Kobe, Hyogo, Japan｜Juenne

Amazing, in every sense of the word. Truly deserving of the Michelin star that they have. First and foremost, the food was mind-blowing. Fresh and seasonal ingredients, colorful and modern fusions of Japanese plus French cuisine, and great wine. What did we have? Oh boy, let me explain. As for the amuse-bouche, if we're speaking french, we had a smooth and velvety bell pepper mousse on top of tomato puree which tasted like heaven. Next up was Fugo Shirako tart (Fugu is puffer fish, and Shirako is, well, milt, lol). Even though it was my first time trying Shirako, I enjoyed it a great deal and my perception was changed. Tasty, warm and nice. For the next dish we had halfbeak fish from Awaji island topped with spring flowers. Colorful, refreshing and artistic to say the least. Then it was time for a poached egg on French white asparagus with a foamy glory around it; also super tasty and nice. Then, the soup entered the fray, and what an entrance: green peas soup with sea shells. Creamy, hearty and delicious. Then we had a baby squid rissoto which was almost too cute of a dish to be eaten, but it was so good that I don't regret it at all. And finally, it was time for salad but in a more modern approach. Salad with cheese, wrapped in a savory Galette. Super good, fresh and nice. The only problem with it was that there was only one of it for each of us. That was so good that I wanted more! Afterwards we had another fish dish, this time from Sakura bream from Akashi, grilled on charcoal. Super tasty, soft and umami. Next was surprising for me, but it was so good that I'm craving it while writing this review. It was a Shiso sorbet, so tasty, fresh and fitting for the course that I could eat a kilogram of it and still have room for more. Finally, came the time for the main course. Lamb shanks with what seemed like an Ume (Japanese plum) sauce alongside sea salt and wild pepper plus a new type of onion from Awaji island, grilled to perfection. The shanks were cooked just to the right amount, they were juicy, soft, tasty and glorious. After the main dish, we had three different desserts. First was vanilla ice cream topped with passion fruit, which was supposed to be mixed with the ice cream before being eaten. Extremely tasty and refreshing after so many dishes. Next up was a coffee jelly dessert, also very tasty and refreshing. And finally, a Mille-feuille which had Adzuki beans from Sasayama alongside Matcha from Uji, which is the best Matcha you can get in Japan. It was out of this world. The layers of pasty were fresh, brittle and soft at the same time. The beans were just the right amount of sweetness, and the Matcha was the Umami king with the slightest hint of bitterness to balance everything out. Lastly, a shot of espresso with great crema, aroma and taste (assuming it was 100% Arabica). The acidity was at a great level and the amount of bitterness was almost non-existent compared to most "good" coffee chains (yes, I'm looking at your overly bitter, burnt coffee Starbucks). To talk about the service, it was some of the best I've seen in Japan. Japanese restaurants and businesses are already meticulously attentive and careful when it comes to customers (customer is god after all), but this restaurant was truly up at the peak of the fine dinning experience. Everything was clean, everyone was polite and focused on the customers' needs, all dishes were served in a polite and articulated fashion and cutlery was changed after each dish. The restaurant itself is located around 10 to 15 minutes by foot from either the Hanshin line or Hankyu line, the atmosphere inside was cozy, warm, welcoming and modern at the same time, and the decor was a great fit for the vibe. Overall, I would give this a 6 out of 5 stars if I could. I'm extremely that I could experience dinning at this restaurant, and will definitely come back later, if my pocket allows me to!

My husband and I visited for a birthday dinner. All the dishes were delicious and looked beautiful. There were three desserts available, which made me very happy as someone with a sweet tooth. I will also visit you for lunch.

It was the best. Dishes that are seasonal. Beautiful and delicious. Perfect service that makes you feel the spirit of hospitality. Wine is also the best choice each time. Thank you for the meal.