fish could be this good.The black abalone with lotus root in butter sauce was exquisite. The abalone was cooked to perfection, tender and full of pure umami, complemented by the crunchy sweetness of the lotus root and the moderate saltiness of the butter sauce. It was so delicious that it left me speechless. This is no exaggeration; during the meal, the overall chatter among the guests was almost nonexistent.The hairy crab risotto was made with an unbelievable amount of hairy crab, plus more crab meat added in. Half was enjoyed as is, while the other half was wrapped in seaweed. The al dente rice was infused with the essence of crab—beyond description.The red shrimp and bisque dish featured grilled red shrimp sourced from the renowned Hasegawa Taiki of "Sakana Hito," served with a bisque made by simmering the shells for six hours to concentrate the flavors. The lightly cooked red shrimp was outstanding on its own, and dipping it into the bisque allowed me to experience the ultimate shrimp flavor. The leftover bisque was perfect for dipping brioche, creating a blissful sweet and salty combination!The gold rush soup was made using corn kernels and the cob for broth, garnished with fruit tomato jelly. It was more corn than just eating corn! The saltiness of the tomato jelly highlighted the sweetness, while the acidity tightened the flavor profile—an amazing composition.The white sweetfish and snap peas dish featured skin that was so crispy it cracked upon touch, while the flesh was artfully moist. The accompanying sauce was exceptional; I had never encountered fish dishes like this before.For a palate cleanser, there was a granita made with Nanko plum. The refined acidity and solid sweetness were exquisite, with a delightful aroma that refreshed the palate perfectly. The palate cleanser was impeccable.Finally, the main dish was a charcoal-grilled Chateaubriand with Kamo eggplant. The cooking and sauce were on another level. It looked almost raw, yet it was cooked to perfection—juicy and so tender that no knife was needed, with a robust meat flavor. The sauce, made by reducing the meat without any salt, is beyond my ability to describe.The dessert was equally impressive. The melon was top-notch, and the ice cream was extraordinary. Most notably, the ganache and jelly made from domestic cacao! Despite containing no dairy, it was incredibly rich and creamy with a clean sweetness that was shocking—like the impact of Harukamuroka's water cacao.This restaurant was as amazing as Shohei Ohtani hitting home runs in every at-bat. Not only was the food incredible, but the service was also outstanding. The chef's warm personality seemed to positively influence both the restaurant and its guests. It’s no surprise that they have earned a Tabelog Gold rating.
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