木津川イタリアン降臨！ : Ristorante nakamoto

This year's anniversary lunch was at Ristorante Nakamoto, located at the southern end of Kyoto Prefecture. Kizugawa City is closer to Nara than Kyoto, as it is only a 10-minute train ride from JR Nara Station, but it is surrounded by farmland and has an agriculturally rich atmosphere. It is about a 5-6 minute walk from JR Kizugawa Station to this restaurant, located right in front of Kizugawa City Hall. The restaurant's stylish and sharp exterior made me wander around near the entrance. They only take reservations for about 2-3 groups per day, so the tables were spacious and spacious. The eye-catching kitchen is made of stainless steel and is so well-equipped that it is captivating to look at. ■Lunch Course Alcohol Pairing ¥13,200 There is also a tea pairing for those who can't drink alcohol, but the total amount of the alcohol pairing is about two wine glasses, so I went ahead and enjoyed the wine pairing. The menu list is rolled up on paper with a picture of Florence, which is quite a nice touch. It feels special right from the start. Thank you very much.・Start/SANCRISTRO Franciacorta Brut A crunchy, thin Senbei (rice crackers)-like Prosciutto, red onion, edible flowers, etc. The exquisite crispy texture and saltiness go very well with the elegant Italian bubbles. ・Seasonal vegetable dish/COLLI TORTONETSI TIMORASSO A dish made with plenty of vegetables from Kizugawa, served in various ways such as baked, boiled, and raw, and black olive powder is a signature dish that evokes the image of earth. What surprised me was the gelatin sheet that covers the vegetables as a dressing. I was surprised by such a presentation. The vegetables used are tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, burdock, green beans, yam, taro, broccoli, cauliflower, water radish, turnip, ice plant, mitsuba, and kale, but in reality, about 30 types are used. It's been a while since I've had such a strong vegetable flavor, so I would definitely recommend it to elementary school students who don't like vegetables. The white wine was a native Italian variety and had a well-balanced acidity. Even though it was an Italian Cuisine restaurant, I was also given a croissant, which was so high-quality that I couldn't help but ask for a second serving. - Tartivo, Foie Gras, Stracciatella / Lassu Jurij Fiore e Figlia 2019 This dish features milky, rich cheese and red cabbage-like vegetables, topped with a fatty ham called lard and foie gras powder. It is also generously topped with balsamic sauce, which combines the acidity, richness, and umami to create a strong sense of unity. It's amazing, I'm impressed by the skill of combining two strong individualities. The white wine that goes with it is also an Italian variety, Treppiano. It has a slight aroma like Muscat, but I think the slightly thick texture matches well.・Bavette/IL COLOMBAIO DI SANTACHIARA 2022 This is a long pasta dish similar to linguine. It is an anchovy-based oil pasta dish, but it is made by mixing cabbage and maitake mushrooms together and finally dressing it up with bottarga (bottarga roe) powder and grated lemon peel. The citrus scent is a faint scent that girls will love (lol). The emulsification is also perfect, so I really wanted to have a second serving of this pasta. The white wine is a Tuscan white wine, the indigenous Vernazza variety. ・Agnolotti/Barbera d' Alba 2020 The second dish of the chef's handmade pasta is a ravioli-shaped pasta dish stuffed with mascarpone and ricotta cheese. The two rich cheeses burst out of the pasta, but the ragu sauce is layered with butterbur shoots and shrunken spinach, and the taste of dairy products, richness, and bitterness is exquisite and mixes in the mouth. I finished eating in a flash... The northern Italian region of Piedmont is known as a gourmet town, and dairy products are often used in cooking in the northern area. The wine we chose was a red wine from Piedmont. Barbera from Alba is a very well-balanced and elegant wine, so it's one of my personal favorites. The best part of pairing food and wine is that they are on the same vector. - Young Master from Kasagi/Castello Di AMA2009 I was wondering if Young Master was a chicken, and I was right. I'm not sure which part it was, but I think it was the breast and thigh. The heat makes it feel just rare, and the full combo of crispy skin, fragrant corners, juicy chicken, and chicken comes rushing in. The strong saltiness is also very Italian. The garnish of radicchio rosso (red Chinese cabbage) and shiso leaves makes a good palate cleanser. The wine we paired with it was a full-bodied Chianti Classico. It has a stately yet slightly wild feel that goes well with it.・Passion fruit, yogurt/cafe, etc. Yogurt with meringue and nuts, passion fruit sauce. A crispy and sour yogurt mousse and passion fruit sauce. The crunchy texture of the passion fruit seeds is also cool. I usually choose the cafe, but they introduced me to a lot of flavored teas, so this time I had black tea. ・La Piccola Pasticceria One of the things I look forward to when eating at a ristorante class restaurant is the many desserts that come out, and this time, along with a wonderful anniversary plate, I was so happy to be flooded with chocolate ice cream, macarons, financiers, Chocolate terrine, and Chocolate desserts. And they were all Bravissimo. Apart from the food, I had a wonderful time with the wonderful space, sophisticated cutlery and tableware, and the ingenious wine pairing. You can soak in the afterglow even after time has passed. If I ever come to the Kansai area, I've found Italian Cuisine that I would definitely like to visit again. I'm imagining that I could enjoy it with friends.