aru (aru) Toyohashi

A Day to Enjoy the Summer Bounty of Higashi-MikawaHigashi-Mikawa is a treasure trove of ingredients, with rich mountains to the north and the warm Pacific Ocean and Mikawa Bay to the south. The dishes at 'aru' showcase not just local ingredients, but a remarkable expression of the region's climate and seasonal offerings, promising a sensory experience like no other.As you open the menu, the names of producers like Miyo-chan, Kitagawa-san, Suhida-san, Miura-san, and my family’s farm (Toyokawa) leap out at you. This is a testament to their deep connection with the soil and their way of life. By savoring the stories behind the ingredients grown in that specific soil and climate, you can truly feel the essence of Higashi-Mikawa.**Memorable Courses** **[Miyo-chan's Gold Rush]** A dish boasting 200% corn. They changed their preparation from last year, resulting in an overwhelming sweetness and rich umami. The story unfolds beautifully, leading from a focaccia made with seasonal Gold Rush corn to a corn unadon to finish.**[Okra]** An elegant amuse-bouche that makes full use of okra flowers, contrasting delightfully with the texture of squid.**[Papumaru]** A refreshing burst of flavor fills your mouth with a granita of cucumber and shiso, enhanced by the zesty acidity of finger lime.**[Bell Pepper]** A simple yet luxurious dish featuring hollowed-out bell peppers filled with concentrated duck consomme. The kick of yuzu pepper accentuates the depth of the soup and the freshness of the bell pepper.**[Kitagawa-san's Summer Asparagus]** An unexpected pairing with porridge. The sweetness of the boiled asparagus harmonizes perfectly with the refreshing accent of perilla seeds.**[Suhida-san's Korin-ki and New Potatoes]** Korin-ki and new potatoes infused with the aroma of charcoal, complemented by the hidden flavors of cucumber and sasage, with a pleasant hint of oregano.**[From My Family's Farm: Eggplant]** Two exquisite dishes featuring eggplant: one roasted for two hours until tender, served with tomatillo puree and green chili, and the other combining white eggplant with marinated horse mackerel and molokhia. A luxurious duet that beautifully showcases the different expressions of eggplant.**[Seasonal Vegetables from Higashi-Mikawa and Toyohashi Beef]** A meat dish accompanied by edible amaranth and fresh red okra. Enjoy the robust local meat and the equally strong flavors of the vegetables.**[Corn Unadon]** A fitting finale to the French meal, featuring grilled Toyohashi eel and corn rice. The combination of smokiness and sweetness, accented by the refreshing touch of pickled plum, creates a delightful dish.**[Loquat] [Miura-san's Blueberries]** A luxurious moment enjoying loquat sorbet and Miura-san's blueberry ice cream layered with seasonal ripe fruits like watermelon, melon, and Nagano Purple grapes. Paired with warm herbal tea, it was the perfect finale to savor the summer bounty.We often buy vegetables that are available year-round at supermarkets, thinking we know their taste. However, the moment you taste the dishes at 'aru', that preconceived notion is pleasantly shattered. The familiar vegetables shine brightly as the stars of the show here.This place vividly updates the inherent charm of vegetables through the terroir of Higashi-Mikawa. More than just enjoying delicious French cuisine, it makes you appreciate the richness of nature anew. On the train ride home, I found myself dozing off while watching passengers in yukata heading to a fireworks festival, feeling the gentle sway of the train. That was the cherished afterglow of the special experience at 'aru'. Less

On this day, I invited my food friends from Nagoya to Toyohashi and visited "aru"!Despite being in Toyohashi, where it's challenging to find high-end restaurants, this place attracts customers from all over the country with its delicious vegetable-based dishes. I came back after a year to show my friends that such a wonderful restaurant exists in Toyohashi!The restaurant is located within a 10-minute walk from the east exit of Toyohashi Station, at the corner of an intersection. At first glance, you only see the stairs, so if you don’t know the restaurant is there, it’s hard to find.Inside, the atmosphere is calm, filled with the warmth of wood and candles.This time, we requested a drink pairing!**Miyo-chan's Corn** A corn soup made from the Gold Rush variety sent by my friend Miyo, a farmer from Toyokawa. The soup, made with minimal additional ingredients, has a refreshing yet rich sweetness that makes it hard to believe it’s just corn! What an impactful first dish!**Zucchini** This zucchini was sourced from a long-time partner of aru, Sfida in Shinshiro! It was smoked over rosemary wood, giving it a crispy exterior and a creamy interior! Paired with a roasted eggplant puree and shiso sauce, it added depth and turned into a rich dish!**Bell Pepper from My Family's Farm** This dish used a whole bell pepper from the farm of a Madame who is a farmer! The innovative presentation featured raw and lightly cooked bell pepper on top, combined with a sauce made from chili shrimp and white asparagus broth. I couldn’t imagine the flavor, but the slight bitterness of the bell pepper and the sweet, rich flavor of the shrimp were beautifully balanced by the white asparagus. The crisp texture of the fresh bell pepper highlighted the quality of the ingredients and the chef's creativity!**Crispy Prince - Sweetfish** What is this "Crispy Prince"? It turned out to be green beans! The beans were sprinkled with oregano, and when you bite into them, the crispy texture is complemented by the fragrant aroma of oregano. The lightly cooked sweetfish adds a sauce-like flavor in your mouth, creating a satisfying taste!**Seasonal Vegetables from Higashi Mikawa** This dish featured seasonal vegetables prepared in various ways without cooking, showcasing the natural flavors of each ingredient. You can truly appreciate the high potential of these vegetables!**Carrots** The carrots from Madame's family farm were slowly cooked for two hours in this dish! I was amazed by their tenderness! They were so soft that I could scoop them with a spoon, and their sweetness was concentrated, resembling the rich sweetness of sweet potatoes! It’s surprising to think this is just the sweetness of carrots!**Seasonal Vegetables from Higashi Mikawa - Nagoya Cochin** This dish combined vegetables from Sfida in Shinshiro and asparagus from Kitagawa in Toyokawa with Nagoya Cochin chicken. The vegetables have such high potential that I was encouraged to eat them together, using the vegetables as a sauce for the Nagoya Cochin. Each vegetable has a strong umami flavor, complementing the deliciousness of the Nagoya Cochin without being overshadowed!**Early Summer Rice** This final rice dish featured Komaru rice made by Sfida, combined with sweet corn that is coming into season! You can choose the amount of rice, and of course, I asked for a large serving! (laughs) The young corn was crisp and well-seasoned, and the sweetness and saltiness made it incredibly appetizing, making the rice taste slightly sweet, so I could eat it endlessly!**Elderflower** Using new tea from Suzuki Seicha, the final dish was ice cream made with elderflower puree, accompanied by a strawberry assortment from Rivermond Farm, known for its tomatoes! The ice cream had a smooth texture with a gentle sweetness and a delicate tea aroma. The strawberry assortment included Yotsuboshi, Mikunoka, and Shinku no Misuzu, and I started with the lighter-colored strawberries, but the Shinku no Misuzu was particularly sweet and rich!Finally, while enjoying herbal tea, I had a leisurely conversation with my food friends before leaving. Although they came from Nagoya, they seemed very satisfied, and I was glad to showcase the culinary prowess of Mikawa!Once again, it was a great meal! Less

YJ Tabe Star First LocationHighlight@aru.toyohashiaru / アル June 6, 2026, Saturday440-08812F Yoshida Building, 2-28 Hirokoji, Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture0532-54-5518Omakase Course Evening JPY 15,400- Miyoko's Corn Chilled Potage- Zucchini Grilled Eggplant Purée with Shiso and Vinegar- Peppers from My Family's Farm Grilled Fresh on Top, Charcoal Grilled Below Broth from White Asparagus Mikawa Bay Chili Shrimp- Crispy Sweetfish Variety of Stringless Green Beans Cucumber Sauce- Early Summer Salad Made with Local Vegetables from Higashi Mikawa- Carrots Roasted for 2 Hours, Finished on Charcoal Pepper Risotto- Seasonal Vegetables from Higashi Mikawa and Nagoya Cochin Chicken Thigh from Shinshiro with Thick Skin- Early Summer Rice Root Vegetable Broth Soup with Green Beans, New Onions, and Homemade Miso Brand Rice Nikomaru with Young Corn available only at this time of year- Elderflower Sorbet with Blood Orange, Gamagori Natsumi, Pink Grapefruit, Strawberries, Toyokawa Yotsuboshi, and more- New Tea from Suzuki Tea Shinshiro Fresh New Tea Ice CreamFull Wine Pairing JPY 9,500- Sparkling Petitjean Pienne Coeur de Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, France Champagne- Red Terre de Ciel Maison Rouge, Nagano Komoro- White Sancerre Blanc Cuvée Florès, France Loire- White/Orange You Temps Beau, Nagano Takayama, Kawashima Brewery- White Domaine Vincent Fleith, France Alsace Riesling- Red Azucca e Azucco Libreria Bianco, Toyota- TOYS BREWERY AMERICAN PALE ALE, Toyohashi Craft Beer / Bottle《Tabelog Budget》Lunch JPY 15,000~20,000Dinner JPY 20,000~30,000*All tax included*Separate 10% service charge- ReviewThis restaurant focuses on creating Japanese-style French cuisine using locally sourced vegetables and fruits from Higashi Mikawa. The interior, unified in light colors, beautifully showcases the wooden dining tables. Conveniently located near the station, it’s perfect for a day trip from Nagoya. Less

Aichi Prefecture Toyohashi's "aru"A French restaurant where you can enjoy seasonal ingredients from Higashi-Mikawa and delicious Japanese wine.The dishes are made with abundant local ingredients from Aichi Prefecture's Higashi-Mikawa, featuring gentle sauces and a perfect balance of acidity and smoky aromas.On this day:"Pepper Dish"A plate featuring different types of peppers from aru's family farm in Toyokawa, combining raw and grilled peppers. It is served with white asparagus espuma and a sauce made from chili shrimp and Italian parsley, enhancing the sweetness of the grilled peppers and the texture of the raw ones. The subtle bitterness of the raw peppers really stands out."Crispy Prince and New Potatoes Dish"Grilled crispy green beans (Crispy Prince) infused with oregano, maintaining a soft texture and sweetness, paired with roasted new potatoes that have a light texture and mild sweetness. The accompanying tangy cucumber sauce is exquisite and ties everything together beautifully."Carrot Dish"Last time, the spring carrot dish was fantastic, and this one is equally impressive. The roasted carrots are sweet and grilled, served with a pepper risotto. The contrast between sweetness and bitterness is addictive.It was a great meal.Wines by the bottle:- Niagara 2022 / LOWBROW CRAFT (Yoichi, Hokkaido)- 20kg 2022 / Domaine Murayama (Tomi City, Nagano Prefecture)- K16FY_AK 2016 / Kyoeido & Miyako Brewing (Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture)- Baroque Pearls 2017 / Azucca e Azucco (Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture)- Private Reserve Brilliance 2019 / Kido Winery (Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture)From the fields of Higashi-Mikawa:Chilled onion potage from Sufida.Grilled zucchini, smoked with rosemary branches.Peppers from the family farm:Raw Kyomatsuri and grilled,White asparagus espuma,Italian parsley sauce, chili shrimp.Crispy Prince (green beans) with oregano aroma,New potatoes with cucumber sauce.Early summer salad from Higashi-Mikawa.Roasted carrots grilled, served with pepper risotto.Seasonal vegetables from Higashi-Mikawa:Nagoya Cochin chicken breast and thigh from Shinshiro.Early summer rice:Young corn, bamboo shoots, and corn,Miso soup with root vegetables, green beans, and new onions.Elizabeth,Blood orange,Natsumi,Pink grapefruit,Four stars,Mikuno ka,Shinkuno ramisuzu.Elderflower sorbet,Milk ice cream.Ice cream made from new tea by Suzuki Seicha. Less

I visited for lunch.This is a casual French restaurant with a calm atmosphere. The interior is quiet and spacious, allowing for a relaxing dining experience.The dishes are characterized by gentle flavors that highlight the ingredients, skillfully incorporating elements of Japanese cuisine despite being French. For instance, one appetizer featured Japanese ingredients, and some dishes had a subtle aroma of dashi, adding an interesting twist.While none of the dishes are flashy, they allow you to truly appreciate the natural flavors of the ingredients, making it a perfect spot to enjoy a leisurely lunch. Less