【森に囲まれ、飲茶アフタヌーンティーをゆったりと】 : mi-shang

A catering-focused restaurant from Daikanyama has relocated to Karuizawa, themed around "Afternoon Tea Dim Sum."

The owner, Misa Muraki, trained under a master dim sum chef at the Kobe Oriental Hotel. After 12 years in Daikanyama, she opened this new location during the Golden Week, nestled in the beautiful forest of Oiwake in Karuizawa.

Despite limited advertising, reservations for the past week or two have sold out (credit card payment is required in advance online).

The restaurant operates in two sessions: the first from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM and the second from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM, accommodating one group of guests per room with no shared seating.

On this day, we were the only guests and had the entire space to ourselves. (It is marked as SOLD OUT online.)

Occasionally, various small birds visit, including the beautiful-colored Kibataki, known as the 'Narcissist of the Forest,' which arrives at the beginning of summer. Enjoying a meal for several hours in such a pleasant environment feels quite luxurious.

First, we were served "Flower Tea," where flowers unfurled in hot water, accompanied by snacks (dried orange, raisins, and pumpkin seeds). As the dishes take some time, these snacks were a nice start. They helped us relax our minds and stomachs in this calming space.

The first dish was "Sunchoke Soup"... gentle on the stomach, warm, and thick. Its elegant seasoning, combined with tapioca for textural variety, made it a comforting dish.

Next was "Hong Kong-style Charcuterie of Iwana (sweetfish)"... with consomme jelly inside, mixed before eating. This local mountain fish from Shinshu transformed this dish into a Chinese culinary delight.

Then, there were two dishes on one plate:
1. "Cream Cheese with Fermented Tofu, Apple Chips, and Walnuts"... the salty fermented tofu complemented the sweet apple chips, creating a well-balanced flavor that made us crave alcohol instead of tea.
2. "Bamboo Shoots with Sansho Leaves"... the aroma and taste of sansho were effective.

"Vitamin Daikon Spring Rolls"... known previously as Qing Daikon, originally cultivated in China. Simple yet the wrappers were crispy, resulting in refreshing spring rolls with just a hint of salt. A refined and delicious dish you should definitely try.

Next was "Pork Char Siu served with Mushroom and Walnut Salad"... the fatty char siu was delectable.

Following this, Misa's specialty dim sum included "Shrimp Har Gow with Cilantro and Tobiko," consisting of three types of steamed dumplings. The shrimp dumplings were a classic delight, the cilantro dumplings had a mild kick, and the tobiko-filled dumplings offered a delightful pop in texture.

Additionally, we had "Wonton with Hōki Chicken"... previously offered frozen, these wrapped dumplings contained warm broth, which paired exquisitely with accompanying cilantro.

After the savory dishes, the true dessert time of Afternoon Tea began.

We started with "Almond Jelly topped with Strawberries"... served with a pairing coffee blend created by Okunai from Café Fason in Daikanyama, whom I happened to meet last week at Saison Gibralt. The connection was quite amusing, and the coffee matched the almond jelly perfectly.

Next, the upper tier of the Afternoon Tea cake stand featured slightly salty cookies topped with Kurakake beans, cherry tomatoes, and broad beans. The lower tier included:
1. "Meringue Baked Treat" - advised to enjoy these quickly as they can become damp over time; their crispy texture was delightful.
2. "Rhubarb Mousse Cake" - perfectly balanced between sweet and slightly tart.
3. "Snowball Cookies" - sweet and deliciously crumbly.
4. "Dacquoise" - a chocolate cake with cocoa mousse, light and tasty without a heavy aftertaste.

All four were delicious, but my favorites were the crispy meringue and the airy, rich dacquoise. In addition, we enjoyed grapes, strawberries, and the season’s first cherries. By the end, the tea we drank was transformed into Oriental Beauty.

After about 1.5 hours... we thoroughly enjoyed the experience at a leisurely pace. The ever-present Kibataki, the forest’s narcissist (I assume it was male...), added to the calming atmosphere.

Currently, the restaurant is not operating at night, but there may be private reservations in the future. As the busy summer in Karuizawa approaches, the reservation battles are likely to get intense.

This is both a comforting prospect and a bit unsettling.