Here is the translated text for segment 1/95 of the restaurant-review content:
"This is the final dish prepared by the owner, Mr. Iwamoto, this season! It's a special crab noodle dish."
This year, the fishing season has been slightly shortened, and by January, there will be no more fish! → Announcement!
I decided to visit this restaurant during this season's last chance... I made a reservation for me and my partner.
This time, I requested a "la carte" option when making the reservation.
We ordered one serving of seko crab面詰め per person, as well as various dishes.
At around 6:20 p.m., we arrived at the restaurant. There were no other customers yet.
This time, I also requested a counter seat when making the reservation.
First, let's start with bottle beer.
Eight inches... stewed spinach, black beans, rice pudding, kid-farmed trout, soft-cooked Eulachna hirashimai, walnut candy, tattai burdock, choroji.
Next, sake...
11種類のお刺身……一つ一つを目の前で焼いて提供してもらいました。
This time, the sashimi I received was made from carefully selected ingredients: Aomori bonito, Akashi herring, Sado salmon, Hokkaido minke whale, Akashi hake, Akashi swordfish, Hokkaido whale liver, Torai puffer fish, Five Islands natural kumara, Five Islands catfish, Chiba golden herring, and others. All the dishes were prepared with great care, and they tasted delicious.
Among them
Hokkaido Mink Whale... There was absolutely no off-flavor, and the meat was firm. It had a sweet taste, making it extremely delicious.
明石太刀魚・・肉厚で熟成されており、非常に美味しく、食べ応えがありました。
Torah Pork... With its thick cut, it has elasticity and a sweet taste. I could sense the unique umami of a well-aged fish.
セコカニャペン…丁寧に身をほぐし、内子と味噌を身の下に、外子を身の隣に配置しました。丁寧な仕事に感心しました。見た目もインスタ映えする感じでした。カニの出汁で作ったカニ酢はまろやかで美味しかったです。
Using the shell of the crab to make "shell wine"... The owner, Mr. Iwamoto, checked the temperature with a thermometer to ensure the proper temperature for the process. The crab was transferred from the shell to a spoon... The flavor of the crab paste became more pronounced, making it extremely delicious.
As for the dessert, we were served delicious strawberries from the western district.
Still, both the food and the service were satisfactory!
The knowledge of materials used in cooking is truly impressive; it was a great learning experience.
Thank you for your hospitality.
Let's try again!
This is a restaurant that operates on a fully booked-only basis. I have seen information about this place in various Facebook posts and on Instagram several times in the past.
I returned to my country two days before this visit. During my stay, I suffered from a poor health condition and remained almost completely without food for several days. I abstained from alcohol as well. On the day of my return, my health has significantly improved, and my appetite has begun to return.
Therefore, please enjoy dishes that are gentle on the stomach…
I've decided to make a reservation in a nearby restaurant.
I've selected the "Genza" restaurant as a Michelin-starred establishment. However, since my wife visited there on Tuesday, we opted for another restaurant and rejected this one!
Therefore, attempts were made to contact “Yūtoami”, “Shichizō”, “Michida”, “Akikichi”, “Shinhu”, “Miki”, and “Umokuya”. However, on the last Saturday of the year, all these places were fully booked.
So, I called the “Manno” restaurant in Deepa that I previously had a good experience at. Again, all tables were occupied due to reservations!
This time, with the consent of my wife, we decided to take a short train ride. We called the restaurant "Iwamoto" and were told that we could make reservations for two people until 8 p.m. So, we immediately made the request.
This time, as I visited, I noticed that the restaurant was fully booked again! I was truly surprised that I managed to secure a seat through a reservation two days prior, which was quite a coincidence.
It's a fully reservation-based system... Which means the last available date for booking is two days prior, and that is after returning from abroad. It seems to be a last chance.
This time, I had a counter seat... so I was able to talk with the owner. It seems that he used to be the manager of the "Hyōdai Branch" in Kita-no-saka, which is a restaurant rated as "☆". I remember that, according to the reviews on Yumlog, the Hyōdai Branch was temporarily closed as the manager of the branch, due to reasons related to his independent management.
Originally, I had a reservation for 18 o’clock... During the reservation process, the owner said, "If possible, you can arrive around 5:30 p.m." So it's okay even if you arrive around that time.
On this day, I attended the exhibition event of "Touaido Living Gallery" located near my home, along with my spouse. Afterward, we moved to JR Motomachi → Rokugai-dō. Since we arrived a little early, we stopped at "Makiyā, Head Office, Rokugai-dō Branch" to purchase bread for breakfast. Then, we proceeded to "Mameya, Head Store, Rokugai-dō Branch" for coffee.
Arrived at around 5:40 p.m., there were already customers in the private room at the back.
This time, I was guided to a seat located directly behind the counter, right at the entrance of the restaurant.
This restaurant offers a menu that can be chosen as either a set course or a la carte option.
This was my first visit, so I ordered a full course meal.
First, order drinks!
I had alcohol for the first time in six days, so I shared a bottle of beer with my wife.
Meals begin!
Appetizer 1: A potage made with sake-mushroom from Yamaguchi Prefecture. It was served hot, with plenty of onions. The umami of the ingredients was also well-preserved, making it a delicious starter.
Appetizers 2... Combined dishes, cabbage stew, sesame-dipped vegetables, and cream cheese with shita persimmon. Fried river shrimp, tangerine sweet stew, cauliflower, and yellow radish pickled in vinegar... Each dish was carefully prepared with care, and they are delicious and enjoyable!
Cabbage was finely chopped and quickly cooked in the broth, resulting in a delicious dish with a crisp texture!
This shrimp is seasoned with a mild sauce, then lightly battered and fried. It has a delicious taste, with crispy shells that are fragrant!
Remove the seeds from the dried persimmon of Machida and add cream cheese inside...
While enjoying the stacked dishes, I decided to change to Japanese sake instead!
Using a special cup, I received it with my wife at the restaurant... Here, they have a variety of Edo-keishi cups available, and I was able to choose one that suited my preference.
When ordering Japanese sake, the first thing to be served is a tea server. The shop owner has a special preference for a blend of 10 kinds of domestic green tea, which is served as a straight tea in the tea server. It has an amber color and is very refreshing. It certainly does not interfere with the sake. There is hardly any bitterness from the tea leaves, and the flavor of the tea leaves is also well preserved.
Firstly, the first item of the tasting was Japanese sake from Kikarakucha. It is a plain-short-aged sake made from Yamada Nishiki rice, with a milled rice rate of 55%, an alcohol content of 17 degrees, and a Japanese sake degree of +14. This sake has a clear taste, making it easy to drink. It has a savory flavor without any sweetness, and there is also a slight hint of impurities in the aroma.
Drinks
A reset in the mouth! This time, Renkon Manta with lotus root shaped pieces served as an accent. It was paired with Oomoko Shimeji and Okahihiki, along with Lotus Root Manta topped with pine leaves and yuzu. (It happened to be the Winter Solstice on that day!) I enjoyed it with a gentle broth, making it a delicious meal.
Next, the sashimi...
At this counter, you can order your food right in front of you, and it will be served one piece at a time. My wife was absolutely thrilled!
Firstly, a plate containing soy sauce and seasonings is provided as a set. Ingredients include radish kenshi, needle minagawa, dashi leaves, ginger, red chrysanthemum, bonyaoyu, kizami scallions, coarse salt...
I learned that there was a rare Japanese sake called "Kurokatsu Shizuku," which is only produced twice a year and is difficult to obtain. I asked for it from them.
Sashimi started... It was a long time since I last drank alcohol, so I'm a bit drunk. Maybe my memory will be a bit blurry from now on (If there are any mistakes, please forgive me.)
1品目・・・鯖・・生姜とネギを使い、醤油で調理されました。隠し包丁が入っており、なかなか良い熟成感があります！
Second item... Sose Ara... was served simply with kubanae and salt.
Third item: Torishiki… In this restaurant, no barbecue is used at all. The fish is simply grilled lightly with a net. The cuts are spaced evenly, allowing you to enjoy the crisp texture of the fish. Served simply with lemon and salt!
第四道料理……使用された鯨肉も塊状で、網にかけて焼き上げられました。そのまま半分に切り、ネギや生姜と一緒に提供されました。
5品目・・・フクをチリで、厚めに下ろした熟成フグは、歯応えもあります。活ければこの厚みは難しいかもしれませんが、熟成されているので旨味もあり、とても美味しいです！
6品目……耳付きのイカを炭火で焼き、霜を付けます（バーナーは使用しません）。高温で一気に焼くことで、イカの風味が引き出されます！
Item 7・・・Cured shrimp grilled with frosting, prepared with arugula and salt.
8品目……熟成カンパチも皮を炭で軽く焼き、脂が少し浮いた状態で、少し多めの山葵と一緒に提供されました。トロ並みに脂がのっているため、山葵の甘みを感じることができ、非常に良い味わいでした。
Grilled dishes
This was a delicious dish at this restaurant. The natural salmon was grilled over an open fire, with red cored vegetables as side dishes. It was a tasty and fatty salmon dish. It felt like I had ordered salmon shabu with this salmon!
Sauces
As a substitute for vinegar-based dishes, this salad made with organic vegetables is quite refreshing and suitable as a palate-moistener!
Seafood 1
Eggplant fried crisp... The eggplant, seasoned with a mild sauce, was lightly dipped in batter and then fried crisp. It tasted excellent as it was, and I enjoyed it very much.
Fried Items 2
Fried scallops with soy sauce, and fried snap peas... We ordered it simply, using soy sauce and salt.
Steamed Dishes
The steamed dishes of Saint Guanyin radish, Nambu scallion, and fried dough were enhanced by the pleasant aroma of yellow pomelo.
Kamonabako – The origin of this term is said to be…
セットご飯
Potato Rice (Sakata Potato)… The clay pot used here is the “Amae Glaze Gohanabe” by the potter “Nakagawa Tomo.” It seems that the rice used is a brand rice from Hokkaido called “Fukkurin Ko.”
The charred ingredients had a pleasant taste and were rich in flavor, making them delicious.
Soup
Red broth, fresh seaweed, wakame, tripe
Scents of the Past
Cucumber, sticky, Shiba-zuke
Dessert
Hōji tea jelly (containing persimmon compote)… After receiving about half of it, I squeezed lemon into the mixture, which changed the color of the jelly. It became lighter in texture, and it tasted refreshing!
Finally, an oji and Kyoto gold candy
Delicious cuisine and the owner's care; each dish was explained clearly.
I was able to enjoy delicious meals while dining here.
Thank you very much for your hospitality.
Aside: There are many things that are quite surprising... The dishes are prepared by just one person. The kitchen has five stainless steel cooking stoves, along with a large one for professional use... In total, six such stoves are always in operation. Additionally, there are a convention oven, far-infrared baking devices, and more—all of these are used to prepare dishes efficiently. It’s truly amazing!
The interior of the restaurant, including the kitchen, is extremely well-organized and cleanly maintained. It felt like the owner had a dedicated approach to cooking.
Commitment to the utensils... Quite a number of age-old utensils are being used without hesitation. It is said that the taste of food can change depending on the utensils used. So, this commitment really makes me happy.
This is a restaurant we truly wish to visit again.
