Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan｜Restaurant Naz

[The summer dishes were also full of surprises] A friend from Shimoto took me out of the car, so this time I experienced my first alcohol pairing at NAZ in Karuizawa. It starts at 12:00, but the store door opens just at 12:00. Private reservation for 6 people. After some greetings, we started toasting with champagne "Le Mesnil". The first dish is ❶ “Morning corn mousse with caramel sauce” ...The base is corn that is cooked in a small amount of mineral water and made into a mousse. At the bottom of the bowl is a sauce made by fermenting ripe mangoes with lactic acid. Enjoy the taste of fermentation, where the sweetness turns into acid. At the top is caramel made from corn. Caramel made by shaving and squeezing the extract from charcoal-grilled corn and filling it with sugar in a pot...phew. Anyway, it takes a lot of time and effort...and when you eat it, it's not too sweet, it's just the right amount of sweetness, and it's very delicate and delicious. This summer menu, which I experienced for the first time, was a hit from the beginning. I'm surprised every time... ❷ ``Kitaakari'' potatoes grown in this area that have been aged for a year and a half, ``Aori squid'' that has been aged for about 4 days and flavored with grappa, a sauce made from strained salted squid liver, and ``fried potato chips.'' ``Three layers'' together. For those of us in the alcohol pairing group, the sweetness of potatoes and the bitterness of liver go well with sake. So I decided to pair it with Saku City's Junmai Ginjo sake ``Kinpo Fuyo''. Sweet and sticky potatoes, soft squid, and crispy chips made with lactic acid fermentation for 2 months to bring out the flavor and sourness... When you eat them all together, the different textures are fun and delicious. . Sake definitely goes well with it. For non-alcoholic drinks, pair with jasmine and amazake. The chef makes a mysterious comment that jasmine smells similar to squid. ...Hmm, when I smell it, I can smell the slight smell of squid liver...? yeah? What do you mean? ...They say squid and jasmine go together. Makes me want to try it at a sushi restaurant. ❸ “Natural rock oysters from Tokushima grilled to taste like Margherita”…Fresh cream with a high percentage without cheese is baked in a hot frying pan, paprika is roasted open, smoked, and sweetened by sun-drying, with semi-dried tomatoes. Sourness, fermented chili peppers, and fresh basil added just as the dish is baking. Sprinkle with fermented raspberry powder. ...It does taste similar to Margherita, but the rich flavor of rock oysters is wonderful. Of course, just eating rock oysters as is would be no fun, so this try was interesting and delicious. ❹ “Freshly baked focaccia” also comes out, and when you eat it with it, it’s definitely pizza? It might have become (lol) Specialty ❺ ``Shinshu Salmon from Yachiho Fishery''...This is my third time eating it, but I look forward to it every time. We use Shinshu salmon that has been raised in clean river water for over two years. The salmon is left to age for about 20 days, smoked whole, and then slowly cooked at a low temperature.The salmon hides beneath the beautiful pink turnips. The turnips are fermented for two to three weeks at room temperature, and the sauce is made from fermented tomatoes, giving it a sharp acidity. Mix the sauce, turnips, and salmon together and eat. ...It looks simple but tastes perfectly matched. This sour taste is especially good in the summer. It tastes fresh every time you eat it. As an accent, the other dish on the right side is ❻ ``1 month aged salmon''...and on top is thinly sliced ​​3 year old narazuke as an accent. On the plate on the left, the surface of the large piece of salmon that is served as the main course (the surface of the salmon dries out over time) is poured onto it, and kumquats and pickled rhubarb are placed on top. ...The taste goes perfectly with Narazuke. The pairing here is not alcoholic, but non-alcoholic, which is recommended by all the chefs. ...Fermented raw raspberry juice, distilled aroma of raw rose petals, red perilla, and Darjeeling black tea. Since I was just about to get drunk, the taste suited me as well. ❼“Reconstructing Zucchini”…A dish using three whole zucchini, a summer vegetable. At the bottom is zucchini, which is normally not edible due to its ingredients, but is fresh and can be eaten because it was picked in the morning.Here, it is cut into thin pieces and made into sashimi. Add a little bit of highly sour apple juice to the zucchini to create a sweet and sour zucchini. The brown sauce is the flavor extracted from grilled zucchini. Roast in a 300 degree oven until charred around the edges. Roast each zucchini one by one, tie them in a cloth, and squeeze out the juice from the roasted zucchini, which you can then boil in a pot to make into a sauce. Complete with freshly made zucchini ice cream. ...Well, now that it's like this, it's an invention. The conversation turned to how deliciously the zucchini had been reconstituted, and how if it could be eaten this deliciously, then the zucchini would also be very happy. Pairing with vintage wine from the long-established Alsace winery "Domaine Laurie Gassman 2014". It seems like zucchini would be better than wine, but I don't know why, but the flavor and ripeness fit perfectly and it's delicious. ❽ “Ayu”…Exquisitely pasteurized sweetfish. Put the ayu in a bowl, wrap around the ayu with Manganji chili pepper seasoned with the bitter liver of the pounded ayu, and use only one spring roll wrapper. As I listened to the chef's explanation, the almost raw ayu began to change color and was cooked just right. The method of eating the courgettes is to dip them in white sesame oil instead of vinegar. ...However, it's absolutely delicious even if you eat it as is without adding the radish. I feel like it's best to use it just to change the taste. The pairing is a non-alcoholic dish recommended by the chef, ``Using fir tree shoots, dried at a low temperature, boiled, and boiled with dried green peas for the sweetness and sourness of ripe hassaku, and the umami''...of fir tree shoots. It tasted delicious and I could feel the aroma. ❾ "Davos Farm's Short Black Wagyu Beef"...We use multiparous cows with reduced grains as feed. The cows are raised on a diet made by fermenting a mixture of crushed apples, wine grape pomace, and okara. It is grown without a fixed fattening period. Of course it will be long. This will make a difference in your internal organs. ...So I'll also give you the lever that will have the most impact. Finally, the meat is cooked on a fire with hay from the Davos farm before being delivered. ...The meat is so soft and juicy that you wouldn't expect it to come from a multi-parous cow. The sauce is delicious and the wine goes well too. Pairing Wine is a winery in Nagano Prefecture started by a wine loving couple. Naturally fermented, unfiltered, combined with ``Funky Chateau.'' ...The best wine from Nagano Prefecture, which is almost impossible to obtain. Vintage wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon. ...It certainly brings out the flavor of the meat at the same time. A perfect pairing. The non-alcoholic drinks are wine grape juice (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon) and homemade fermented blueberry juice from Tomi City. ➓The last one is “Tsukemen”…Of course it’s not normal, The soup takes two and a half months to make by boiling down carp, bonito, and kelp. Both blood and internal organs of the carp are used. ...In terms of content, it's similar to a soup de poisson that boils down. The 100% wheat black udon noodles are sprinkled with Japanese pepper and served with soup. Udon noodles are sticky on the tongue but go down smoothly. The taste is rich and relaxing as expected. It's deep and rich and delicious. ➓-2 A soup with pepper is prepared again and ``Gorobei rice'' is added to the soup from earlier and mixed to form a risotto. …This is also rich and delicious! I thought it would be a waste to make Gorobei rice into risotto, even though it would be delicious to eat on its own, but I'm glad that this has been updated. The ``carp soup'' that I had with the udon noodles earlier is served like a bowl of soup with the addition of dashi stock. ...This one is delicious, too. The pairing is ``non-alcoholic kombucha''...Kombucha ferments and eats sugar, giving it a sour taste. A drink with the scent of non-alcoholic beer and yuzu. It's okay as a palate cleanser that softens the taste of rich soup. (11) "Ice cream with mint sprouts and milk, the light cream is melon"...Meat sprouts boiled in milk are made into ice cream, ripe melons are steamed to remove the grassy smell, made into a sauce, and finally, carbonated Turn on the gas a little and let it sizzle. Cream melon soda to eat. ...Not only is it delicious, but it's a refreshing change from the past. It's kind of amazing. For drinks, have hot coffee. Furthermore, at the end, ``hazelnut baked sweets'' are served...I've had this before, but it's one of the things I look forward to. A cake made with only hazelnuts and no wheat. Since it is frozen and solidified, it will break down over time, so eat it as soon as possible. ...The taste of nature is gentle. I was impressed this time too. As always, I am impressed by Chef Natsuki's approach to cooking and the amount of time he puts into cooking. It was the first time for everyone except me to visit, but everyone seemed to enjoy it. With this, I was able to fully enjoy the spring, summer, and fall course meals. Only winter remains. So, do you want to make another reservation from the chef? When asked, I answered "Of course!", but I was able to get the next reservation for February 2025. I want to live a healthy life until then. But I'm glad I can have fun again.

My favorite restaurant in Japan for fermented dishes Worth going all the way to Karuizawa Perfectly fermented local ingredients cook all dishes It is the result of tireless efforts. great shop

[Check points] A one-of-a-kind restaurant where you can enjoy Northern European cuisine made with ingredients from Karuizawa using fermentation techniques ■Course duration: 2.5 hours Restaurant Naz, where you can enjoy Nordic cuisine using fermentation technology, which became difficult to book in Karuizawa in the blink of an eye. 20 minutes by taxi from Karuizawa Station, less than 10 minutes by taxi from the nearest Shinano-Oiwake Station. It takes about 35 minutes to walk, but I don't recommend it because there are many cars and no sidewalks (I walked). The exterior is located in a corner of a hotel called GREEN SEED KARUIZAWA. The interior is divided into counter seats and table seats depending on the number of reservations at that time, and it is a gentle space with the warmth of wood. Chef Natsuki Suzuki has experience in training in Italy and Denmark, and has also studied at the world-famous new Nordic cuisine noma. At the young age of 28, Naz is able to combine the fermentation techniques he has mastered with the rich ingredients of Karuizawa, and enjoy the Scandinavian approach to cuisine rather than Japanese cuisine. The umami, richness, sourness, bitterness, and saltiness of the dishes expressed by fermentation techniques are unique and unique and can only be enjoyed here. I became a fan of the chef because of the enthusiasm with which he carefully explained each dish and wine one by one. The menu we received is as follows. ■Snap peas and thin quiche Thin quiche with strained pea sauce, fermented kiwi, snap peas, herb oil, pickled elderflower and fresh caviar. It has a good fresh scent and is mouth-watering from the first item. ■ Fermented Tajarin Enjoy the sourness and bitterness of fermented dokatsu, and the richness and umami of emulsified butter. Tajarin, which uses plenty of eggs from Nagano Prefecture, has a good flavor and goes well with the sauce. ■ 600g of grilled conger eel with nerves, 1 year aged Akari, Butterbur and Tochiotome The scent of ayu fish sauce, the sourness and richness of Kita-akari lactic acid fermentation aged for one year, the saltiness and scent of pickling and drying with Tochiotome salt, and the bitterness of butterbur. Crispy conger eel fried in its own fat and all the ingredients are mixed together for a perfect finish. ■Shinshu salmon 2 weeks room temperature fermented turnip, fig and pomegranate sauce Yachiho's farmed salmon is a special treat. It's muscular salmon that has been farmed for about 3 years, aged for 21 days, and smoked around. The strong umami taste that comes directly when you bite into it, and the sour sauce is also the best. ■ Aging for 1 month Salmon between tail and belly Narazuke, fermented kumquat and pickles for 3 years You can also enjoy the richness and umami of salmon directly. ■ Carrots under the snow Reconstruction series that changes with the seasons. Whole carrots grown under the snow in Karuizawa in the cold winter are roasted and smoked for one day of osmotic pressure. Caramelize the carrots with hot air at 90°C to bring out the sweetness. On top of that is a sweet and mellow fermented carrot ice cream, fermented sliced ​​carrot chips, carrot powder and leaf sauce. You can enjoy the splendor of the material itself, which is reconstructed by decomposing carrots, along with fermentation. ■ Iwana frit The sardines, which emit a unique scent when dead, are raised in a nearby river and fritted at 250°C before cooking to enjoy the transparency of the dish. The sourness of the semi-dried tomatoes and the nozawana are fermented in a tartar sauce-inspired fresh cream sauce that turns the sourness into umami. The fermented rich and savory sauce has no transparent smell, making it a dish that is hard to believe. ■ Tankoku Wagyu Beef Zabuton Steak, Local Spinach A combination of single-horned beef and Kuroge Wagyu beef, which is raised in Sugadaira only 15 times a year. An individual with a good balance of fat with 4 single horns and 6 black hairs. The lightness of the fat and the umami of the meat that you wouldn't expect from Zabuton is irresistible. ■ Roasted Shinshu Shinmachi Suffolk shoulder loin Roasted mutton smoked with hay. Aged sweet potato that has been aged for 4 months as a garnish is extremely sweet. Suffolk, which is irresistibly fragrant, has milky mutton fat, but there is no unpleasant taste at all. ■ Grilled firefly squid and liver risotto Topped with bonito and kombu dashi stock. Ayu fish sauce and condensed firefly squid liver to enjoy the savory flavor of charred risotto chazuke. ■ Fresh ice cream with raw honey and pollen The sour extract of fermented pesticide-free lemon, the crispy texture of dried pollen, and the foamy texture of ice cream. ■ Raw ham. Spread garlic and tomato on bread Everyone was a big eater, so I had them serve as an extra. There is no doubt that the salty and delicious uncured ham and garlic tomato bread. ■ Hazelnut baked sweets A delicate baked confectionery that can't keep its shape unless it's cold without flour. Enjoy the texture and aroma. This is the shop I visited recently and I really liked it. Looking forward to next time! Omakase Course + Pairing ■Snap peas and thin quiche ■ Fermented Tajarin 600g of grilled conger eel, 1 year aged Akari, Butterbur, Tochiotome ■Shinshu salmon 2 weeks room temperature fermented turnip, fig and pomegranate sauce ■Shinshu salmon aged 1 month tail and belly, 3rd year Narazuke pickles, fermented kumquat and pickles ■Potato and Rosemary Focaccia ■ Carrots under the snow ■ Iwana frit ■ Tankoku Wagyu Beef Zabuton Steak, Local Spinach ■ Roasted Shinshu Shinmachi Suffolk shoulder loin ■ Grilled firefly squid and liver risotto ■ Fresh ice cream with raw honey and pollen ■ Raw ham. Spread garlic and tomato on bread ■ Hazelnut baked sweets ◆I would appreciate it if you could save it as a reference◆ _________________ instagram: 66shuki Twitter: 66shuki TikTok: 66shuki _________________