"A glass of wine and a piece of meat on the bone. But first I'll quench my thirst with a cold draft beer..." I couldn't contain my excitement before the end of the day, and as soon as the clock struck 7pm I hurried out of the office and headed to "Wine Restaurant hhOBar," which has branches in Ikebukuro and Nishi-Shinjuku. This time I'll be talking about the Nishi-Shinjuku branch, which is close to Monosas.
This restaurant is known for its cooking style, which is inspired by Hooba-yaki, a local dish from the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture, in which ingredients are wrapped in Hooba leaves and then cooked. The dishes, which have a faint fragrance of the Hooba leaves, are absolutely delicious.
The name of the restaurant, "hhOBar," embodies the concept of wanting to create a "casual, bar-style restaurant" that offers "Hohba-yaki," "the joy of stuffing your cheeks with delicious food," and "a place where you can have fun."
The reason for using hoba-yaki in the first place is that the owner, Tatsuya Isomura, discovered the charm of Hida Takayama when he went on a trip there alone when he was young. A few years later, when he decided to open his restaurant, he wanted to serve the local cuisine that had made such a strong impression on him. So, "Hobaar" was born, with a base of Italian cuisine and a menu centered on traditional Hida Takayama cuisine using hoba leaves.
Entering the back alley, you'll see a gentle wooden exterior.
As the name suggests, you can enjoy some fine meat with a glass of wine in one hand.
Yes, what I want to convey more than anything is the appeal of this restaurant's signature dish, "Lamb Chops Grilled on a Hoba Leaf," which is featured in today's main photo. It's irresistibly delicious.
The owner himself tasted and compared various meats, and was impressed with the New Zealand Spring Lamb chops. Spring lamb is a young lamb that is raised on pasture grass from spring to early summer, when it is at its most nutritious. The highly prized Spring Lamb chops are characterized by their extremely tender meat and mild flavor, and although it is a common catchphrase, they "really have no odor."
The lamb chops, wrapped in the subtle aroma of magnolia leaves, are so tender that they fall apart when you bite into them. But they are meaty enough that you feel like you're eating a proper meal. Your hands and mouth will be glistening with the juices and fat of the meat, which is probably something you wouldn't want to show on a first date. But that's okay, because for some reason it feels special. That's meat on the bone.
It's great that each bottle costs 550 yen. What's more, if you order four bottles, the price drops to 500 yen each.
It's a great place for office workers, offering meat that you can bite into with gusto at an affordable price.
While munching on the lamb chops, I also enjoyed two bottles of wine.
The righteous path has a reason to be righteous. Simply add one essence.
The owner, Mr. Isomura, smiles shyly and says he feels embarrassed about being photographed.
The menu also gives a glimpse of the special attention to detail given to vegetables. The dishes are simple yet with a little twist, making the most of the ingredients.
The owner, Isomura, said with a bright smile, "I keep the food, drinks and education as simple as possible, and only add one essence. It's scary to want to add too much, but if you add too many flavors and people, it becomes too restrictive. I feel that most classic dishes are simple, and that's why I think the right path is the right path."
With that in mind, I couldn't resist ordering the recommended dish following the lamb chops: "The best type of grilled eggplant, said to be a mirage! Grilled Sadowara eggplant, delivered directly from Saito Farm in Miyazaki Prefecture."
Grilled Sadowara eggplant seasoned only with rock salt, with no extra ingredients added. ( It's a traditional eggplant that's been grown since the Edo period, and it seems that it was hardly produced at one point, but thankfully it's been revived. ) Fresh and melting in the mouth texture. It's a shame that I had never heard of Sadowara eggplant before. The eggplant essence spreads in your mouth the moment you bite into it. It's not too bitter, so even people who don't like eggplants can eat it, right? It's so delicious. But it's still a safe 500 yen price.
It's a shame I can't convey how big it is. At any rate, it's so big that you'll probably exclaim, "It's huge!"
Next up is "Early red onions steamed on a magnolia leaf with the aroma of Japanese pepper miso."
A whole onion, so soft that you don't even need to chew it, you don't even need teeth. The sweetness of the onion and the spiciness of the sansho miso make you want to drink more and more...
A local dish from Hida Takayama, "Hoba Miso" arranged with Japanese pepper
We also dig into the summer-only "Chokyuro Farm Tomato Caprese."
The cheese that is used in combination with the carefully selected tomatoes delivered directly from the farm is not mozzarella but a fresh Italian cheese called Robiola. It is light, yet rich and milky, with just the right amount of acidity, which goes well with the tomatoes.
Caprese made from sweet and rich tomatoes from Chokyuro Farm, grown without the use of synthetic chemicals in the northernmost part of Hida.
My appetite was not satisfied so I also ordered the "Delicious Handmade Chicken Liver Paste". The odorless liver paste was served with blueberry compote. "Foie gras goes well with sweet, creamy sauces such as berry sauce or mango sauce. We make chicken liver with blueberry compote so that anyone can easily enjoy it at a reasonable price," said the owner, showing his kind consideration. The savory taste of the liver and the sweetness of the blueberries go perfectly with the savory baguette. Thanks to the blueberries, this 400 yen dish felt a little luxurious in my mouth.
The combination of rich paste and sweet berries is addictive.
Every menu item has a unique essence that is unique to Khoobar, and I look forward to seeing what kind of arrangements have been added to the dishes, which are made with the utmost care because of their simplicity, and the twist that is unique to Khoobar. This makes me want to try various dishes and want to go back again. And so I fall into the trap of the restaurant and start visiting it frequently.
Without operational capabilities, there is no service capability
The bustling restaurant was almost full on the day we visited. There was one wait staff member and one person in the kitchen. Still, the food and drinks came out at a stress-free pace, creating a comfortable atmosphere.
Not only is the food delicious, but the atmosphere and service at Hoobar are so comfortable that you can't help but drink too much. Since it's difficult to ask about this unless you have the chance, I decided to ask directly where the true nature of this comfort comes from.
- When a restaurant is full and orders are coming in at the same time, I wonder if there aren't enough staff. Is everything okay? But here, it doesn't feel that way at all. Do you give each staff member proper training?
"That's not the case at all. I teach them the operations thoroughly and make them think. That's all.
If operations cannot keep up due to unexpected customer numbers or accidents, you may be able to provide "pleasant customer service," but not "comfortable service," and you may be able to "serve food and drinks," but not "serve delicious food and drinks at the right time. I believe that high operational capabilities are necessary to aim for a service that provides comfort and excitement to customers."
At Hoobar, rather than chatting with customers at their tables, the priority is on the operation, and the staff is given some freedom in how they serve customers. (Of course, they respond to customers with a smile and a pleasant attitude lol)
"If operations are done well, you have the leeway to naturally build relationships with customers, but if operations are neglected, you can't even get on the stage to build relationships."
" Isomura-san says. I know that they won't do anything unnecessary until they have acquired the operational skills, but in a way it takes quite a bit of courage, but from the owner's firm and unwavering way of speaking, the attitude of the staff serving customers, and the customers enjoying their meals, it's clear to see that the operational skills that Hoobar values are what create this restaurant's comfortable atmosphere.
They plan to add more menu items using magnolia leaves in the future, so I'll continue to drop in on tired nights to enjoy the comfortable atmosphere and new menu items.
bonus
They also offer a very generous lunch menu which includes pasta, a huge salad, dessert and a drink for 1,000 yen (plus the extra large portion of pasta is free), so if you don't have time for dinner, why not go for lunch first?
Wine Restaurant hhOBar
Toho Tourist Building 1F, 7-15-15 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
TEL 03-6908-9796
https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1304/A130401/13205559/
Business hours Lunch 11:30-15:00 (L.0. 14:30)
Dinner 17:00-24:00 (Food last order 23:00 / Drink last order 23:30)
Irregular holidays