Located on the second floor of the Comfort Sakae Building, which also houses the high-end specialty bakery "Nogami," on Shirakawa Park Higashi Honmachi Street, not far from the lush greenery of Nagoya, is a Michelin two-star French restaurant.ReminiscenceWe'll be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary, which will be our tin wedding anniversary on February 22, 2022, at "[venue name]!"
*Reminiscence has celebrated its 8th anniversary and is now entering its 9th year. To take on a new challenge, we have relocated to Kurumamichi and reopened with a grand-restaurant theme. Please see this article for details.
This restaurant was opened on July 23, 2015, by Chef Masaki Kuzuhara (36 years old), who trained at two of Japan's top 3-Michelin-starred restaurants, under Chef Shuzo Kishida of "Quintessence" in the east and Chef Hajime Yoneda of "Hajime" in the west. It quickly gained popularity, earned two Michelin stars in 2019, and continues to evolve as it celebrates its 7th anniversary this year, impressing many gourmets with its exquisite French cuisine. We highly recommend this restaurant!
"Reminiscence"
concept
To live = to live a fulfilling life
A fulfilling life is a harmony of pleasant afterglows and warm, lasting memories.
I think it's a fulfilling experience.
Lingering feelings and memories.
Just as the nutrients in food build people's bodies through eating,
The time you spent at Reminiscence will remain in your memory and leave a lasting impression.
I hope these memories will remain in your wonderful life.
I pray that enjoying the abundance and pleasure of food will enrich your life.
Soft natural light pours in, and the store is clean and bright with a white-based interior. When I revisited in 2018, I learned that Hida Takayama is home to a furniture manufacturer that licenses and produces famous Scandinavian furniture designs.KitaniFollowing our introduction, they decided to replace all their tables and chairs, ordering everything custom-made by Kitani! A year has passed since the concept was conceived in 2018, and since October 2019, the restaurant has changed its furnishings and is welcoming guests with a dignified presence, becoming the face of Reminiscence.
The "JK-03 (Jacob Kjær 1948)" chair, also known as the "FN Chair," is a representative work of Jacob Kjær, designed for the United Nations building in New York. Unusually for his work, which mainly consists of classical designs, this chair is a modern design that symbolizes the era. Natural cherry wood with a light hue was selected, creating a soft atmosphere that feels comfortable to the touch. The square table has a delicate and stylish design with rounded legs, while also incorporating features that allow guests ample legroom for a comfortable stay.
For the back seat by the window, we selected the "JK-05 (Jacob Kjær 1948)" chair, which adds a sense of comfort to the design of the "JK-03" (FN chair). The back cushion is made of layered urethane foam, and the back and seat are integrated in a structure that gently cradles and supports the back.
It's been quite a while since I last ate at Reminiscence. I received a message saying, "It's changed quite a bit since last time, so please look forward to it," and I'm excited to see what changes I'll find!
Currently, Reminiscence only offers one course menu: the "Omakase Course (Cooked Meal + Dessert + After-Meal Drink)" for 20,000 yen (tax included). However, from April 1st, 2022, they plan to introduce a "Short Course" for lunch at 15,000 yen (tax included). This time, they will also be adding a "Wine Pairing Half" option for 9,800 yen, which allows you to pair six types of wine (including Champagne) with each full course.
A popular boulangerie in Hida Takayama with never-ending queuesTRAIN BLEUThrough our encounter with Tadashi Naruse of "[company name]", we found common ground in our goals and beliefs, and as partners who respect and trust each other, the "Reminiscence x Tran Blue" collaboration has come to fruition!
Wine pairings selected by Sommelier Shinichiro Matsunaga. Let's start with Champagne!
Happy 10th wedding anniversary! We've been through a lot, but I'm so grateful to my husband for always giving me such wonderful inspiration. Cheers!
"Cuvée 743 Extra Brut"
Jackson (JACQUESSON)
Grape varieties: Chardonnay 50%, Pinot Noir 25%, Meunier 25%
Champagne Jacquesson, a prestigious maison with a history spanning over 200 years since its founding in 1798, produces some of the world's finest champagnes from its 52 hectares of vineyards, primarily in its own vineyards in the villages of Dizy and the Grand Cru Aÿ. The flagship Cuvée 700 series from Jacquesson is a highly popular series that generously blends top-quality grapes previously used for vintage champagnes, elevating its quality to that of prestige champagnes. Among them, Cuvée 743 is the first non-dosage champagne and was selected as the No. 1 champagne in the series by the World's Best Sommelier. It is the finest non-vintage champagne in the series' history, with a perfect balance of rich fruit juice, firm acidity, and refined minerality!
The meal is divided into three chapters (lingering impression, memory, and relief) and concludes with a tea cake in the final chapter (recollection), making it a four-part series. We begin with the first dish of the first chapter, where you can enjoy the lingering impression!
Chapter 1: Aftermath
"sea urchin"
Chef Kuzuhara says that the ingredient that leaves the most pleasant "lingering aftertaste" is "sea urchin." It is also an ingredient that changed his life, and "sea urchin" is an indispensable element among the ingredients he wants to express in "Reminiscence," so he has decided that the start of the first chapter's lingering aftertaste will be "sea urchin." Arita ware from SagaKamachi Toho (Kamachi Pottery Shop)The first dish, served in a dome-shaped, pure white ceramic dish, is a finger food meant to be eaten by hand. Sea urchin is placed on a tuile infused with the aroma of the sea. It is accompanied by lily bulb oil, rock seaweed, and micro amaranth. Take a bite and you will be able to enjoy the exquisite sweetness that overflows and the lingering aroma of the sea that fills your nose!
"Coteaux du Loire Blanc Leffle 2019"
(Coteaux du Loir Blanc L'Effraie)/
Domaine Belliviere
Grape variety: Chenin Blanc 100%
Made using grapes from vines under 50 years old in six plots in the Coteaux du Loire. It has aromas of plump yellow fruits such as apricot and yellow peach, and a transparent fruitiness that spreads smoothly on the palate. A dry type with a subtle bitterness and minerality and firm acidity that tightens the milky finish. Enjoy the faint scent of the sea as you pair it with the next dish, cod roe.
Chapter 1: Aftermath
"milt"
Sautéed cod milt, melt-in-your-mouth smooth, is served with grated winter melon in a purée-like style, and a touch of jam-like yuzu provides a nice accent. The beautiful green color surrounding it comes from chive oil. Garnished with herbs, shiso flower buds, chili powder, and nuts, this gentle dish incorporates Japanese elements and is easy on the body.
Tran Blue "Arare"
The bread, sourced from "Tran Blue," is served in three varieties between courses, with each loaf being 80-90% prepared and then finished by baking in the oven. This particular dish combines rice crackers with wheat bread, allowing you to enjoy the distinct textures, aromas, and flavors of each. The incredibly fragrant, crispy texture of the rice crackers, combined with the light and fluffy wheat inside the crunchy dough, creates a perfect harmony, making it an excellent accompaniment to Reminiscence's cuisine as a delicious meal bread. Honestly, I personally feel that butter is unnecessary because the bread has such a well-balanced and rich flavor!
"Bourgogne Aligoté 2016 Benoit Ente"
Domaine Benoit Ente
Grape variety: 100% Aligoté
The son of Arnaud Ent, who reigns supreme in the village of Meursault, he inherited his grandparents' vineyards in 1990 and has been producing extremely small quantities of this legendary Burgundy since 1998 from a mere few hectares of land. Rather than aiming to create wines with a strong impact, he strives to produce elegant and well-balanced wines, limiting yields through pruning and harvesting only fully mature grapes. This is a blend of vines planted in Puligny-Montrachet, some about 70 years old and others 20 years old. The Aligoté has a rich body yet a crisp, well-defined taste with abundant acidity, is full of minerality, and offers a soft, lingering finish from the oak barrels—perfect to pair with the next oysters!
Chapter 1: Aftermath
"oyster"
Toyama is home to the woodworking unit, Kazuhiko Shimoo and Saori Shimoo, a husband and wife team of artists from Yao.Shimoo DesignThe third dish is served on a beautiful oval plate from the "Ukiyo Series," which uses the Ukizukuri technique to highlight the beautiful wood grain. Oysters and eggplant are lightly simmered, wrapped in spinach, then encased in phyllo pastry and baked in the oven. A smooth cream made with oysters and potatoes is placed underneath, with a fragrant mushroom paste and a sweet sauce made with Madeira wine in front. On top are charcoal-grilled oysters, a cream made with fromage blanc, fresh herbs, kumquat jam and kumquat chips, and oyster adductor muscles that have been dipped in a beignet dough made with sea lettuce and lightly fried. The oyster's umami bursts forth from the crispy texture of the oyster, and the herbs do a great job!
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Gewürztraminer 2018
(Domaine Zind Humbrecht Gewurztraminer)
Grape variety: 100% Gewürztraminer
The Humbrecht family of Geberschwihr in Alsace is a prestigious family that has been making wine since 1620. In 1959, Leonard Humbrecht partnered with Geneviève Zind, a winemaker from Winzenheim in the same Alsace region, to establish Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Turckheim. Driven by a commitment to wine quality, they converted all of their vineyards to biodynamic farming, which adheres to regulations even stricter than organic farming. In winemaking, they extract high-quality juice by pressing the grapes overnight with gentle pressure, and ferment them for a long period in large barrels using only indigenous yeasts. Through these winemaking methods, which pursue quality to the extreme, they produce wines with a pure and concentrated taste that fully expresses the supreme terroir and individuality of the grape varieties that Alsace is proud of. The aroma is vibrant with notes of citrus fruits, lychee, and other fruit blossoms and spices, the taste is rich and harmonious, and the finish is fresh. Pair the ultimate Alsace Gewürztraminer, grown using natural biodynamic farming methods, with the next dish: shark fin.
Chapter 1: Aftermath
"Shark fin"
The fins of the Japanese snow shark are simmered for 7 hours in a chicken broth combined with scallops and dried shrimp, then coated in kudzu starch and fried. The broth in which the shark fins were simmered is combined with the fins of hairy crab and mako shark, and served with black oil made from fragrant mushrooms. The sticky texture of the Ishikawa potato coated in sesame seeds pairs perfectly with the fragrant grilled rice cakes, and the lingering aroma of flavorful Kobe beef prosciutto provides a nice accent!
Chapter 1: Aftermath
"The Heavenly Rock Cave"
Chef Kuzuhara became interested in spring water in the Tokai region after hearing from the head chef of a Japanese restaurant he respects that "Kyoto has exceptionally good water." After researching, he learned about the sacred water of Ise. He obtained permission to collect water from "Erihara no Mizuana (Ama no Iwato)," a sacred spring in the Ise-Shima National Park, which is also selected as one of Japan's 100 best waters by the Ministry of the Environment, and now goes there once a month. Using this sacred water, he creates a hearty soup using only Nagoya Cochin chicken, salt, and kelp. The rich aroma is soothing, and it feels like life-giving water that deeply permeates the throat, stomach, and skin.
"Surprise 2019 Zweigelt"
Domaine de Montille & Hokkaido
Grape variety: 100% Zweigelt
Domaine de Montille is a 300-year-old family-run winery in Burgundy, France. The current owner, Etienne de Montille, is convinced of the high quality and diversity of Japanese wines, the potential of viticulture in Japan, and the suitability of Hokkaido's climate for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In 2016, he launched the "De Montille & Hokkaido" project, becoming the first foreign wine producer to establish a vineyard in Japan. From 2018 to 2022, they produced a small amount of wine from grapes from friendly growers in the Yoichi region of Hokkaido, and vinified it in partnership with Coco Farm and Bruce Gutlove (10R Winery). The second vintage of 2019 expresses the many surprises and wonders encountered during this period. The 2019 vintage was named "Surprise" because the warmer season and riper grapes compared to normal were a surprise in themselves. This wine boasts a deep ruby-red hue and an alluring aroma of violet, red fruits, black cherry, white pepper, and nutmeg. It has a fine-grained body, a wonderful texture, volume, and length, making it exceptionally well-balanced. A fresh and vibrant finish!
Chapter 2 ~Memory~
"eel"
The eel is grilled over charcoal to perfection, resulting in crispy skin and fluffy flesh. It's accompanied by deep-fried eel liver, white fish, and a superb homemade namero (minced fish dish) made with miso, perilla leaves, and sesame. In the foreground, it's served with wasabi mixed with a sweet Sauternes white wine and white soy sauce, a red wine sauce, and French blue cheese, Fourme d'Ambert, allowing you to enjoy the unique changes and fusion of flavors! Because it uses the same ingredients, the effort put into it remains the same as before, but it feels like they've mastered the art of creating a refined dish that allows you to enjoy complex flavors while maintaining a harmonious overall balance.
Tran Blue "Fried Bread"
These small, round bread rolls, fried in olive oil, are perfect to accompany eel or fish dishes. The dough is infused with fennel, resulting in a light and fragrant fried bread!
A palate cleanser: Sherbet
For a palate cleanser, we'll have a refreshing sorbet made with Haruka citrus fruit, which has a gentle acidity and a sweet, refreshing flavor, garnished with viola!
Chapter 2 ~Memory~
"fish"
The fish for the day was red snapper (nodoguro) from Shinozaki in Minami-Chita, served simply with sautéed Brussels sprouts. Octopus, shrimp, clams, and Japanese angelica tree shoots were added, and it was served with a sauce infused with the aroma of oriental spices.
Chambolle-Musigny 2019 Alain Hudelot-Noëllat
(Alain Hudelot Noellat Chambolle Musigny)
Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir
The history of the domaine begins in 1964 when Alain Hudelot, born in Chambolle-Musigny, married his wife, Odile. Alain Hudelot owned vineyards in Chambolle-Musigny and Vougeot, and the couple established their domaine in Vougeot in 1964. Odile is the granddaughter of the prestigious domaine Charles Noëllat, and in 1978 she inherited a quarter of the Noëllat family's vineyards, adding some of the domaine's most prestigious vineyards in Vosne-Romanée. These included Richebourg, Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Malconsorts, Les Suchots, Beaumont, and Clos de Vougeot—all exquisite climats. The winemaking is currently handled by Charles Van Canet, the grandson of the domaine's founder, Alain Hudelot. This wine boasts a soft and full-bodied flavor characterized by red berry notes and elegant tannins, possessing the smooth mouthfeel and suppleness that are hallmarks of Chambolle!
Chapter 2 ~Memory~
"meat"
For the meat dish that day, we could choose between "beef" or "squab," and we both selected "squab." The squab, grilled over charcoal, was plump and perfectly cooked, allowing us to enjoy the breast meat, wings, and liver separately. The skin was wonderfully crisp, and the knife cut through it cleanly. It was served with a mushroom sauce and blackcurrant puree. The side dishes were autumn poem (asparagus greens) and white asparagus. The black garlic and Hatcho miso paste served on the side added a rich flavor, and I always enjoy it as a way to change up the taste at the end!
Tran Blue "Apricot"
The apricot and walnut bread, baked in the shape of a small bell, is designed to complement the rich aroma and sweet and sour taste of the fruit, which is meant to harmonize with the original flavor of the meat. By using semi-dried apricots rather than dried ones, it has just the right amount of freshness, while also offering the aroma and texture unique to semi-dried apricots! I usually don't finish all the bread served in a course meal, but this time I ate all three types of bread from Tran Bleu without leaving a single bite! It's definitely a bakery I'd like to visit again when I go to Hida Takayama!
They specially prepared a plate to celebrate our anniversary before dessert! Thank you!
We got married on February 22, 2012, and this year, 2022, marks our 10th anniversary and our "Tin Wedding Anniversary." My husband and I are together almost 24/7, 365 days a year, which surprised many people at first, but now it seems to have become our routine. Close friends often say we're "two people in one" (laughs). We hope to continue walking together happily for another 10, 20 years and beyond.
Chapter Three: Relief
"blood orange"
Last time, we featured the one and only perfectly ripe musk melon produced in Hamamatsu.Angel Sound MuskmelonThe first dessert this time uses refreshing blood oranges from Minami-Chita. Inside, there are fresh pieces, ice cream, jelly, and sorbet, creating a dessert that showcases different facets of the same blood orange. Cookies and nuts are hidden inside for added texture, so please enjoy it by scooping from the bottom!
For your after-meal drink, you can choose between "specialty coffee" or "Japanese black tea."
Chapter Three: Relief
"strawberry"
The second dessert features a freshly baked chocolate soufflé hidden inside a chocolate pie crust. It's topped with lightly torched fresh strawberries and chocolate marshmallows. The dish is garnished with white chocolate powder, strawberry sauce, pistachio puree, and Rosé d'Ange ice cream.
The special dessert prepared on the celebratory plate was a bite-sized mini cake made with white chocolate. With layers of crunchy almond cream tart, baked pie crust, lemon cream and mousse, and white chocolate and crème anglaise, it was a blissful dessert where happiness seemed to pour in with each layer! Melted white chocolate and cocoa butter were sprayed onto the cake to create a powdery snow-like finish. The richness of the white chocolate is balanced by the perfect amount of lemon acidity, and its melt-in-your-mouth texture is just like melting snow, leaving you feeling light and happy!
"Specialty coffee"
Coffee is a specialty coffee bean shop located in Nakagawa Ward, Nagoya City.JIMLAN COFFEEThe coffee beans are carefully roasted by Kenji Nishikawa of "[Name of company/organization]", and brewed using the same techniques as those used at Jimran Coffee, with a meticulously handmade cloth filter. True to Reminiscence's concept of "lingering aftertaste and memory," this coffee offers the authentic aroma of the beans, a clean taste, and a deep, lingering finish—a coffee that soothes the body. The coffee cups are from the "1616/SB “Colour Porcelain”" series by "1616/Arita Japan," a ceramics brand born in Saga Prefecture, the home of Arita ware. Currently, they are studying new coffee roasting and brewing methods, so you might discover a new flavor!
Final Chapter ~Memories~
"Tea sweets"
The tea sweets are themed around "reminiscence," and are reproductions of sweets that Chef Kuzuhara often ate as a child. This time, there are four types: "Putchin Pudding," "Kinoko no Yama," "Yukimi Daifuku," and "Gateau Chocolat"! In line with the theme of "Reminiscence," the tea sweets are offered to evoke a sense of nostalgia, allowing guests to experience the concept of "reminiscence." While the appearance evokes the image of cheap candy, the chef has focused on high-quality ingredients and kept the preparation simple without using complicated techniques, appealing to people's memories and adding a touch of humor, hoping to evoke a feeling of nostalgia. Whether you reminisce about your own childhood or imagine Chef Kuzuhara enjoying these sweets, these heartwarming tea sweets, which make you feel warm and fuzzy even before you take a bite, are offered with the same high quality as always. In fact, all of the kitchen staff and serving staff are trained to make these tea sweets according to Chef Kuzuhara's recipes! The sense of unity and seamless coordination that the Reminiscence team displays on stage may be a testament to the meticulous work they put in.
After seeing off the other guests, I had a brief chat with Chef Kuzuhara, who had some free time. He mentioned that he is steadily working towards his long-held vision of relocating and reopening the restaurant in February of next year. Reminiscence will celebrate its 7th anniversary this July. In its 8th year in this new location, we can expect to see the culmination of Chef Kuzuhara's efforts as he strives for even greater heights!
As usual, we took a commemorative photo with a new group of staff members compared to the last time we filmed! We look forward to visiting again!
Reminiscence
Address: Comfort Sakae 2F, 2-15-16 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture
Reservations: TEL: 052-228-8337 (Reservations required)
For inquiries, please call: 052-228-8275
Opening hours: Lunch 12:30 PM onwards (limited-time operation), Dinner 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM (last order).
Closed days: Please check the calendar on our official website.
http://www.reminiscence0723.com/
