ワンクラス上を目指して : Breston Court Yukawatan

September 2015
The only course available was JPY 18,000, but I was informed that I could reduce the number of dishes.
The beef wrapped in pastry was incredibly tender, softer than any pie.
Even during the off-season on a weekday, the restaurant was fully booked, showing that both the cuisine and the establishment are evolving.
I raised my overall rating from 4.5 to 4.7.

September 2014
In September, mushrooms returned to the menu.
The petit four was served in a bird's nest box, making for a delightful surprise.

August 2013
I had the pleasure of staying again at Hoshinoya.
In August, the candlelight night in the Breston Court's garden was beautiful.
The cheese tuile was replaced with sweetfish.
I was recommended a wine that paired perfectly with the dishes, and it was delicious.
I'm grateful for the opportunities to take photos with Chef Hamada.

May 2013
I visited to enjoy the special JPY 23,100 menu in honor of the Bocuse d’Or.
I have always wanted to taste a world-renowned fish dish.

1. Cheese Tuile
2. 6 Types of Amuse-Bouches
3. Saku Carp Tartare
4. Fresh Asparagus from Yoshimi Farm
5. Consommé and Sweetfish
6. Flounder and Lobster, styled after the Grand Prix of the Bocuse d'Or
7. Bocuse d'Or Challenge Ingredient: Beef
8. Shinshu Cheese
9. Nesting Egg (Dessert)
10. Dandelion-style Tiramisu (Choice of 4 varieties)
11. Petit Four
12. OBUSE Winery Grape Leaf Tea

The flounder and lobster dish, rated as the best in the world, was served in a wooden bento box with a steam tray underneath, creating a beautiful presentation.
I believe the skillful execution and this creative idea contributed to its recognition.

Initially, this special menu was available until the end of May, but due to its popularity, it was extended until the end of August.
I recommend making a reservation early.

February 1, 2013 Update
Yesterday, I received some wonderful news.
Congratulations to Executive Chef Hamada for winning the bronze medal at the Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition.
I hope Yukawatan's cuisine will become a destination for diners from around the world to come to Karuizawa.

January 26, 2013 Update
Yesterday, Executive Chef Hamada appeared on Iron Chef.
Unfortunately, he lost, but being young, I hope he gains more experience and becomes a culinary Iron Chef.
I recall him coming to see me off at the entrance after my meal at Yukawatan, and I had the chance to shake his hand, so I decided to upload a comment and a dark, unfocused photo.

June 26, 2011
On the second night of my stay at Hoshinoya, I had dinner at Yukawatan, which had just opened in March. It was the highlight of this trip.

Yukawatan is a restaurant located within the Breston Court hotel that offers a higher-end version of No One's Recipe, with Chef Hamada focusing on water game and local Nagano ingredients in pursuit of ideal flavors.
They provide transportation from Hoshinoya.
The restaurant is located deep within the forest opposite the Breston Court front, and the anticipation builds as you approach the entrance.

With 24 seats, there is ample space between the tables. While many restaurants have been recently remodeled to feature private rooms, Yukawatan maintains a more open layout.

I enjoyed a JPY 15,000 course, and the 6 types of amuse-bouches were a must-have.

Cheese Tuile
A crispy, thin cheese-flavored snack placed in a stone crevice.
It had a savory depth and served well as an appetizer while waiting for the meal.

6 Types of Amuse-Bouches
Intricately crafted bite-sized dishes served on polished round stones.
The six dishes were styled as part of the appetizer course, with each stone varying from cold to warm.
The Saku carp's internal organs had no unpleasant odor.
Moreover, this dish was meant to gauge the guests' preferred level of saltiness.

Shinshu Apple Charlotte? (My memory is unclear due to the wine, and I referred to the restaurant's website for this.)
Layered with chocolate-waved designs on top of carp, foie gras, etc.

Potage
You can choose between a cold soup and a warm potage. Since it was a bit chilly, I opted for the baby onion potage.
It was lavishly flavorful.

Grilled Iwana
It had a curry flavor, but I think there was also a hint of curry in one of the amuse-bouches.
Sizing for grilling was... challenging due to the thick skin.

Shinshu Ueda Jidori Sanada Maru
I chose the local Jidori since I had enjoyed the Azumino pork from the previous day at Kanasuke.
The dish included bite-sized samples of raw, tataki, and cooked, topped with liver and gizzard.

Dessert
Warm matcha sponge and cream paired with cold ice cream.
Afterward, I received 10 varieties of mini cakes, each elegantly crafted.
The creativity was reminiscent of No One's Recipe.
If you couldn't finish, they would wrap it up for you.
While fewer selections would be fine if they were exceptionally good, this presentation was truly impressive.

Drinks
I chose Grand Cru coffee from the options of coffee or the tea made from grape leaves by Soga.
It had a pale color reminiscent of cold brew coffee, but the aroma was incredible. Is this Japan's finest coffee?

Alcohol
Champagne was available by the glass, while white and red wines were offered as a set of three glasses.
The champagne was Diabolo Barola? I felt like I had it at Kanasuke the day before.
It had no unpleasant aftertaste, the bubbles were fine, and the flavor was well-rounded.

White: Soga Chardonnay Second — it might have a stronger flavor compared to the first I had at Murasaki Vineyard the day before.
White: Ryu de Vin’s Chardonnay, stainless steel — a pure and stoic wine.
Red: I selected between Soga Merlot and the Cabernet Franc from Izutsu, but my wife and I each chose different ones to compare.
Soga Merlot has a Merlot base with some Cabernet Sauvignon in the mix, offering a smooth texture with a touch of flair.
Izutsu’s NAC marked wine had more strength for a Cabernet Franc.
The quality of Nagano wines has certainly improved. However, I believe overseas wines still have the upper hand for the same price.
I got to enjoy local Nagano cuisine paired with wines from Nagano, some of which are rare cult wines.

While I was settling the bill, they called for the car from Hoshinoya. I suppose that was expected.

Though tastes may vary, I prefer when course menus do not use the same flavors, ingredients, or presentations repeatedly. However, I appreciate the attention to detail and their effort to showcase various tastes. You can feel the staff's enthusiasm to provide delicious food to the customers.
Yukawatan is the kind of restaurant you would travel from Tokyo to Karuizawa for just to enjoy the cuisine. Keep up the good work!