Trompette

This restaurant reopened in Matsue in April after renovations. It seems they were previously operating in Tokyo. I had business in Matsue, so I made a lunch reservation that day, not expecting much, but I was able to secure a table easily. I went up to the restaurant on the second floor just before the 11:00 AM opening time. Since the building's parking lot was for other businesses, the owner himself kindly guided me to their designated parking space (it wasn't that far). Three groups of customers were already seated. The restaurant is small, seating about 10 people. You choose one of the daily lunch specials (three main dishes that day) written on a blackboard on the wall. An appetizer is always included. This time I chose the chicken ballotine. For drinks, you can choose from wine (glass or bottle), beer, sake (local sakes Toyo no Aki and Tenon), or non-alcoholic beverages. Since I was driving, I chose non-alcoholic sparkling water. While waiting, I could hear the sounds of cooking coming from the kitchen. It didn't feel like they were rushing; the whole restaurant had a relaxed atmosphere. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the appetizer plate of the customer who was served before me. The plate was huge and the portions were enormous! The appetizers were the same for everyone; other customers were also served the same plate and everyone was astonished. (Each plate was about 25 cm in diameter) The variety was abundant and beautifully presented, including local fresh vegetables wrapped in Ooyama prosciutto, pickles, terrine, liver pâté baguette, and confit. It looked like enough for two or three women to share, but I managed to finish it all by myself (I had skipped breakfast, of course). Every dish was fresh and deliciously seasoned. And then the main course arrived, and that was also incredibly huge! Ballotine is apparently a dish where the bones are removed from meat or fish, and vegetables and other ingredients are placed inside and rolled up (like a chicken wing dumpling, if you will ← maybe not💦), but it was truly a huge chunk of meat. I was hesitant to cut into it, wondering if I could eat it all, but the filling was mainly vegetables and the seasoning wasn't too strong, so I didn't get tired of it. It took some time, but I managed to finish the mashed potatoes, broccoli, and asparagus side dishes as well. The bread on the separate plate was also fragrant, and I wiped up all the sauce on the plate before eating it. At this point, I couldn't help but order dessert! I ordered nougat glacé and hot coffee, which I'd never heard of (and probably never eaten before). The meringue and sorbet, sprinkled with nuts and dried fruit, were a perfect match (like polar bear ice cream ← I know, it's not😓), and the raspberry sauce added a nice finishing touch. It was a truly satisfying lunch, both for my stomach and my heart; skipping breakfast was definitely the right decision. The portion sizes and style of the dishes reminded me of regional French bistros (large portions). This is a very high-level restaurant, and I anticipate that reservations for both lunch and dinner will become extremely difficult in the future!