The main dining establishment at the ‘SHIROIYA Hotel’ in Maebashi, Gunma, which has garnered attention as a hotel that creates journeys filled with imagination and sensory experiences centered around art, food culture, and history.
This restaurant, called ‘the RESTAURANT,’ is supervised by Chef Kawate of ‘Florilège,’ who has become a representative chef in Asia.
The concept they pursue, known as “Joushu Cuisine,” and their approach as a contemporary production-oriented establishment are indeed thought-provoking and full of insight.
Ave. Budget: Lunch 10,000-15,000 JPY, Dinner 20,000-30,000 JPY / ‘Gauût et Milieu 2023″ 3 tok
Restaurant features
The main dining establishment at the Shiraiya Hotel, which had already been rumored due to its association with Chef Hiroyasu Kawate from Tokyo’s Aoyama-based “Florilège,” was quite the revelation.
Headed by Chef Katayama, a native of Gunma who trained at renowned establishments both domestically and internationally, including “Florilège,” it seemed to focus on reinterpreting Gunma’s food culture and ingredients, sometimes in his unique style.
Although I heard about this place in terms of the restaurant’s approach, my first encounter with it was through the hotel’s renovation project.
Designed by Soh Sato, the hotel featured contemporary art pieces by artists like Lawrence Weiner, Liam Gillick, and Hiroshi Sugimoto both inside and outside the building. Additionally, designers like Jasper Morrison and Leandro Erlich contributed to the interior design of the guest rooms.
It’s essentially an art gallery in its own right.
As you approach the entrance of the building, the design aesthetics of the façade evoke a feeling akin to the fictional Asian settings in “Blade Runner.”
It’s a peculiar blend of cool and uncertain—where are you? When are you? This subtle sense of displacement is oddly captivating.
Upon moving into the restaurant space, it becomes apparent that this area was also designed by the same team behind “Florilège.” It all makes sense now, and it’s quite an intriguing space.
Savoring the Course Showcasing Joushu Cuisine
The menu features only omakase (chef’s choice) courses for both dinner and lunch.
However, during lunchtime, you can also order the dinner course.
Their concept revolves around focusing on locally sourced ingredients from Gunma’s Maebashi region, presenting them to the world with a world-class quality. With a strong desire to transition from Local to Global, they proudly promote “Joushu Cuisine.”
On this occasion, I had the chance to stop by while traveling from Niigata’s Echigo-Yuzawa to Nagano’s Karuizawa. Unfortunately, I had limited time, so I opted for the regular lunch course.
Since I was driving, I decided to add a non-alcoholic pairing to my meal.
By the way, I was informed that their menu changed to the autumn edition a few days after my visit, but the following menu is from the summer season.
Eggplant and Cheese Tartine
Amuse-Bouche Tartine
A tartine as the amuse-bouche, featuring two types of cheese crafted at the “Three Brown” cheese workshop at the foothills of Mount Akagi, with a hidden hint of curry.
The first pairing drink is a mocktail based on peaches.
Using peaches with high sugar content, they adjusted the sweetness with roasted tea and finished it by mixing with Kin-Kayu tea.
Edamame Soup
A chilled soup made from aromatic “Aomori” variety edamame.
The soup itself is flavored with clam broth, and beneath it lies a hidden edamame mousse.
Passion fruit from an Okinawan farm mixed with koji made at a sake brewery is used as a garnish.
Rainbow Trout Fritters
Rainbow trout fritters served with basil paste.
You can enjoy it as a burger with Shiraia Bakery’s matcha bread, and it comes with a paper bag designed for burgers.
To accompany the burger, a straight Taiwanese Kin-Kayu tea is served.
I was told that after this, it becomes a local flavor, so there will be a break in the pairings.
Okirikomi
The inspiration for this dish is the regional specialty of Gunma, known as Okirikomi. It’s a noodle dish made with wide wheat noodles simmered with various vegetables and mushrooms found in each household.
When you look beneath the ham from “Hamon Minakami,” you’ll see a composition that makes you say, “Ah, I see.”
Instead of noodles, there’s a puree made with wheat flour and mushrooms. Vegetables like daikon and carrots are left in their original form, and the flavor is enhanced with a Japanese-style dashi and a touch of chili oil.
Grilled Large Rockfish
The cut is quite large; perhaps it’s similar in size to sakuramasu trout?
It’s impressive that such a large rockfish can be found in Gunma.
It’s served with burnt butter, topped with tapenade, and accented with lemon confiture.
The drink is a cocktail made by adding black letter juice to tomato extract.
Grilled Pork
Gunma’s brand pork, infused with the aroma of straw.
The top image shows the presentation, and the bottom is the finished dish.
Served with onion, Chinese chili peppers, and potato puree.
Accentuated with black garlic and salt.
The non-alcoholic beverage that complements the meat is a bit of entertainment.
Using a technique learned on Iriomote Island, black pepper is lightly roasted and used to infuse the glass.
Based on pomegranate, with cranberries, five spices, and tea, it aims to replace the acidity and tannins found in wine.
Even without hearing this logic, it’s simply delicious, and it pairs excellently with the meat dish.
Enticed by its deliciousness, I eagerly nodded when offered the option of a non-alcoholic drink as an after-dinner replacement.
The content is an adaptation of “Cascara,” a tea made from the husks and beans of coffee. Originally, Cascara has a flavor similar to espresso, but yeast is added here to give it a unique thickness and richness.
Dessert
Gunma’s peaches and pears are served with a layer of blancmange and a scoop of vanilla ice cream underneath.
After-Course Drink
You can choose between coffee or herbal tea, but I went with the usual coffee.
Gastronomy as a Local Model
When it comes to restaurants produced by renowned chefs, one tends to imagine a stance of “bringing the flavors of that famous restaurant here.” However, this restaurant pleasantly defied those expectations.
By carefully reinterpreting the food culture and ingredients of Gunma, it managed to establish its unique identity, distinct from “Florilege.”
I imagine this was only possible due to thorough preparation. After all, the chef underwent extensive training for two years at renowned restaurants, including “Florilege,” before taking the helm here.
Perhaps it was this rigorous training that allowed the essence, framework, and spirit of “Florilege” to become ingrained, transforming the output into something different.
In a way, it’s an ideal model of localization. Nevertheless, whether it’s “The Restaurant” or its sister restaurant “logy” in Taipei, Chef Kawate’s approach to producing restaurants is truly remarkable. It’s like he’s the Sun Wukong of the culinary world.
However, Sun Wukong is Sun Wukong. There’s no doubt that “The Restaurant” remains a representative fine dining establishment in Gunma.
Menu
【Dinner】
“Chef’s Omakase Dinner Course (10 courses)” ¥16,500
*Upgrade to Japanese Wagyu for the course +¥2,420
【Lunch】
“Chef’s Omakase Lunch Course (7 courses)” ¥9,350
*Upgrade to Akagi Beef for the course +¥1,650
“Lunch Enjoying the Dinner Course” ¥16,500
*Please note that menu items and prices are provided for reference and may change based on seasonal ingredients and availability.
How to make a reservation
You can make reservations by phone or through the web. Immediate web reservations are accepted on Ikyu Restaurant and Tabelog.
Reserve on Ikyu Reserve on Tabelog
You can find accommodation information for Shiroiya Hotel here:▽
Under the concept of “savoring art and design at a leisurely pace while engaging all five senses,” the hotel has been remodeled by architect So Fujimoto.
The building showcases contemporary artworks by Lawrence Wiener, Liam Gillick, and Hiroshi Sugimoto, among others, both inside and outside. Renowned designers like Jasper Morrison and Leandro Erlich have also contributed to the interior design.
The room designed by Jasper Morrison ©Ikyu
The room designed by Sohsuke Fujiwara ©Ikyu
The room designed by Leandro Erlich ©Ikyu
You can make reservations for accommodations at SHIROIYA Hotel through the following platforms:
Reserve on Ikyu Reserve on Jalan Reserve on Rakuten Travel
Map/Access
The hotel is approximately a 15-minute walk from JR Maebashi Station, or about a 5-minute taxi ride.
Parking:
Guests staying at the hotel can use the affiliated parking lot “Mizuho Bank Maebashi Branch Underground Parking Lot.”
For non-guests, there are nearby coin parking options available.
–Restaurant Information on “the RESTAURANT”–
Opening Hours: Lunch <Saturday, Sunday, Holidays> 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM (Last Entry 1:00 PM), Dinner 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM (Last Entry 7:30 PM)
Closed: No regular holidays
Phone Number: 027-231-4618
Address: 2-2-15 Honcho, Maebashi, Gunma 371-0023, 1st Floor of Shiroiya Hotel
Visit the Official Website Here
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