Foodle

Okayama is probably most easily recognized by tourists as the largest stopover between Kobe and Hiroshima, and sort of a gateway to Shikoku and the Seto Inland Sea. There is little to do there that is explicitly destination-worthy which, in a word, is wonderful. In late summer or early fall you can find some of the most expensive and mind-bendingly delicious grapes grown anywhere around Japan - or earlier in the Summer, peaches. The riverside garden and park next to the ebony-facade castle has a rental spot for paddle boats that feels more Seattle than Kansai. There is a sort of relaxed, local vibe that permeates everything.
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Sushi En sits behind an almost entirely unmarked entrance (aside from a small lit "縁") in a neighborhood that seems to be mostly populated with host/hostess clubs and is steps away from a bar that appears to inexplicably be gorilla-themed. I guess this is sort of unassuming and charming all at once. The sushi here, however, rivals top shops throughout Japan in both precision and quality, with the added twist that nearly all the ingredients are sourced locally in the Setouchi area. It was no surprise to me that it is one of the highest Tabelog-ranked sushiya in the region. Less

Two rice dishes appear to prep diners for the start of the sushi course. First, dried hotaru ika (this was late May, so appropriate) and its guts. Then Setouchi managatsuon with negi. The most interesting element of these dishes was the contrasting flavors they brought out in su-meshi. Almost like drinking the same wine alongside a steak and then dessert. Less

🍓𝗬𝗮𝗺𝗮’𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲
💎アシェットデセールの最高峰、「苺と冬の食材」
…𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸 · 詳細は⤵︎

✼••┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ 𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗛 ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈•✼

In 2024, “𝗬𝗮𝗺𝗮” stunned the culinary world by becoming the first restaurant in Japan specialising in “𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘁” to earn a @michelinguide star🌟

The course here updates every two months, and the January-February theme, carefully curated by @kouman1, was “𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 & 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀”⛄️

My highlight this season was “𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗻𝗼𝘄,” inspired by the @netflix series 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦💗 Sugar candy symbolised fresh powdery snow, paired with 𝘧𝘶𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘰 (butterbur) ice cream anticipating spring, and delicate strawberries with a hint of yuzu🍋

① ❄️"First Snow"
② 👑Seasonal Strawberries
③ 🌹Strawberry & Rose
④ 🍅Caprese
⑤, ⑥ 🍊Kanpei Orange Winter Roll
⑦, ⑧ 🥧Shrimp Quiche
⑨ 🍵Canola Flower Soup
⑩ 🍨Sesame Ice Cream
⑪ 🌰"Silk"
⑫ 🍰Petit Fours
⑬ 🥂Sparkling Strawberry
⑭ 💐Valentine’s Day Bouquet♡

✼••┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ 𝗝𝗔𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗘 ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈••✼

日本で初めてアシェットデセール（デザートコース）でミシュラン1つ星を獲得し、歴史的快挙を成し遂げたお菓子なお店「Yama」⭐️

他では味わえない異次元のデザートの数々を作り出すシェフのクリエイティブなラインアップは常に進化し続けていて、毎回感動してしまいます🥲 今回は1月・2月の「苺と冬の食材」を贅沢に使ったコースに伺いました☃️

カバー写真の「初雪」は @netflixjp のドラマ「初恋」にインスピレーションを受け、「霜柱の上にうっすらと降った雪」をイメージした絶品💘 繊細な飴細工の下には蕗の薹のアイスと苺があり、「冬の厳しい寒さと春への期待をデザートにして表現」していました🌸

① ❄️初雪
② 🍓奈良県産「古都華」
　 🍓栃木県産「とちおとめ」
　 🍓福岡県産「あまおう」
　 🍓岡山県産「BEEBERRY」 (@beeberry88)
③ 🌹苺と薔薇
④ 🍅カプレーゼ
⑤, ⑥ 🍊甘平の冬巻き
⑦, ⑧ 🥧香港キッシュ
⑨ 🍵菜の花
⑩ 🍨胡麻のアイス
⑪ 🌰絹
⑫ 🍰プティフール
　　・🍫チョコレートと落花生のロッシェ
　　・🫖ウーロン茶のマカロン
　　・🥝愛媛県産キウイのパートドフリュイ
　　・🥜カシグルミのキャラメリゼ
　　・🍓あまりん
⑬ 🥂苺のスパークリング
⑭ 💐バレンタインのブーケ♡

✼••┈┈┈┈┈┈ 𝗜𝗡𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 ┈┈┈┈┈┈••✼

📍┆Yama · 山
🗼┆Shirokane · 白金
👩🏻‍🍳┆Assiette Dessert · アシェットデセール
🏷┆@yama.shirokane @kouman1 #yama
💰┆Strawberries & Winter Ingredients + Silk
　　 苺と冬の食材 + 絹 (¥32,800 / person)
🚉┆Hiroo · 広尾駅 (Exit 1)🚶🏽‍♀️12min
👣┆Smart Casual · スマートカジュアル
📅┆Book via @omakasejapan · 予約困難
✍️┆Food: 𝖤𝗑𝖼𝖾𝗉𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝖺𝗅 · Vibe: 𝖤𝗅𝖾𝗀𝖺𝗇𝗍 · Price ¥¥¥¥¥

✼••┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ 𝗛𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗧𝗔𝗚𝗦 ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈••✼
#tokyohalfie_yama #tokyohalfie_shirokane #assiettedessert #アシェットデセール Less

Stunning, pristine local seafood. Buri from Imabari and uncured ma-saba. Buri typically has a reputation as a winter fish sourced from the other coast of Japan, but this piece (from a notably smaller fish) shattered that preconception. I called this one in my notes "Sawara-style" because it has been finished over bincho to crisp up the skin after being smoked. Less

For many sushi chefs, their first three or four nigiri are a showcase of their skills and aesthetic, and I got that impression here. Kawahagi with its liver from Awaji island. 6-day aged shimaaji from Ehime. Ika that had only been handled with a stainless steel knife to better preserve the flavor. And fourth, bincho-torched akamutsu from Tokushima, served with piping hot shari. Takahira san mentioned that these akamutsu feed mainly on sweet shrimp, giving them a meatier texture and more intense flavor. Less