f (f) Akita

Visit Information Date: Monday, around 6 PM Reservation: Yes (91 days in advance, via Ikkyu) Wait: None Number of Guests: 1 Seating: Counter Frequency: First visit Duration: 3 hours and 20 minutes Payment: Credit Card (VISA) Food Menu ☆Seasonal Omakase Plan: JPY 22,000 (including tax) 　　◎Fried Baby Horse Mackerel 　　◎Charcoal-Grilled Blackthroat Seaperch 　　☆Wild Sweetfish Soup 　　☆Corn Soufflé 　　☆Chuck Eye Roll Meatballs 　　☆Edamame Risotto 　　◎Sautéed Fish 　　☆Charcoal-Grilled Hinai Chicken 　　☆Loach and Lamb Salami Tagliolini 　　☆Duck Breast 　　☆Cicce Watermelon Gelato 　　☆Custard Pudding with Hinai Chicken Egg Yolk Drink Menu ◎5-Piece Omakase Glass Drink: JPY 7,700 (including tax) 　　☆Monte Rossa, Prima Cuvée Brut, N.V. 　　◎Cantina Roccafiore, Fiorfiore, 2021 　　☆Mantellassi, Scalandrino Maremma Toscana Vermentino, 2024 　　◎Roberto Sarotto, Excelsius Chardonnay, 2022 　　◎Giacomo Grimaldi, Ravera Barolo, 2018 　　◎Coppacchioli Tattini, Pinot Nero, 2024: JPY 1,760 (including tax) Good Points ・Creative Italian cuisine using Akita ingredients Bad Points ・Difficult to find the entrance Other Notes ・The Tabelog Award Bronze: 2022-2026 ・Italian EAST Top 100 Restaurants: 2023-2025 (2024 not announced) Impressions This is the 13th installment of the real Namahage appearance in Akita. This was the dinner on the third day. The starting point of my Akita trip was this restaurant, f. It used to be by invitation only, but it relocated to its current location in May 2020, and now reservations can be made through Ikkyu. So, I made a reservation three months in advance. The location is just before Hinai Chicken Skewers Sot l'y laisse, where I visited for lunch from Akita Station. It took a little over 15 minutes to walk from the station to arrive. There were no signs on the building, so I checked the exterior photo on Tabelog and went up to the third floor. Even after entering the entrance, the path to the hall is like a maze. The straight counter has about 8 seats, but on this day, there were 6 people including myself. There was one couple, one male solo diner, one inbound male solo diner, and one female solo diner. The BGM was instrumental. The staff consisted of two: the chef and the madam. We went with the seasonal omakase plan. For drinks, there was no pairing, so I ordered the 5-piece omakase glass drink. You can choose from highball, sparkling, white, or red, and I started with sparkling. Monte Rossa, Prima Cuvée Brut, N.V.. It was dry with strong acidity, refreshing and easy to drink. The first dish was Fried Baby Horse Mackerel. The batter was light and crispy, and the flesh was tender and mild in flavor. The second drink was a white wine, Cantina Roccafiore, Fiorfiore, 2021. This one also had strong acidity and was refreshing, but with a stronger astringency. Next was Charcoal-Grilled Blackthroat Seaperch. It was served on a bed of grapefruit mixed with craft gin and dill. The surface was crispy while the inside was fluffy. Wild Sweetfish Soup was served with mashed potatoes. The sweetfish was dried and boiled in water, resulting in an incredible umami flavor. The potatoes were mixed with bell pepper and prosciutto, topped with a melon and cucumber sauce. This was deliciously rich. At this point, four types of bread were served. They were paired with a mixture of reduced milk and olive oil. For the third drink, I ordered another white wine, Mantellassi, Scalandrino Maremma Toscana Vermentino, 2024. It had a floral aroma, dry yet sweet. Corn Soufflé was topped with red squid and plenty of caviar. The fluffy soufflé blended well with the saltiness of the caviar. Next was Chuck Eye Roll Meatballs. The meatballs were wrapped in celery, served with mizuna, pineapple, and whole grain mustard. The meat was incredibly flavorful. The fourth drink was another white, Roberto Sarotto, Excelsius Chardonnay, 2022. It was a barrel-aged chardonnay with a smooth mouthfeel. Edamame Risotto was topped with baked breadcrumbs, Rishiri sea urchin, and isaza mousse. The sweetness of the beans, the umami of the sea urchin, and the saltiness and bitterness of the isaza provided a nice balance. Next was Sautéed Fish. It was Akita's fresh fish, served with boiled molokhia and a sauce of plum and paprika. The skin was crispy while the flesh was moist. For the fifth drink, I selected a red wine, Giacomo Grimaldi, Ravera Barolo, 2018. This was a classic Barolo, rich and full-bodied. Then came the Charcoal-Grilled Hinai Chicken. It was topped with tomino cheese, semi-dried tomatoes, cherry vodka, and basil sauce. The meat was juicy and tender, bursting with flavor. I ordered an additional red wine, Coppacchioli Tattini, Pinot Nero, 2024. This one was also robust, with noticeable tannins. The pasta was Loach and Lamb Salami Tagliolini. It was mixed with green onions and capers. Innovative yet delicious, with a great balance of bitterness and umami. The main dish was Barbary Duck Breast. It was moist, meaty, and without any gamey taste. Accompanying it was a Star of David okra, thick, sticky, and sweet. For dessert, I had Cicce Watermelon Gelato. It contained grappa but was sugar-free. The watermelon was a mix of grilled and fresh, concentrated to enhance sweetness, and it was incredibly sweet. I also noticed a hint of tomato flavor, similar to what I experienced at Jeweme the previous day. There was another dessert, Custard Pudding with Hinai Chicken Egg Yolk. I liked the traditional firm texture. Finally, I could choose from tea, coffee, or espresso, and I opted for Espresso. After a leisurely stay of just under 3.5 hours, it was time for the bill. JPY 33,220. I paid with a credit card. I later realized that I was charged for one extra drink. This was the third billing mistake during my Akita trip. At the previous two places, I was undercharged instead, so I ended up on the plus side, but I should make sure to confirm the bill on the spot to avoid causing trouble for the restaurants. It was a great meal. Now, I’ll head back to the hotel and wrap up day three. Less

This was my second visit, and I was extremely satisfied.During my last visit, which was during Golden Week, there were plenty of wild vegetables.Here’s a record of the menu items I noted down. The course was JPY 20,000.- Fried Hōkasago (a type of fish)- Kuromutsu with grapefruit sauce- Sweetfish soup with potato salad and prosciutto- Bread with reduced milk and olive oil- Corn with red squid and caviar- Pork mince with Mizuna (a type of wild vegetable)- Edamame risotto with sea urchin and Isaza sauce- Sautéed fish- Hinai Jidori chicken with cheese sauce- Pasta with loach and lamb salami- Duck with fruit sauce- Watermelon sorbet- Pudding Less

I had high hopes for this restaurant, so I was very disappointed.Due to a mistake by the taxi driver, I was dropped off at the wrong location and was about two minutes late. I called ahead to inform them that I would arrive shortly.When I arrived, the chef didn’t even look our way, and the first dish was already served at our table. Since I had rushed to get there, I was quite thirsty and wanted a drink first. I was told they didn’t have beer, so I ordered a bottle of white wine and some sparkling water, but I ended up waiting for a while with just the food in front of me.On that day, the chef was not working alone; there were other staff members present as well. I understood that the restaurant operated on a simultaneous start system and that the dishes were being prepared. However, there was only one other customer besides us, and it wasn’t a full house, so I believe they could have held the first dish in the kitchen until we arrived. If they had done that, the impression of the meal's beginning would have been completely different.The white wine that was served later was at room temperature. While I understand that preferences vary, I asked if they could chill the bottle in an ice bucket with ice and water. However, they were not flexible in accommodating this request, which I found surprising since I didn’t think it was an unreasonable request.Furthermore, throughout the meal, there were loud noises from the open kitchen, such as pots being placed forcefully, dishes being slammed down, and doors being shut with force. I’m not sure what the intention was, but these sounds made it difficult to enjoy our meal in a calm atmosphere.My companion even remarked, "We’re just asking to chill the white wine that isn’t cold," and at one point, we had to ask them to be quieter due to the ongoing loud noises. I felt sorry for the other customer who was also affected by this atmosphere, and I found myself apologizing.The dishes were carefully prepared and delicious. However, given the price range of the restaurant, I had expectations not only for the food but also for the service and the overall experience.As a couple, we travel around Tohoku every year and have encountered wonderful chefs and restaurants in various places. That’s why I feel very disappointed that this experience has become a memory of Akita. Less

On this day, I visited f (Effe)! It’s a restaurant I’ve wanted to try since I got into gourmet food. I hadn’t had the chance to go until now, but I saw that I could make a reservation through Tabelog, so I decided to visit while I was planning a trip to Akita.The entrance to the restaurant was a bit hard to find; if you don’t pay attention to the building name, you might miss it. Even after climbing the stairs, it felt like a hidden gem, making it somewhat tricky to locate! Once I reached the top of the stairs, I walked around a bit, and then the counter appeared in front of me. I was surprised to see that only one set of cutlery was laid out at the counter! Is today Thursday? I wondered if something happened, but it turned out to be Friday. I thought maybe there was a no-show, but I didn’t ask. Since I was dining solo, the course progressed more quickly than I expected, but the dishes were unique and incredibly delicious. Many of the dishes incorporated fruits, and the way they balanced the acidity was impressive, making everything taste great. When I first heard about a dish using green bananas and shungiku (chrysanthemum leaves), I thought it sounded unbelievable, but it was delicious! The service was rather straightforward, with minimal explanations, but the food was definitely worth it. I would love to try more dishes with completely different ingredients! It was a great meal!Reservation method: Through Tabelog Course price: Around JPY 22,000 Duration: About 1.5 hours Reservation difficulty: Fairly easy to book Order: A glass of champagne, one each of white and red wine Total bill: JPY 27,500 Less