Naruto, Tokushima (徳島県鳴門市) – Dinner at Hotel Ridge’s (ホテルリッジ) California Table (カリフォルニアテーブル)
Hotel Ridge (ホテルリッジ), a 9-room boutique luxury Auberge resort located in the island of Shikoku in Naruto, Tokushima, Japan (徳島県鳴門市), features two dining options (Japanese and French.) For our first evening, we chose to dine at California Table, the property’s French restaurant. The menu, as well as explanations of each offering, were all in Japanese, but I’ve done my best to summarize everything in both English and Japanese. They are:
COURSE 1 – AMUSE-GUELLE:
* Tokushima-san Ashiaka Ebi (Kuma Ebi) to Hokkaido Hotate Kaibashira no Marine, Cocktail Shitate (徳島産足赤えび(熊海老)と北海道産帆立貝柱のマリネ、カクテル仕立て – Marinated Green Tiger Prawn from Tokushima and Scallops from Hokkaido served in a cocktail glass)
– Mongo-ika (紋甲烏賊 – Kisslip Cuttlefish)
– Consomme to tomato jelly (コンソメとトマトのゼリー – Consomme and Tomato jelly)
– Cauliflower mousse (カリフラワームース)
– Cauliflower (カリフラワー)
– Chikutan chips (竹炭チップス – Bamboo charcoal chips)
– Edible flowers (エディブルフラワー)
COURSE 2 – HORS D’OEUVRE – Chef Kimagure Hors D’Oeuvres no Moriawase (チェフ気まぐれオードブルの盛合せ – Chef’s whims Hors D’Oeuvres Medley):
* Quiche – Awaji tamanega jikasei quiche
* Zenryufun toast (全粒粉トースト – Whole-grain toast)
– Hotate Kaibashira to Horenso mousse (帆立貝柱と法連草ムース – Scallop and spinach mousse)
– Avruga caviar (アブルーガキャビア – Avruga caviar colored with squid ink. Avruga caviar is a caviar substitute made from smoked herring instead of sturgeon roe)
* Norway-san smoked salmon, sour cream, capers, red peppers, tamanegi (ノルウェー産スモークサーモン、サワークリーム、ケッパー、レッドペッパー、玉葱 – Smoked Norwegian salmon, sour cream, capers, red pepper, onions)
* Tokushima Sakura Himedori terrine (徳島産桜姫鶏テリーヌ – Terrine of Sakura Himedori, a premium chicken from Tokushima Prefecture)
– Dill to mayonnaise sauce (ディルとマヨネーズソース – Dill and Mayonnaise sauce)
* Jamón Serrano (ハモンセラーノ(生ハム) – Jamón Serrano is a dry-cured ham made from white pigs, often Duroc, aged for 12-24 months in mountain air)
* Tokushima Ken-san Kinmedai kawa aburi, vinegar marinade (徳島県産金目鯛皮炙り、ヴィネガーマリネ – Splendid Alfonso vinegar marinade, and lightly charred on the skin)
* Caponata (カポナタ – a Sicilian vegetable dish featuring eggplant, and similar to Ratatouille)
COURSE 3 – DEUXIEME:
* Tokishima-san Watari-gani no Consommé Royale (徳島産渡り蟹のコンソメロワイヤル – Consommé Royale (consists of a clear, meat or poultry broth garnished with a savory egg custard) with Blue swimmer crab from Tokushima Prefecture)
– Ginnan, Eringi, Shimofuri Hiratake, Mitsuba (銀杏、エリンギ、霜降りひらたけ, 三つ葉 – Gingko nuts, Eringi mushrooms, Shimofuri Hiratake mushrooms, Japanese parsley)
COURSE 4 – SOUPE:
* Onion Gratin Soup (オニオングラタンスープ – French onion soup)
COURSE 5 – POISSON:
FOR HIM:
* Minami-cho-san Iki Ise-ebi no Teppanyaki (美波町産活き伊勢海老の鉄板焼き – Teppanyaki of Ise Spiny Lobster from Tokushima)
– Ebi no Bisque sauce (海老のビスクソース – Lobster bisque sauce)
FOR HER:
* Tokushima-san Shiro Amadai no Teppanyaki (徳島産白甘鯛の鉄板焼き – Teppanyaki of Tilefish / White Horsehead fish from Tokushima)
– Kobashi butter to tomato sauce (こがしバターとトマトソース – Burnt butter and tomato sauce)
– Nasu (茄子 – Nasu Japanese eggplant)
– Tomato (トマト)
– Capers (ケッパー)
COURSE 6 – GURANITE:
* Tokushimaken-san Sakura Momo Ichigo no Granita (徳島産桜もも苺のグラニテ – Granita of Sakura Momo Ichigo, a rare, premium brand of large and juicy strawberries produced in Tokushima Prefecture.
COURSE 7 – VIANDE:
FOR HIM:
* Awa no Kuroge Wagyu Filet Niku no Grille (阿波の黒毛和牛フィレ肉のグリェ – Grilled Awa Kuroge Wagyu beef filet)
FOR HER:
* Hungary-san Foie Gras no Saute (ハンガリー産フォアグラのソテー – Sauteed Foie Gras from Hungary)
– Kogashi Awaji-shima Tamanegi no sauce (焦がし淡路島タマネギのソース – Charred onion sauce from Awaji Island)
– Kabura, Zucchini, Cresson (蕪、ズッキーニ、クレソン – Japanese turnip, Zucchini, Watercress)
COURSE 8 – DESSERTS:
* Chocolate Cheesecake to Milk Ice (チョコラチーズケーキとミルクアイス – Chocolate Cheesecake and Milk Ice Cream)
– Tokushima-san Sachinoka Ichigo (徳島産幸の香(さちのか)苺 – Sachinoka strawberries from Tokushima)