Thursday, August 25, 2016

レストラン ラ フィネス (Restaurant La FinS in Shimbashi)

レストラン ラ フィネス

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What the?!?! Is that ramen?

You bet!

La FinS is an upscale French restaurant specializing in the harmony of both local and exotic ingredients. Chef Keizo Sugimoto has spent his life cooking, studying in both Japan and France before opening La FinS.

So why the ramen? Well, it's offered as an addition to the regular course menu. And just like the cuisine here, you never really know what you'll get.

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Here, roast pigeon breast is topped with copious amounts of black truffle. The glass keeps the intense aroma from escaping.

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Finished with a cream sauce to make Sugimoto's own distant relative version of Carbonara pasta.

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And then, as if this weren't enough, a side of quail and bear meat confit.

The noodles come from a nearby noodle maker, but the dish is pure FinS.

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Next is the cold ramen. One of the first things that strikes you is the bowl. La FinS has impeccable dinner wear; handmade plates and dishes from artisinal craftsmen. The bowl for this one, though, is a freshly frozen slice of bamboo trunk. Yes, it was frozen.

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Soft-shelled turtle broth with matsutake mushrooms and abalone up top.

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Suddenly, Chef Suimoto appeared and dumped sub-freezing sansho pepper into the mix.

Like I said, the ramen can be added in addition to the restaurant's course menu. We talked, Chef and I, about the other ramen in his repertoire. Ise ebi bisque, uni creams, and anything with heavy umami came into the conversation.

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Keep this one in mind for those special occasions.

Official site here.







2 comments:

Kurt Mifsud Bonnici said...

Gorgeous food. Looks like it would cost an arm and a leg to eat there though.

pofu said...

These bowls look amazing. Not sure how the first one can be associated with carbonara, as carbonara has no cream in it.