Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan｜Mong Cai

[Precious and delicious Chinese food in Karuizawa] Karuizawa has a lot of Western food, but there are very few Chinese restaurants like this. This is the rumored "Muka-style Chinese restaurant". In a true sense, it is an Asian-style Chinese restaurant that goes beyond the boundaries of Chinese cuisine and uses ginger gnoc mam and red vinegar. Apparently, it's high-class Chinese food that uses porridge for breakfast, lunch courses for lunch, and shark fin for dinner.We went there for lunch, but chef Takao Ota asked us to come at night, as he seems to be at his best at night. Oops. Yes, I'll eat today and decide whether to come tonight. Chefs create their own world view by experiencing Chinese food from Minami Aoyama Essence and XIV Karuizawa's Shuiyo. There are two types of lunch. [A lunch (¥2300 including tax)] ・Aperitif tea (wildflower tea) ·small bowl ・Karuizawa Highland Salad ・2 homemade dim sum items ・Today's main dish ・Rice, soup ·dessert [B Lunch (3,600 yen including tax)] •Aperitif tea (wildflower tea) ·small bowl ・Karuizawa Highland Salad •2 homemade dim sum dishes •Real fish dishes ・Today's meat dish ・Rice, soup ·dessert Since we were here, we chose [B Lunch] which served both fish and meat. First, they serve ``wildflower tea'' as an aperitif tea, and they show me the leaves, but when I try to take a photo, it's no good! I got angry and said it was a trade secret. It seems like he goes to the mountains himself to collect it, so it would be difficult to pinpoint the location. …excuse me. Even so, it seems that among the various combinations, Yusuge leaves and Kuma bamboo are included. It is said to be nourishing, detoxifying, and preventing anemia. I also ordered a pot of ``Forest Pu'er'' (1300 yen including tax). Amount that can be shared by two people. So, when I was waiting for the first dish thinking it was a course meal, everything except the meat dishes came out on the tray. ...Ah, it wasn't a course, it was a method like this. That's right, it was originally written as B lunch. ...Ah, I misunderstood... Besides, it's one surgery, so it's not unreasonable. As for the fish dish..."Hong Kong steamed dish using smoked yellowtail from Miyazaki"...Steamed with pesticide-free vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, red radish, paprika, and carrots. Eat these with homemade sauce. It's made with ponzu sauce that has a little bit of vinegar in it, but it seems like there are a lot of things in it, giving it a complex yet gentle taste. It was a versatile sauce that seemed to go well with everything, so I asked if they could sell it to me, but they weren't willing to give it to me. There are three types of seasonings on the table: ``red vinegar'', ``bean sauce'', and ``niku mam with ginger'', so please try them out. Everything is homemade and made with ingredients that are good for the body. ``Homemade radish mochi''... sticky on the inside, crispy on the outside and delicious. I think radish mochi is a dish you can't miss if it's a single item. Try adding ginger gnoc mam to the second half to change the taste. It had a rich taste. ``Shrimp paste dumplings''...A crispy dish made with white bread instead of breadcrumbs. In the second half, I used bean sauce to give it a bit of a sharp taste. “Pressed tofu”…Mini salad style. The tofu is pressed and hardened, then cut into thin strips, and homemade kimchi made with small melons is placed on top. ...Korean taste? Adding a little bean sauce makes it even more flavorful. ``Tofu with spicy Gapao-style meat''...the essence of Thai cuisine is added here. On the other hand, when I added bean sauce to the dish, it was spicier and more to my liking. “Soup”…Soup made with Chinese cabbage and shallots. It has a gentle taste and you won't feel thirsty after drinking it.It's delicious. “Rice”…properly delicious. I thought about refilling it, but I actually refrained from eating it all at this point in order to match it with the meat dishes that would come later. As a result, I was right. After I finished eating all of this, the ``meat dish'' ``cloud piece meat'' came out. Thin slices of cucumber and red radish are topped with pork, giving it a spicy but mild spiciness. Another feature of this restaurant is that it is not harsh on the body. A dish that goes well with rice. Then, I ordered the "Yakuzen Almond Tofu" (+550 yen), which the chef recommended with confidence as being the most popular and the most delicious in Japan, instead of the dessert that originally came with it by default. ...The apricot tofu with white wood ear fungus on top is a handmade apricot tofu made by carefully removing the core of the apricot seeds and patiently grinding them into powder using a ground wood.It is also a gentle and exquisite dessert with a gentle sweetness. I think it's definitely one of the best tasting almond tofu I've ever eaten. I didn't try it this time as it was out of season, but the mango pudding seems to be one of their favorites, so I'm thinking of coming back to try it again in the summer when it's in season. Anyway, it's a gentle dish that doesn't put a burden on your body. This was a dish that would make me want to come back tomorrow. I was full at this point, but it felt light and didn't burden my stomach, so I ended up eating another snack two hours later... What am I doing...myself? I ate it today and liked it, so I decided to come next time to try the high-class Chinese cuisine in the evening, when the chef can show his true potential!

The interior of the store is small and gives the impression of being cramped and cluttered. For lunch, we had a light course of Nanakusa porridge. You can enjoy a carefully prepared menu of medicinal Chinese organic vegetables, no chemical seasonings, and well-prepared portions. It's very natural and fits well, giving the impression that you can feel the flavor of the ingredients while also incorporating something good for your body. There are a wide variety of sauces such as fish sauce, and all of them are delicious and surprising. It looks like something you would add to porridge, but I enjoyed adding it in various ways. Personally, I found the porridge delicious and it was delicious enough without adding anything. The additional apricot tofu is made from apricot seeds and is excellent. The chef is honest and has a great craftsmanship, and when he serves the food, he explains the dishes that he put a lot of thought into, but he speaks so fast that I can't hear him, but he's so charming, and I'm impressed that he handles breakfast, lunch, and dinner all by himself. Don't forget, reservations are required!

I received the 3800 yen course. Every dish has a delicious and elaborate taste that will leave you very satisfied. The additive-free seasonings were also delicious. The highly recommended almond tofu is exquisite.