I was fortunate enough to secure a reservation at the always-booked PRESENTE Sugi, and I finally got to visit. Having lived in the neighboring Yachimata City during my childhood, the atmosphere of the town felt nostalgic to me. Although it is a high-end restaurant, the warm ambiance and friendly staff create a very relaxing space that welcomes you.On... More
I was fortunate enough to secure a reservation at the always-booked PRESENTE Sugi, and I finally got to visit. Having lived in the neighboring Yachimata City during my childhood, the atmosphere of the town felt nostalgic to me. Although it is a high-end restaurant, the warm ambiance and friendly staff create a very relaxing space that welcomes you.On this day, I enjoyed the Sugi Course:■ Earth■ Chef's first gift: Tomato candy■ Not on the menu: 1. Spanish mackerel prosciutto■ Blessings of the earth■ Shinshu mochi!? ■ The charm of Chiba■ Exciting school lunch■ Attraction■ Not on the menu: 2. Sea bass prosciutto■ Hakkō (fermented fish)■ GV Katsuo (bonito)■ Not on the menu: 3. Karasumi rice (salted mullet roe)■ Not on the menu: 4. Sea bass namerou (minced fish)■ Sugi Sushi Type-R■ Sugi nuts■ Cube■ Wild BBQ■ Fugu (pufferfish) flan■ Sugi Sushi Type-S■ Sugi farm on a plate■ Today's pasta■ Air ice■ Wood & strawberry■ Looks inedible but is edible■ Post-meal drinks■ Looks like it can't be eaten but is edibleAdditionally, I ordered the following drinks:■ Luxury Beer: ROCOCO Tokyo White■ Seasonal Sugi fruit liquor: Ume and Shishito■ White Wine: Domaine Eden Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains 2021■ Homemade Sugi Sparkling■ Red Wine: Zinfandel Bedrock Vineyard Sonoma Valley 2023"Incredible" This phrase sums it up perfectly. The dedication to every aspect of what is served at the restaurant is astonishing. From ingredient selection and cooking methods to the dishes used for plating, you can truly feel the attention to detail. While I mentioned it is a high-end restaurant, I felt it was quite affordable after the meal, as the chef elevates the value of the ingredients through his culinary skills. Even the drinks are reasonably priced, not just because of the location in Sakura, but also due to the exceptionally fair pricing.The first dish served, "Earth," features ice that represents clouds, the sea, and the atmosphere, and it is the most beautiful ice I have ever seen in my life.Next, the chef's first gift, "Tomato candy," has a crunchy candy exterior, but when you bite into it, the tomato juice bursts out. It has a salty flavor, and there’s a herb called "doctor's crying grass" on top, which spreads a scent reminiscent of sansho pepper.At this point, the chef happily explains, "Today, there are three dishes not on the menu." The first of these off-menu dishes is Spanish mackerel prosciutto. It includes pickled daikon, a tomato reduction with herbs, and a sauce made from fermented milk. The saltiness of the prosciutto, the acidity of the tomato, and a cheese-like flavor combine to create a deliciousness reminiscent of pizza. Contrary to its appearance, it truly tastes Italian."Blessings of the earth" features rare honey from Japanese honeybees, which only accounts for 0.1% of the honey available in Japan. Underneath the honey, there is a gelatinous layer made from water buffalo milk. The chef claims it is the best honey he has ever tasted, and I can sense its pure, unadulterated flavor. The lingering aftertaste is incredible, and the richness is profound."Shinshu mochi!?" is a dish featuring freshly baked French toast topped with foie gras ice powder and mulberry sauce. The intense umami of the foie gras spreads first, followed by the concentrated sweetness of the berries, and finally, the eggy flavor of the French toast arrives. The contrast in temperature enhances the depth of flavor. Every dish that comes out leaves a lasting impression of deliciousness on my palate, which is astonishing."The charm of Chiba" is a lobster tart. It features finely chopped raw lobster meat mixed with salt koji. The lobster shell is powdered and combined with white chocolate to create a lobster chocolate layer underneath. There is also a soup made from lobster miso and vegetables, and the cute flower on top is grown in the chef's home garden. Naturally, everything is lobster, and even before tasting, the aroma is distinctly seafood. I took a single bite as instructed, and the texture was sticky, with a rich umami flavor. The chocolate flavor follows, but it still tastes overwhelmingly of lobster."Exciting school lunch" features a cicada bread. It is made from baked croissant dough, sprinkled with black beans, black sesame, and powdered cicada larvae. The pleasant aroma reminiscent of peanuts comes from the cicada powder. The use of ingredients is so broad that it feels like entering an unknown world."Attraction" is a cauliflower dish. To bring out the new charm of cauliflower, the chef spent three years perfecting this dish. It features sautéed cauliflower that has had its moisture removed, creating a brown paste in the center, while the white part is a cauliflower mousse. The transparent layer is made from boiled cauliflower water, so everything from top to bottom is cauliflower. When I tasted it, I wondered, "Is this really cauliflower?" It has a richness akin to foie gras. But after several bites, the aftertaste confirms, "Ah, this is definitely cauliflower." I can't comprehend how such richness can come from a plant, but it truly does.The chef mentioned he loves Dragon Quest, and I thought that the three years spent on this dish is akin to the development period of a Dragon Quest game.Next is the second off-menu dish, sea bass prosciutto. On top is exquisite caviar, and beneath is a clear jelly made from solidified tomato water. There is also a pumpkin paste underneath, drizzled with shiso oil. It’s transparent yet distinctly tomato-flavored, even more so than actual tomatoes. Each layer has a different taste, evoking a sense of spring. The salty sea bass prosciutto and the sweetness of the pumpkin are both prominent, creating a flavor profile that feels like more than just one dish."Hakkō" is fermented monkfish. During this season, monkfish does not have liver, but the chef injected monkfish soup into the flesh to create a super monkfish. The reddish powder is fermented purple cabbage, and the center contains fermented asparagus and zucchini. The fried monkfish has a bouncy texture and rich umami. The fermented purple cabbage powder and the slight acidity from the asparagus and zucchini make for a delicious accent."GV Katsuo" refers to a cooking method using a vacuum cooker. It allows for precise control of pressure and boiling points, even boiling at 5 degrees Celsius. When fish is placed in water at this temperature, it doesn’t cook, allowing for raw ingredients to be simmered. The chef's explanations are so fascinating, as they differ greatly from any dishes I’ve had before. It features katsuo (bonito) scraps and katsuo simmered in raspberry soup. The dish is beautifully presented, and the flavors are equally stunning. The sauce has a cream cheese-like taste and is delicious, while the beets and pickles are incredibly tasty.Next is the third off-menu dish, karasumi rice. The rice is steamed in a bowl right after cooking, making it a dish still in progress. The explanation that it "is only completed when you open it" adds excitement, and simply lifting the lid feels participatory. The chef showed me the karasumi, and I was surprised at how different the color was from three years ago. When I opened the lid, an incredible aroma wafted up. The rice has a great texture, and the rich umami of the karasumi combines perfectly with just the right amount of saltiness, making it delicious.Continuing with the fourth off-menu dish, sea bass namerou. Since I had heard there were only three off-menu dishes, the restaurant's generous spirit filled the room with warm laughter. The namerou is made with local Sakura miso, grilled, and sandwiched with shiso leaves, transforming it into a Chiba regional dish called "sanga-yaki." It is wrapped in pastry and served with a sauce made from fermented napa cabbage and fresh cream. The chef mentioned that this sauce is easy to make at home, and it is indeed delicious. The flavor of the shiso and the namerou pairs excellently with alcohol."Sugi Sushi Type-R" features risotto inside mackerel, with pickled red onions and mustard applied. The nori used is of the highest quality, typically found in sushi restaurants. The side dish includes cute pickled carrots and burdock. When I tried it wrapped in the exquisite nori, it was incredibly delicious. I wasn’t sure what to expect from risotto sushi, but this was a perfect match. The acidity was just right, and it had a hand-rolled sushi feel with a hint of cheese, embodying the essence of Sugi Sushi. It was my first time trying it."Sugi nuts" are made from cherry blossoms and red grape juice set with gelatin. The sweet and sour flavor provides a nice interlude that feels dessert-like."Cube" features a crunchy bread with a smoky oil on the side. On top of the bread is a cream made from mascarpone cheese and homemade yogurt, infused with the scent of dandelion flowers. When you eat it, the crunching sound is remarkable. The cream is rich and delicious, and the smoky oil adds a wonderful array of flavors."Wild BBQ" features tenderloin Chateaubriand and wild herbs. The cooking process begins three hours before arrival, with slow cooking followed by cooling the surface with cold air at -25 degrees Celsius, then finishing it on high heat with wood. To achieve a grilled corn-like char, honey and cricket soy sauce are applied, and for added aroma, Yamazaki 12-year whiskey is sprayed. The plate is garnished with dried tomato sauce and salt. You can tell just by cutting it that the meat is incredibly tender, and the contrast with the wild herbs is superb. The addition of these herbs enhances the flavor beyond what a steak alone would provide. This is the best Chateaubriand I have ever had.Next is the fugu flan. Various parts of the fugu are simmered with kombu to create a delicious fugu soup, which is injected into the fugu flesh. Both the super monkfish and this super fugu exceed the taste of natural fresh fish. The super fugu is sautéed in fermented butter, and the soft roe is blended into a sauce poured over it. Underneath is a Western-style chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) made from the fugu soup, topped with the gentle aroma of summer truffles. Even before tasting, the aroma is delightful, and the flavor is so rich that it feels indulgent. Among so many star ingredients, the flavor of the egg stands out, making it a taste I want everyone to experience."Sugi Sushi Type-S" features the S for salad. Homemade roselle vinegar is combined with rice, and the fish is red snapper marinated in homemade bonito fish sauce. Additionally, the fins of the red snapper are simmered in red wine sauce and aged for 2-3 weeks before being brushed on. On top are nori and truffle tsukudani (sweetened seaweed). The side dish includes gari (pickled ginger) marinated in fruit vinegar made from fermented blueberries. The chef explained that "when you chew 3-4 times, it tastes like sushi, and by the time you swallow, it tastes like truffle-flavored egg rice," and indeed, it was just as described. The red snapper is rich and delicious, and the lingering flavor of the fish sauce is remarkable. I’ve heard that sushi means "delicious fish," and this is truly sushi."Sugi farm on a plate" is a salad abundant with flowers and micro herbs. It features a dressing made from vanilla and lime ice, along with herbs infused with lemon water and kombu water. The popping sound is delightful, and the texture is fun as it bursts in your mouth. Having the salad served towards the end provides a refreshing conclusion to the thoughtfully crafted course."Today's pasta" features pasta with raw karasumi. It is made with salt, sake, and a hint of spice to create a raw karasumi reminiscent of mentaiko (spicy cod roe), along with dried sea bass rehydrated in milk. Topped with a foam of fresh shichimi (seven spice), the rich umami sauce and refreshing spiciness create a delicious dish."Air ice" is a melon paste whipped into foam and rapidly frozen, resulting in a melon-flavored ice. Underneath is a white chocolate sauce infused with marigold flowers. On top are mint that has been grilled over wood and black oxalis, also grilled for a touch of acidity. When I tasted it, the melon flavor was strong, the acidity was just right, and the floral aroma was present. I’ve never had ice cream like this before. Every dish was true to its description."Wood & strawberry" features strawberry ice made from fermented black strawberries, infused with the aroma of nutmeg leaves. On top is a candy film, and underneath is a spicy kuro-moji tea jelly. This strawberry ice is incredibly refreshing, with a strawberry flavor that exceeds expectations, making it very delicious. The kuro-moji tea jelly adds a nice accent, resulting in a very refreshing dish.Finally, the "Looks inedible but is edible" features freshly baked financiers. Instead of butter, it uses a half-and-half mixture of wild boar and raccoon fat. Additionally, it incorporates domestic black sesame, which is only about 5%, and bamboo charcoal. Unlike typical financiers, it has a healthy flavor and a crisp texture from the bamboo charcoal. It pairs well with the fig tea I had as a post-meal drink.Everything served was delicious, and the approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes felt like no time at all. The food, drinks, tableware, service, explanations, and atmosphere all contributed to a memorable experience. It was not just about the flavors at the moment, but a 3-hour and 30-minute experience that will remain in my memory.It was a great meal! Less
