tomy 1027

Restaurant NAZ in KaruizawaOpened in September 2020, it will close for relocation in February 2025. It will reopen in June 2025 at the new location, marking nearly a year since then.This is my 19th visit since the previous location and my 4th visit to the current one.While the focus on fermentation and local ingredients remains unchanged, the range of dishes has significantly expanded, showcasing incredible combinations. If asked what type of cuisine it is, I would say "Natsuki cuisine."However, I believe the effort required to maintain this standard is immense and challenging, as I have observed over the past six years.The dishes I enjoyed were:【Fried Edamame and Snap Peas】 Typically, fried dishes feature tofu, but this one is a cream croquette made with low-fat milk and pureed edamame. The snap peas, gently cooked in kombu water, create a delicate dish that highlights the sweetness of the beans.【Horse Meat and Canola Flower Tartare】 The horse meat, sourced from near the ribs, is cured with kombu for about an hour. Freshly harvested canola flowers are lightly cooked and seasoned with a soy sauce marinated egg yolk and mustard, topped with oil made from lemon zest and canola flowers. The freshness and slight bitterness of the canola flowers complement the sweetness of the horse meat beautifully.【Fermented White Asparagus Tagliolini】 This dish features extremely thin handmade pasta made with 100% egg yolk, served with a sauce made from the juice of white asparagus that has been fermented for over two months, combined with butter. No salt or additional seasonings are used, allowing the richness of the butter to harmonize with the acidity of the asparagus, creating an explosion of umami.【Moon Bear and Mountain Vegetables】 This dish combines the belly meat of moon bear with over ten types of mountain vegetables and Nagano's Gorohei rice, mixed together and served with a fresh egg. The aroma, bitterness, and astringency of the mountain vegetables pair well with the bear's fat.【Shinshu Salmon】 After being salted for two days, the Shinshu salmon is aged for about two weeks and smoked. It is topped with slices of turnip that have been fermented at room temperature for two weeks. The sauce is made from the juice of fermented tomatoes, enhanced with oil infused with the sweetness of pomegranate and the aroma of fresh figs.【Reconstructed Snow Under Carrots】 Roasted carrots are smoked, vacuum-packed, and infused with flavor through osmosis, then sliced and semi-dried to resemble dried sweet potatoes. Topped with carrot ice cream and smoked carrots rehydrated with carrot extract, this dish is a spring menu highlight. It’s surprising that two to three carrots are used in a single serving, maximizing the enjoyment of their sweetness.【Japanese Pheasant Tataki】 Thinly sliced breast meat, seared skin-side down over high heat, is served on green rice, accompanied by tender chicken breast infused with charcoal flavor and seasoned with yuzu pepper. Topped with deep-fried butterbur leaves.【Country Soba】 This dish uses a spicy radish called nezumi daikon. To avoid a poor texture from grating fermented daikon, unfermented daikon is grated and drained, then mixed with the juice of fermented daikon, served with 2:8 soba noodles, fresh perilla oil, and plenty of dried mullet roe.【Sakura Mochi Ice Cream】 This dessert features ice cream made from salted cherry blossoms and glutinous rice, served with a sauce made from Tochiotome strawberry juice, accompanied by leaves that have been desalted, dried, and brushed with oil.【Hazelnut Cake】 A cake made solely from butter and hazelnuts, without eggs or flour. Less