Foodies Asia (en)For "foodies" who are particular about food.

Opened in 2002, at a time when terms like “local gastronomy” and “destination restaurant” didn’t even exist, the chef was one of the pioneers who intuitively understood that the surrounding nature played a crucial role in the deliciousness served at the table.

Ave. Budget: Lunch 7,000-10,000 JPY, Dinner 10,000-15,000 JPY / “gault-millau 2022” 2 tok, “Tabelog Top 100 Restaurants 2023”

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Restaurant features

As the rainy season neared its end, a heavy downpour concentrated in the area.

With concerns about whether we would safely reach our destination, we drove along rural roads and somehow managed to arrive.

Our destination was “Savaka,” a French restaurant located in Kikugawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

It’s about a 10-minute drive from JR Kikugawa Station and the Tomei Expressway’s “Kikugawa Interchange,” nestled in a tranquil area surrounded by tea plantations and the mountains.

Due to the local environment, the restaurant particularly excels in game dishes, skillfully incorporating locally sourced ingredients into their French cuisine. Savaka opened its doors in 2002, a time when terms like “local gastronomy” were hardly mentioned, yet they were already practicing it.

This time, we opted for the 5,900 yen “B lunch,” and for the main course, we had a choice between wild boar and deer. Unable to decide, we were informed that they could prepare a combination of both. Decision made!

Amuse-bouche to Start

Onion mousse with tomato jelly, accompanied by Okahijiki (a coastal vegetable) and burdock root. This initial amuse-bouche hinted at the restaurant’s skill in creating elegant modern French cuisine.

Bread

The bread was similar to a baguette with a taste leaning towards “pain de campagne.”

Amuse-bouche

A double amuse-bouche, featuring a dish reminiscent of Aglio e Olio (garlic and oil pasta). Shizuoka seafood such as prawns, shirako (milt), Hamanako clams, and mussels were included. Accompanied by vegetables like Shishito peppers and snow peas.

Cold Appetizer

This course introduced the first appetizer: Capellini (thin pasta) in a tomato-based sauce. The star was a 24-month-aged ham made from wild boar leg meat. While the chef has a French background, the restaurant’s name also includes “Western cuisine,” indicating their proficiency in pasta and other dishes. However, here, pasta was served as a light appetizer rather than a main course.

Warm Appetizer

It’s a risotto made from soft-shelled turtle.

The dish includes soft-shelled turtle meunière, and the broth is also made from soft-shelled turtle. It’s topped with Oigawa’s large long-legged prawns.

Today’s Fish Dish

The fish dish is a pan-fried wild eel.

Served with Kanzou mushrooms and corn mousse, drizzled with white wine and mushroom sauce.

Additional Bread

Meat Dish

As mentioned earlier, the meat course features a combination of wild boar and deer.

The wild boar is accompanied by green onions, and the deer is served with wasabi.

Sides include purple sweet potato puree and radish simmered in red wine, among others.

Refreshing Dessert

For dessert, there’s lemon sherbet.

Peach yogurt, plum jelly, mangoes, figs, and blueberries are presented as a cocktail, topped with nougat glacé.

In the foreground, there’s a lemon macaron.

Coffee

In Conclusion

All of this for just 5,900 yen!

I consider myself someone who frequents restaurants with pricing that wouldn’t be imaginable in major cities, thanks to the lower cost of living in rural areas. However, this place stands out in terms of value.

It’s not just about the lower rent; the quality of the food is on par with more expensive modern French restaurants.

In fact, Chef Yuyuki Yamaguchi has a career that suggests a solid foundation in traditional modern French cuisine. He originally started at the renowned restaurant “Le Pondichery” in Osaka. Later, he went to France, gaining experience at the “Hôtel de Crillon” in Paris. After returning to Japan, he worked at places like the Hamanako Royal Hotel and “Le Cercle” in Kobe before opening his own restaurant.

Interestingly, he originally planned to open a restaurant in Osaka, but he was drawn to the ingredients from Shizuoka every time he visited his hometown.

Menu

【Lunch】

“A lunch” 3,800 yen A value-packed full course (approximately 7 dishes).

“B lunch” 5,900 yen A luxurious lunch full course featuring seasonal ingredients (approximately 8 dishes).

“C lunch” 11,000 yen An exceptional course featuring the finest ingredients, perfect for special occasions (approximately 10 dishes).

【Dinner】

“A dinner” 6,700 yen A classic course featuring seasonal ingredients (approximately 8 dishes).

“B dinner” 11,000 yen A luxurious course featuring top-tier ingredients (approximately 10 dishes).

“C dinner” 18,000 yen An extraordinary course featuring the finest ingredients, ideal for special occasions (approximately 11 dishes).

【Drink】

“Seasonal Limited Homemade Juice” 790 yen
“Non-Alcoholic Cocktails” 770 yen
“Non-Alcoholic Beer” 700 yen and up
“Various Soft Drinks” 520 yen and up
“Various Organic Drinks” 880 yen
“Beer” 720 yen
“Various Local Sake” 880 yen and up
“Homemade Plum Wine” 790 yen and up
“Various Cocktails” 1,100 yen and up
“Guwah Wine (Red & White)” 960 yen
“Sparkling Wine by the Glass” 1,100 yen
“Champagne by the Glass” 2,200 yen
“Carafe Wine (Red & White)” 3,000 yen
“Bottle Wine” 4,300 yen

*The menu and prices are provided for reference only. Please keep in mind that they may change depending on the season and the availability of ingredients.

How to make a reservation

Reservations can be made by phone or through their website. They also accept reservation requests via their official website.

Make a reservation from the official website

Map/Access

Approximately 15 minutes by car from JR Kikugawa Station, approximately 25 minutes by car from JR Kakegawa Station, and about 15 minutes from the Tomei Expressway Kikugawa Interchange.

Parking available

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