villa del nido (villa del nido) Unzen

On the second night of my trip to Nagasaki, I visited 'villa del nido' in Unzen. The restaurant is located in a residential area, surrounded by fields, making it a place you probably wouldn’t find unless you were specifically looking for it. I believe that such a unique location allows for special offerings, and it’s impressive that they operate a restaurant here.Here’s what was included in the Omakase course:■ Beet Preparation ■ Spring Water Bread ■ Harmony ■ Summer Texture ■ Mori Tsuki Sea Bream ■ River Blue Aroma ■ Fresh Fish Somen ■ Memories ■ Meat ■ Dessert The meal began with a soup made from shellfish, saffron, and ginger. It wasn’t listed on the menu, but it had a wonderful saffron aroma.The Beet Preparation featured local crab marinated in homemade beet miso. It also included local tomatoes and takana (Japanese mustard leaf).The Spring Water Bread was homemade focaccia. It was incredibly moist, comparable to the famous high-hydration bread from a bakery in Kagurazaka.The Harmony dish consisted of marinated onions. Inside, there were red shrimp, fermented lemon, seaweed, and fennel. It looked like sushi, and I couldn’t imagine the taste, but it was absolutely delicious. The onions were the star of the dish, and true to its name, the flavors of acidity, umami, richness, and aroma were harmonized beautifully. I was delighted to see so many local ingredients used in the dishes.Next, we were served bread made from indigenous black rice, along with sea urchin butter and mullet butter. I initially ordered ROCOCO Tokyo, but I felt like having wine here, so I opted for a pairing.The Summer Texture dish featured flounder marinated in homemade miso. It came with wakame marinated in sheep soy sauce and a soup made from iriko (dried sardines) and sheep soy sauce. This was my first time trying sheep soy sauce, and the flounder was incredibly delicious. It had a vibrant spiciness and a pleasant acidity, making it a perfect summer dish.The Mori Tsuki Sea Bream was a fried grouper. The surface was coated with a fermented potato paste before frying. It was served with a paste made from carrots, cumin, and vinegar. The exterior was crispy, hot, and fluffy. It was surprisingly rich in flavor and absolutely delicious. The wine pairing complemented this dish perfectly.The River Blue Aroma featured cucumbers marinated in a pickling liquid made from lemon. It was served with a sauce made from squid trimmings and roasted eggplant paste, looking very appealing. It also included sautéed eel, which was caught nearby. I expected something like sweetfish or ayu from the name "river," so I was surprised to see eel. I believe the topping was sheep meat, which added a lovely flavor. I often heard the word "fermentation" during the explanations, suggesting that this restaurant focuses on local ingredients and fermentation.The Fresh Fish Somen was made from ultra-thin somen noodles from Yoshioka Seimenjo. The soup was made from sea bream, cucumber, chili pickles, and a fermented drink sauce. The topping was indigenous corn, and next to it was a shellfish called koukai. I love somen and often order it, and this somen was incredibly delicious. Being ultra-thin, it paired well with the sauce, enhancing the overall flavor.The Memories dish was a pasta called Agnolotti dal Plin, reminiscent of the chef's time in Italy. The pasta was filled with Amakusa pork and homemade fennel miso. The sauce combined handmade butter with pork bone broth, topped with milk foam. I was surprised by the combination of pasta and pork bone broth, but it tasted fantastic without any awkwardness. The rich umami of the pork bone broth complemented the strong flavor of the pasta, creating an unexpectedly delightful combination.The meat course featured lamb from the Suffolk breed. It was roasted with aosa (seaweed) and pork fat, adding a nice flavor. The meat was tender and packed with umami. The sauce was made with black vinegar, which also added depth and deliciousness.Before dessert, a palate cleanser was served. It was eggplant cooked in plum vinegar, with a sauce made from milk infused with chili. The spiciness of the chili was sharp, but the richness of the milk balanced it out nicely.For dessert, we had a pudding made with pumpkin, white chocolate, and dessert wine. It looked completely different from any pudding I knew, but it was delicious. The addition of sansho pepper provided a sophisticated touch to this adult dessert.Finally, we enjoyed lemongrass tea and three types of small sweets. There were tiger melons and papayas topped with sweet plum, homemade fromage blanc with boiled peanuts, and homemade cake with kinako (roasted soybean flour). Each had a distinct and delightful flavor, but the lemongrass tea paired well with everything. It was so good that I wished I had asked if it was available for purchase.Every dish was delicious and creative. They made excellent use of local ingredients, allowing us to savor the unique flavors of this region. The restaurant has a smart and clean interior, yet the atmosphere is soft and comfortable. The staff provided wonderful service, and I had a truly enjoyable time.It was a great meal. Less

This restaurant is located in Unzen City, Nagasaki. I planned to drink, so I booked a nearby accommodation for my visit.I dined alone on a weekday lunchtime. It cost about JPY 800 for a taxi from Taira Station. (I could have walked, but it was too hot to do so.)Recently, there has been an increase in stylish and innovative restaurants in rural areas, and I might have underestimated this place. It was surprisingly delicious!Starting with a warm soup (I think it was made with squid broth?), we moved on to the appetizers. Instead of pasta, a dish featuring local somen noodles was served. This somen was incredibly tasty. Most of the other dishes also utilized local ingredients, not just the somen.If I had to list my personal top three (according to the menu titles):1. Beetroot Dish: The acidity of the sun-dried tomatoes was excellent. I think it had crab inside. I can’t recall how the beetroot was used.2. Mori Tsuki Umi Chushin Shime: I think it was grouper? It was deep-fried with a paste made from fermented potatoes, and it was very juicy!3. Raw Fish Aroma Somen: The somen paired perfectly with the raw fish (I’m not sure what kind).I ordered the normal alcohol pairing. While the pairing itself was good, the serving size was large, and I regretted not opting for the half size. On the other hand, for those who enjoy drinking, it would be quite satisfying....That said, I ordered a post-meal drink. The homemade limoncello was delicious.The menu descriptions were unique, and since they didn’t list the ingredients, I should have taken notes while eating. I returned to my accommodation and tried to recall the ingredients while looking at the photos, but perhaps due to the amount I drank, I could only remember how delicious everything was.By the way, they mentioned that they would operate even if only one person made a reservation. The chef was surprisingly friendly, making it a comfortable place to dine alone.I definitely want to visit again. Less

I traveled to Nagasaki during Golden Week to visit this place. I took the Shinkansen from Nagasaki Station to Isahaya Station, and then rode the Shimabara Railway for about an hour to Taira Station. After a 15-minute walk, I finally arrived. The surroundings were rich with rice fields and greenhouses.I have always loved gastronomy, and this restaurant was of such high quality that it was worth coming to Nagasaki just for this experience.What particularly surprised me was a dish called "Harmony." It featured dried tomatoes rehydrated with sheep soy sauce, filled with shrimp and dried lemon. The flavors were complex, yet all the ingredients worked together beautifully, leaving me in awe.Even the final dessert was flawless and delightful! ✨I felt a sense of new discovery in the dishes created using various techniques like fermentation and drying. I strongly wish to visit this restaurant again soon! ✨ Less