ribbon914
I visited a restaurant to experience their pairing menu before the sommelier Mr. Matsuoka, who first impressed me with his pairing skills, retires from Kashiwaya in December. I arrived at the restaurant at 11:45. The restaurant is located about a 10-minute walk from Hankyu Seki University Front Station, along the Meishin Expressway. The restaurant looks flat on the map, but there are unexpected ups and downs when walking from the station, so I do not recommend wearing heels. Most customers seem to use taxis to come to the restaurant, but as a commoner, I prefer to walk if it's within an hour. The restaurant is a splendid traditional Japanese-style mansion. The gate does not open until the exact time. There seemed to be a group dinner that day, so I was allowed to enter 15 minutes early to avoid overlapping. I had visited the second-floor room during the Grace Wine Maker's Dinner before, but this time I was in a detached room on the first floor. The beautifully maintained garden, with autumn leaves just as beautiful as those in Kyoto, added to the scenery. The glossy table reflected the autumn leaves through the window, resembling Rurikoin Temple. When I was distracted by the view, the lunch course started. Each dish had a pairing, and you could enjoy several types of pairings such as sake and wine for each dish. The dishes were all elegant and delicious, and of course, the pairing was excellent. When I thought it was time for some water, they came to pour it, even though it was a private room, the attention to detail was exceptional. It was around 3 PM when I finished the meal after enjoying it leisurely. Thank you for the feast. <Seasonal Course> Pairing - 21,000 yen including tax ◎Appetizer Ankimo Tofu with Red Grated Radish, Shallots, Ponzu Sauce... It's Ankimo, but with a sophisticated and smooth texture. The pairing was a Daikura Yamahai Special Junmai. This sake was my first time trying it, but it's delicious. Another surprise was the Sherry! It was my first time having Sherry with Ankimo, but it surprisingly worked well. ◎Simmered Dish Cod Milt Sake, Fresh Gluten Simmered, Seri, Yuzu... A cod milt and fresh gluten soup. It has grated radish, and it's made in a sleet style. The dashi is truly elegant. And for this, a New World white wine was paired. This also surprisingly matched well. ◎Sashimi Marinated Bonito, Butterbur, Beet Nanjing Line, Nagaimo Yukirin, Red-Leaf, Wasabi, Matsumae Soy Sauce... Sashimi of marbled bonito. The sticky texture and rich taste are not fishy at all, and it's delicious. It was paired with Yukinobijin's fresh sake and a red wine from Jura, France. Both were delicious. ◎Hassun Mackerel Sushi with Grated Ginger, Fresh Soy Sauce, White Lotus Root Salad, Seared Scallop, Grilled White Green Onion with Tosazu, Jikyo Matsukaze, Ginkgo Tempura... Everything was delicious, but the mackerel and scallop were particularly delicious. They were paired with white wines from Italy. And another rose wine from Italy. It was so delicious that when I mentioned it, they also served me another white wine from the same maker. ◎Grilled Dish Isaki Grilled with Seto Inland Sea Isaki, Grilled Taro with Shrimp, Yuzu... The fatty Isaki with yuzu on top of it adds a refreshing taste. Of course, the Isaki was delicious, but the grilled taro with shrimp was too delicious, so that impression was stronger. It was paired with a Pinot Noir from Germany. This was also delicious! ◎Pot Dish Cloud Dragon Grilled Crab... This was the most shocking dish of the day. The crab meat was crunchy from inside the souffle. The fluffy texture was enjoyable, and the crab was delicious. It was paired with Gamay from Beaujolais, France, and a white wine from Jura, France. Both were delicious. ◎Rice Lily Root Rice with Kama-Age Shirasu, Ume Oroshi Oba... The fluffy lily root. The slightly salty rice was delicious. There were various rice companions, and all of them were delicious.