くらまん
In the summer, the tree with pink flowers blooming is called "Sarusuberi," which is quite contrary to its name. This year, I happen to see it quite often. When written in hiragana, Sarusuberi lacks a certain charm, but when written in kanji as "Hyakunichisou," it has a lot of emotional appeal. In mid-August on a weekday, I went to Roppongi for errands, but I didn't see any Hyakunichisou flowers. However, that day, I was able to experience a refreshing atmosphere similar to the Hyakunichisou flowers in a meal. It was a meal of Southern Italian cuisine from Puglia. I visited "Antichi Sapori," which was selected as one of the top 100 restaurants in 2021. I made a reservation for two for the "Puglia Lunch" (3800 yen) with some time to spare after my errands. The restaurant is located on the 3rd floor of Garden Palace in Kioicho. It had been a few years since I last visited Garden Palace. The interior of the restaurant has an elegant yet casual atmosphere, allowing you to relax. You can see people fishing on boats in the pond below from the window. The staff at the restaurant provided attentive service. Although three staff members came to our table, the level of explanation about the dishes varied, but there were no mistakes. One of them provided a very detailed explanation, showing a deep knowledge of Puglia cuisine. I wanted to have wine, but since I was planning to drive that day, I opted for non-alcoholic beer. My companion, on the other hand, chose beer instead of wine because it was a hot day. The bread served was lovely, with three different types, each with its own unique characteristics. The square-shaped burnt wheat focaccia was fragrant and delicious. Burnt wheat is also a specialty of Puglia. There were several dishes, but here is a rough overview (below). The first appetizer consisted of a mozzarella cheese shaped like yuba, zucchini, and fried zucchini flowers. The visual presentation was unique and appealing. The sauce poured under the fried zucchini flowers was delicious, and the texture of the mozzarella cheese and the freshness of the olives were delightful. Next was a cold salad. The color combination was beautiful. The simple taste of salt and water was refreshing and light. It had ice in it, which kept it cold and refreshing, perfect for a hot summer day. The third dish was ham made from pork shoulder, served with bulb vegetables and a vegetable paste, which I believe was mustard greens. It was delicious. There were two pasta dishes. One was a short pasta shaped like pig ears, with zucchini, tomatoes, and salsiccia. The other was a long pasta with ragu sauce, made from burnt wheat, giving it a dark brown color. The ragu sauce had a rich flavor, and the pasta had a robust texture. For dessert, we had sugar-soaked almonds. The almonds were also from Puglia, and the staff mentioned that due to the oil content in Puglia almonds, sugar adheres well to them. Almonds from other regions, such as Sicily, do not have this characteristic. The almonds were plentiful, and my companion and I finished them all. It would be nice to enjoy them slowly while sipping on alcohol. Biscotti, a traditional Italian pastry, was also served. It was simple but had a nice subtle sweetness from being baked twice, making it a delightful treat. After the understated dessert, we were served a dessert with apricots that stood out against the orange backdrop. It was a delicious dessert that I would like to have every time. And there was more to come. A plate with chocolate tart, figs, and another dessert was served. The other dessert was gelato of some sort.