After a morning round of farms and markets
Every morning our head chef visits nearby farms and the morning market. Only after seeing what was harvested that day does he decide the next day's menu. You can't know what will be ready, or when, without looking at the fields.
That means the menu for your stay isn't settled yet when you book. It's also why we have never put our menus on the website until now.
I try to serve only what this valley grows, at its very best.
One September evening's menu
- Sakizuke
- Chestnuts and ginkgo nuts dressed in tofu (shira-ae)
- Wanmono
- Clear mushroom soup
- Mukozuke
- Basashi (horse sashimi)
- Yakimono
- Salt-grilled yamame trout
- Takiawase
- Simmered taro and kabocha squash
- Shiizakana
- Charcoal-grilled Aso akaushi beef
- Shokuji
- New-crop rice from the clay pot, with pickles
- Kanmi
- Pear compote
The yamame trout are raised upstream in the valley. The akaushi is a red-coated breed of cattle raised on the grasslands of Aso. We sear just the surface over charcoal and serve it with salt and wasabi.
About eight courses in all, never more than you can finish.
Tell us about dislikes when you book
Please let us know about any allergies or foods you don't eat when you book. We'll replace that course with another dish where we can. Children's meals should be ordered by the day before.
Dinner is served in the dining room of the main house, from 18:00 or 18:30, one course at a time while still warm.