優雅なフレンチ、軽井沢の新緑に囲まれて。 : Hermitage de Tamura

Date: June 3, 2018 (Sun) - Lunch
Instagram: @mitomi_emon / Blog: http://ameblo.jp/nobuhiromitomi

While cherry blossoms and autumn leaves are beautiful, the fresh greenery of Karuizawa is equally stunning. The vibrant greenery creates a refreshing atmosphere, making this location a true summer retreat, attracting many prominent figures with their vacation homes. Today, I found myself at the French restaurant 'Hermitage de Tamura,' which is beautifully surrounded by such lush scenery. Though the building is over 40 years old, it harmonizes perfectly with its natural surroundings. Both the view and the attentive service contribute to a delightful dining experience. By the way, the taxi drivers refer to this area as "Gourmet Street."

The dishes here are as visually appealing as the scenery. Starting with the amuse-bouche, we savored its essence. The appetizer arrived in a finger-food style with "corn" and "fava beans." On a chiffon cake made of fava beans, there was a layer of roasted fava beans on top. The balanced seasoning complemented the drink nicely. The "corn" dish featured a mousse on the inside, surrounded by crunchy kernels, allowing the sweetness of the ingredients to linger, accentuated by the accompanying spring roll wrapper.

Next was "caviar" atop pancake batter and sour cream, layered with pink "Northern Ruby" potatoes arranged in a mille-feuille style with sour cream in between. The "chamomile" was transformed into a meringue, resembling a macaron. Each item, while adorably dessert-like, was designed to pair beautifully with drinks. Speaking of drinks, the fresh "raw oysters" from Kushiro paired excellently with champagne, as the sweet vinegar sauce beautifully enhanced the oyster's flavor.

The presentation of the dishes continued to impress. A blancmange made with local Nagano asparagus was layered with papaya and scallops, with each piece of papaya artfully rounded. It showed incredible attention to detail. Additionally, deep-fried "young sweetfish" from the Tenryu River, which starts in Kawakami, was served over local vegetables, appearing to swim elegantly on the plate. The herbaceous powder made from wild edible plants added a bitter accent, using flora sourced right from the surrounding trees—truly a remarkable example of local produce.

Further along, lavish ingredients like black abalone, lobster, and roasted short-horned beef from Iwate Prefecture lined the table. Each dish was paired with a sauce, ranging from hill watercress, Americain sauce, to a robust red wine reduction, all meticulously tailored to complement each ingredient. We concluded our meal with a genuine dessert; a melon dish that featured dense vanilla and melon compote—a true melon extravaganza.