Foodle

Located in the mountains of Nirazaki City, Yamanashi Prefecture, French restaurant "TSUSHIMI" is a hidden gem just a 15-minute drive from the station. It has earned accolades such as Tabelog SILVER 2026 and being listed among Tabelog's Top 100 Restaurants in 2025. With a planned closure in May 2032, this "limited-time opening" restaurant serves only one group of up to four guests per day. Preparations begin at 3 AM for a 3 PM start, a daunting task that becomes understandable once you experience the exquisite dishes served. The course lasts about five hours, but the time flies by as each dish offers new discoveries, immersing you deeper into the culinary world as if guided through a dense forest. A standout dish is the signature "NOEN 2," a breathtaking creation that showcases nearly 100 types of vegetables prepared in eight different ways, using ingredients sourced from the restaurant's own garden and the surrounding mountains. This dish powerfully conveys the philosophy that "vegetables are the stars." One dish featuring turnips is crafted by hollowing out the turnip and lightly simmering it in a soft-shelled turtle soup, allowing the natural flavors of the turnip to shine through with slow, low-temperature cooking. The playful presentation includes both ginkgo and soft-shelled turtle roe, where the difference is only realized upon tasting. Rich in gelatin, this dish is luxurious as a soft-shelled turtle preparation, yet the lasting impression is the deliciousness of the turnip. The brilliance of this restaurant lies in its unwavering commitment to keeping vegetables in the spotlight, regardless of how strong the accompanying ingredients may be. In the tranquility of nature, you have the opportunity to experience the chef's skill and philosophy that bring out the "expressions" of the ingredients to their fullest. "TSUSHIMI" offers an experience that transcends the realm of vegetable cuisine, making it a must-visit destination. Less

This is one of Portugal’s only Michelin-starred Japanese restaurants 🇵🇹🇯🇵⭐️

Just 30 minutes outside Lisbon, in Cascais, you’ll find @kappo.cascais One of only two Michelin-starred restaurants in the city, where Portuguese ingredients meet Japanese philosophy.

Chef @tiagopenao trained under Japanese chefs for years, building a cuisine rooted in the traditions of kappo: “cut and cook” - a chef-led tasting menu focused on technique, seasonality and respect for the product.

From carabinero with its own bisque and egg emulsion to pristine local seafood prepared with Japanese restraint, the menu showcases Portugal’s best ingredients through a Japanese lens.

The meal ends with a traditional Edomae sushi sequence - local tuna, hamachi and sardines prepared according to classic techniques. Easily the highlight, and reason enough to return.

Kappo captures the spirit of Japan while remaining unmistakably Portuguese. A Michelin star well deserved.

Send this to someone you’d like to try it with 🍣
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📍 Kappo, Cascais, Portugal 🇵🇹
💶 Tasting menu: €155
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*invited
#ChasingStars #TheFoodFetishist #PortugeseMichelinMarathon Less

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⁡【la buche】
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京都・大原の静かな山里に店を構えるレストラン『la buche』。店名はフランス語で“薪”を意味する言葉。その名の通り、この店の料理の中心にあるのは薪火の存在だ。炎が生む香り、炭の熱、ゆっくりと素材を変化させる時間。そのすべてを通して、大原の自然そのものを皿の上に描こうとする店である。オーナーシェフの森尚平氏はフランスや東京の星付きレストランで研鑽を積み、故郷・大原へ戻ってきた料理人。世界で磨いた技術を、故郷の畑や山、そして狩猟文化に重ね合わせる。そう、ここは薪火で大原のテロワールを描くレストランだ。

その舞台となる大原という土地もまた、料理の背景として興味深い。京都市街から北へ少し入った山間の集落で、古くから京野菜の産地として知られる里山だ。昼夜の寒暖差が大きく、水も豊富。その自然条件が野菜の味を濃くする。一方で近年は若い農家も増えているという。料理人との対話を重ねながら、新しい品種や栽培方法に挑戦する人たちが現れ、その結果として面白い野菜が次々と生まれている。長く続く京野菜の伝統と、新しい農業の挑戦。その二つが同居しているのが、今の大原という土地らしい。

この店の料理もまた、その環境と強く結びつく。畑の野菜、山の野草、近隣の猟師が仕留めたジビエ。それらに薪火の香りをまとわせ、フレンチの技法で整理していく。乾燥させたぶどうの葉のウェルカムティーから始まり、アミューズでは「紅芯大根 柚子胡椒」「酸凝固チーズ 椎茸 菊芋」「パンデピス 唐辛子」なとが並ぶ。甘味、酸味、香りを軽く重ねながら、コースの輪郭を整えていく構成だ。

「ねぎ ふきのとう 大根 ラディッシュ」。鹿のブイヨンをベースにしたコンソメの中に、葱や蕗の薹のピュレ、大根を重ねる一皿。まずコン� Less

Bun Mam Ba Dong - Da Nang (Vietnam)

Half the people who try this sauce never order it again. The other half can’t stop.

Mắm nêm. Fermented anchovy sauce. This is the dish Da Nang locals eat, not the one they show tourists.

Rice vermicelli noodles, roast pork, young papaya, herbs, and that sauce pulling everything into line.

I grew up on Brazilian food. Nothing prepared me for this. In a good way.”

Bà Đông, Da Nang

Would you order it? Tell me below.

(Versão em Português nos comentários) Less

This was my fourth visit.The tempura made with fish that can only be found here is truly captivating.* HighballCorn puree (Dolce Dream)Bonito (Omaezaki)Grouper* Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Tojo Yamada Nishiki Akitsu Nishi to AAABarracuda (Yaizu)Jindo Squid (Yaizu) with fine saltGreen beansOrido Eggplant (Shimizu)* Kikusui Junmai GinjoSweetfishHorse mackerel (freshly caught in the morning)Swordfish* Atago no Matsu Tokubetsu Junmai ShinshuCarrotsSeaweed tempuraVinegared dish (natural eel from Hamana Lake)Young corn* White wine (Tramin Chardonnay Glarea)Young sweetfish (Kouzu River)Red snapperCorn (Mirai)Spanish mackerel (out of season but happened to be in stock)* White wine (Pouilly-Fuisse 1er La Verchere Daniel et Julien BARRAUD)Young sardine (happened to be in stock)Small sweetfishSweet potato (Beni Haruka)Tempura rice bowlShiratama Zenzai (sweet red bean soup with rice dumplings) Less

After dropping my Northern Italy Tour guests off at Trieste airport I had to make my way back to Milan. Rather than banging out the 4 hour drive in one go I decided to stop half way for some dinner at @ladispensasanfelice La Dispensa in San Felice del Benaco on Lake Garda.
I can’t recommend this high-end Italian delicatessen, wine bar and casual restaurant enough, where the emphasis is on outstanding regional produce rather than fine dining.
What makes La Dispensa special is that it celebrates the quality of the ingredients rather than elaborate techniques. The philosophy is that if the produce is exceptional, you don’t need to overcomplicate it.
The lasagne is life changing and together with a great bottle of wine this was a meal to remember. Highly recommended
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#achefabroad #northernitaly #ladispensa #lakegarda #italianfood Less