酔っ払ったらトンボの湯　～　村民食堂 : Sonmin Shokudo

I visited last year and had such a great experience that I decided to return.

At this time of year, Karuizawa is already deep into autumn with beautiful foliage. It gets quite chilly at night, dropping below 10°C.
Perhaps because it was a Friday night, the restaurant was almost full. I managed to squeeze into the only available table.

☆Crispy Cabbage
Simple dishes like this are delicious. It must be Shinshu cabbage.
☆Miso Sanzoku-yaki
A classic. The chicken thigh is juicy, and the Shinshu apple miso is sweet and delightful.
☆Aged Miso Hamburg Steak
Another staple. The combination of miso and cheese is exceptional.
☆Shinshu Salmon Sashimi
Sweet and melt-in-your-mouth salmon. It seems like branded farmed salmon is trending lately, but if it’s this delicious, who can argue?
☆French Fries and Pickles Assortment

This pairs well with Japanese sake.
☆Saku no Hana Karakuchi Ginjo 300 ml JPY 1,600
☆Kame no Umi Daiginjo Kuro 300 ml JPY 1,500
☆Meikyo Shisui Daiginjo 150 ml JPY 950 ×2
Among these, Kame no Umi had the richest aroma and was the most delicious, so I ordered a second round.

I finished off with Zaru Soba. Shinshu soba is always tasty.

This is a great restaurant. The prices are reasonable, the food is delicious, and the sake is remarkable.
After getting a bit tipsy, I’m heading to Tombo no Yu for a soak in the hot springs.

Located in the Hoshino district of Nakake, Sonmin Shokudo is a place where I met up with friends before staying at their villa. The nearby village-owned parking lot is paid, but they provide free tickets for those visiting Sonmin Shokudo.

Contrary to what its name might suggest, the building has large glass windows and high ceilings, creating a very stylish atmosphere. Right as you enter, there’s Café Hungry Spot, which serves drinks. The lighting is dimmed, giving it a nice vibe.

The back area for Sonmin Shokudo is slightly brighter. The tables by the window offer a pleasant view of the forest at night. Since I don’t need to drive anymore today, I decided to start with some Japanese sake and ordered a variety of items a la carte.

☆ Salted Tofu and Tomato Japanese Style Caprese
The key is the tofu soaked overnight in salt, paired with olive oil and walnuts for an accent. Delicious!
☆ Miso Sanzoku-yaki
This is a local dish from the Nagano region, with large pieces of chicken marinated in Shinshu apple miso and deep-fried.
Although similar to Tatsuta-age, it has a slightly sweet and rich miso flavor.
☆ Aged Miso Braised Hamburg Steak
This is a Hamburg steak simmered in a miso-based sauce, and they even mix miso into the beef patty.
The combination of miso and cheese is just perfect; the sake pairs beautifully with it.
☆ Assorted Pickles
Speaking of Shinshu, pickles are a must. They are tasty!
☆ Soba in Hot Soup
This was my first time trying this dish. I dipped Shinshu soba into a mountain vegetable broth.
The aroma of the soba was delightful, and it was served piping hot—perfect to finish off the meal.

Though it’s a tourist spot, the quality of the food is high, and the originality infused with local flavors is excellent. They have a wide variety of alcoholic beverages as well. If I had a villa around here, I would definitely frequent this place. As expected of Hoshino Resort, the name Sonmin Shokudo suits it well.