Or perhaps I should've visited at a later time for their high tea set, which seems to be the highlight here.
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The lunch started off well with the complimentary bread and butter plate, the focaccia was lightly toasted and cushiony, and the butter flavoured with something savoury - miso? Olive? It was a positive inkling of the things to come...
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The seared Hokkaido scallops ($28) sounded impressive on the menu with the basic molecular gastronomy terms "sous vide egg" and "dehydrated bacon". It didn't disappoint as the two caramel-coloured ocean treasures were thick and juicy, and the egg had the perfect flowy yolk. The separate elements of the dish were pretty good on their own, but I didn't sense any synchrony or exceptional oomph in tastes, something I expect from a refined dining establishment.
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My main, the locally farmed chicken done 2 ways ($38), was a letdown. My chicken confit was quite dry especially near the joints, and the mildly spiced chicken jus on sweet potato purée was more decorative than enhancing... The saving grace of this dish was probably the roulade with the burst of creamy foie gras packed inside, like a super elevated version of a cheesy sausage haha.
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I couldn't leave this place without having their signature deconstructed black forest ($17). The 70% rich dark chocolate mousse was balanced by the sweet cherry coulis and vanilla ice cream. The edible hazelnut soil that adds crunch and edible flowers complete the aesthetics of the dessert. The popping candy upon the first bite was a huge surprise, and was probably the only time in the whole meal that I felt excited about the play with different textures on my palate.
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These were my orders, and my friend had the mushroom soup, (shared) truffle fries, and the tochigi prefecture wagyu ribeye which was main cause of the big bill. To put it simply, this lunch didn't match up my gastronomical expectations of a $150++-per-person meal... I had way more satisfaction forking out almost $500 for my tri-coloured hair. I'm not totally against coming back here but it'll not be on my own initiative...