Because of my work, I travel all over Japan every year. Over the past 20-plus years, I’ve visited more than 10,000 restaurants and eateries for coverage. These days, with wonderful dining spots packed into every region, I often hear people say that even when they visit an area for travel or business, they don’t know where to go.
This is “Hants Endo’s Serious Gourmet Across Japan.” The 11th installment features Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture!
CAFÉ & RESTAURANT LYS
CAFÉ & RESTAURANT LYS, attached to the Hakone Lalique Museum—which is dedicated to René Lalique, the Art Nouveau and Art Deco jewelry and glass artist—can also be used just as a restaurant. Start with the Morning Set: choose from a creamy omelette, fragrant sunny-side-up eggs, or fluffy scrambled eggs (all egg dishes come with seared bacon), accompanied by a croissant and more. On the grounds you’ll also find an Orient Express carriage. You can enjoy an elegant tea time in a luxurious salon car whose interior was designed by Lalique.
The Hakone Venetian Glass Museum (Hakone Glass Forest Museum) is operated by the Ukai restaurant group. That’s why at the attached restaurant you can enjoy a wide variety of authentic dishes created by Executive Chef Kenichi Hosobuchi. The offerings change from time to time, but a diverse lineup is available, from Japanese black wagyu steak and seasonal pasta to à la carte dishes that can be casually paired with alcoholic drinks. There are also six live performances of canzone by Italian singers every day. At the adjoining shop, they sell a range of different jams.
When it comes to signature dishes at Fujiya Hotel, established in 1891 in Japan, it has to be the curry. It is made using consommé instead of bouillon. After the curry is finished, it is rested further, resulting in an astonishingly mellow flavor. With a style that could be described as European curry, it is truly a taste that has been loved for many years. This classic dish has been enjoyed by prominent figures from both Japan and abroad. It comes with condiments such as leaf chili, raisins, pickles, and mango chutney. Be sure to try the “real” consommé soup as well.
This dessert restaurant is directly managed by Odakyu Hotel de Yama in Hakone (Odakyu Yamano Hotel). Lake Ashi spreads out right in front of you, and the interior is bright and impressively stately. Their three-tiered “Rosage Afternoon Tea” is hugely popular. The contents change with the season, but you can enjoy light meals such as sandwiches and tartines, as well as desserts featuring seasonal fruits, paired with your choice of tea. You can also savor Rosage’s traditional piping hot apple pie and other treats.
Address: 80 Motohakone, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan (outside the grounds of Hotel de Yama) Phone: +81-460-83-6321 (main line)
Tamura Ginkatsutei Main Restaurant
Founded in 1972, this restaurant was started as a small Japanese eatery by OtoMatsu Tamura, who came from a Japanese cuisine background, and later evolved into a tonkatsu restaurant that also offers yakitori, eel dishes, and seasonal à la carte items. Their specialty is the unusual “Tofu Katsu-ni Set Meal.” When you open the lid, a wonderful aroma wafts out along with the steam. The key is the firm, well-pressed tofu, between which a layer of minced Japanese pork is sandwiched, then simmered with egg. Served piping hot, it features a sweet-salty seasoning that brings out the depth of flavor from mackerel-bushi (dried mackerel flakes) and the sweetness of onions, making it a perfect match with rice.
Address: 1300-739 Gora, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan Phone: +81-460-82-1440
■ Profile Hants Endo Born in Tokyo in 1966. Graduate of Waseda University. After leaving a job at a real estate company, he worked as a writer for an overseas travel magazine before becoming a food journalist and “C-class” (budget) hotel critic. He has covered more than 10,000 restaurants and eateries. His main serial columns include those in “Shukan Taishu” and “Toyo Keizai Online.” He has authored 27 books, including “Shuzai Kyohi no Geki-Uma Ramen-ten” (Incredible Ramen Shops That Refuse Media Coverage, published by Kosaido).
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This article was generated using automatic translation by GPT-4 API. The translation may not be accurate.
