Yufuin, Oita (大分県湯布院町) – Dinner at Enowa Yufuin’s JIMGU restaurant 2024 Dec. 23
We dined in a private room at Enowa Yufuin’s JIMGU Restaurant, a farm-to-table affair headed up by executive chef Tashi Gyamsu, a native Tibetan who previously served as sous chef at Michelin 2-star Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York and trained at Kyoto’s Michelin 3-star Kikunoi Honten.
The explanation of the servings were in Japanese, but I’ve done my best to summarize everything in both languages here. They are:
COURSE 1 – FINGER SNACKS:
* Kisetsu no Jimoto yasai (季節の地元野菜 – Seasonal vegetables)
* Jagaimo Tart to Ninjin (じゃが芋タルトと人参 – Potato tart with Carrots)
* Satsuma-imo Nugget (薩摩芋ナゲット – Japanese Sweet Potato nugget)
* Satsuma-imo Donuts to Horenso, Ninjin & Beets powder (薩摩芋ドーナッツと法連草, 人参 & ビーツパウダー)
* Zenryufu chips (全粒粉チップス – Whole-wheat flour chips)
COURSE 2 – WINTER SALAD:
* Frill lettuce (フリルレタス – Red leaf lettuce)
* Kabu (蕪 – Japanese Turnip)
* Aka Kabu (赤かぶ – Red Japanese Turnip)
– Hiougi-gai (桧扇貝 – Noble Scallop)
* Hiougi-gai, Tamanegi & Shallot sauce (桧扇貝, 玉葱とシャロットソース – Noble Scallop, Onion & Shallot sauce)
COURSE 3 – BEETS:
* Beets Pickles (ビーツピックルズ – Pickled beets)
* Mozzarella Cheese (モッツァレラ)
* Chicory (チコリー)
* Hoshigaki Slice (干柿ソース)
* Beets sauce (ビーツソース)
BREAD:
* Jikasei Brioche (自家製ブリオッシュ – Homemade brioche)
COURSE 4 – SEKI SABA (関さば – Mackerel caught by line fishing in the Bungo Channel off the coast of Saganoseki, Oita Prefecture):
* Seki Saba Sashimi-su (関さば刺身酢 – Vinegared Seki Saba Mackerel sashimi)
* Mizuna (水菜 – Japanese mustard spinach)
* Kanso Saseta Kinkan (乾燥させた金柑 – Dried Kumquat)
* Golden Ball (ゴールデンボール – Golden Ball Turnip)
* Celery (セロリ)
* Dill Herb Oil (ディルハーブオイル)
COURSE 5 – CABBAGE:
* Haru Kyabetsu Teion Oven-yaki (春キャベツ低温オーブン焼き – Cabbage slow oven-cooked Cabbage)
* Broccoli Sauce (ブロッコリーソース)
* Champagne Espuma (シャンパンエスプーマ)
FOR HIM:
* Grass-fed roast beef (グラスフェッドローストビーフ)
FOR HER:
* Hamaguri (蛤 – Common hard clam)
COURSE 6 – HIRAME (平目 – Flounder/Sole/Flat Fish):
* Oita Ken-san Hirame Oven-yaki (大分県産平目オーブン焼き – Oven-baked Flounder/Sole/Flat Fish from Oita Prefecture)
* Kabocha (南瓜 – Kabocha Japanese Squash)
* Sakana-dashi original sauce (魚出汁オリジナルソース – Fish-based dashi special sauce)
COURSE 7 – BOUQUET (ブーケ):
* Ninjin (人参 – Carrots)
* Ninjin-no-ha (人参の葉 – Carrot leaves)
* Kale (ケール)
* Nanohana (菜の花 – Young ferns of a rapeseed plant)
* Hakusai (白菜 – Japanese cabbage)
– Yogurt Chives Sauce (チャイブ)
– Ukon & Yogurt Sauce (うこんとヨーグルトソース – Tumeric & Yogurt sauce)
– Ninjin Happa Sauce (人参葉っぱソース – Carrot leaves sauce)
– Apple Butter Sauce (アップルバター)
BREAD
* Pain de Campagne (パン・ド・カンパーニュ)
* Candy Mint Herb Butter (キャンディーミントハーブバター)
KUCHINAOSHI (口直し – Palate Cleanser):
Hakko Nashi Spritzer (発酵梨スプリッツァー – Fermented Pear Spritzer)
COURSE 8 – SHAMO (軍鶏 – Chicken):
* Oita Ken-san Shamo Momo to Mune Niku (大分県産軍鶏モモと胸肉 – Thigh and Breast of Chicken from Oita Prefecture)
* Parsnip Sauce (パースニップソース)
* Ratatouille Sauce (夏野菜ラタトゥイユソース)
* Onion Puree (オニオンピューレ)
* Satsuma-imo Chips (薩摩芋チップス – Japanese Sweet Potato chips)
COURSE 9 – KALE TSUKUSHI NO HITO SARA (ケール尽くしの一皿 – All-Kale Dish):
* Kanso Kale chips (乾燥ケールチップス – Dried Kale chips)
* Kale cookie (ケールクッキー)
* Kale & Nuts sauce (ケールとナッツソース)
* Kale Jule (ケールジュレ)
* Kale Powder (ケールパウダー)
COURSE 10 – KINKAN (金柑 – KUMQUAT):
* Kinkan Yokan (金柑羊羹 – Frozen Kumquat Yokan)
* Kanso Shungiku Chips (乾燥春菊チップス – Dried Crown Crysanthemum leaves chips)
* Shungiku Powder (春菊パウダー – Crysanthemum leaves powder)
COURSE 11 – MIGNARDISE:
* Ichigo Tartlet to Hakko Ichigo Jam (苺タートレットと発酵苺ジャム – Strawberry Tartlet with fermented Strawberry jam)
* Yuzu Chocolate (柚子チョコレート)
* Grapefruit Peel Chocolate (グレープフルーツピールチョコレート)