Dining at Hakuba is an intimate and intense affair, especially if you sit at the main counter, behind which Watanabe works. As a measure of respect, for both the chef and his superlative ingredients, one is expected to concentrate on each dish as it is served so as to fully savour it both from an aesthetic and gustatory viewpoint. For this reason, I would advise going to dine here with someone else who will instinctively understand the implicit request for one’s full, focused attention during the meal.
Our journey began with a spectacular jam of Nori seaweed and a superb bouillon, dishes intended to prepare the palate for the exquisite seafood that followed, including red tuna belly, conch, red prawn, red mullet and saba. Watching Watanabe make sushi was an experience almost as mesmerising as sampling the suite of broths, raw or caramelised fish, soba, and other ingredients that comprised our menu. This is a truly exquisite experience for well-heeled seafood lovers.
Cheval Blanc Paris Hotel, 8 Quai du Louvre, Ist arrondissement, Paris, Tel. (33) 01 79 35 51 20,
www.chevalblanc.com
From France Today Magazine
Dining and Cooking