Villa de Class

At this sister location to a Hiroshima restaurant, a chef who honed his skills in Italy displays his talents. Ingredients are from around the Kinki region as well as the chef's beloved Hiroshima. Italian fare is the base, overlaid with French influences from the flagship restaurant, resulting in a seamless blend of French and Italian recipes. Potato gnocchi is the signature dish. Its culinary roots, so important that the name is spelled with an extra ‘o’, extend deep into both Hiroshima and Nakanoshima.

The name means ‘spirit of fun’ and also refers to the chef’s given name, Shintaro. All occupations have their joys and sorrows, but the chef maintains a spirit of fun. At the same time, he never forgets reverence for tradition. Lacquered wooden trays and dishes garnished with flowers convey each season. Self-expressive yet respectful of traditional boundaries, his goal is the evolution of Japanese cuisine. Cuisine is a mirror of the soul; joy itself.

The gastronomy of Chef Tatsuhiro Takayama blends a passion for learning from nature with a modern sensibility. To attune his work to the sense of the seasons, he adds layers of texture. His spring ‘Sakuraniku, Sansai’ accents the bitterness of spring vegetables with the texture of buckwheat groats. The menu lists only the ingredients, as a mark of respect to the foodstuff producers. Natural rock tables and wooden ornamental plates eloquently convey the chef’s love of nature.

While eating ramen, salt water from the noodles gradually dilutes the soup. You can experience this for yourself. First, pour a little of the soup into a separate bowl. Finish the noodles in the original bowl, then try sipping the reserved soup—the difference in taste will amaze you. The harmony created by a bowl of ramen goes beyond taste. The slurping of noodles forms a duet with the classical music in the background. The joy of ramen knows no bounds: ‘mugen’.

An artwork resembling a planet dominates the dining room. Look closely and the ‘planet’ contains overlapping images of cuisine, which gather together to form a picture of the Earth. ‘Dialogue with the Earth’ is, indeed, the theme of this restaurant. The experience of growing up amid the beauty of nature shaped the bold world view of Hajime Yoneda. The digitised recipes and detailed cuisine attest to his experience as a system engineer. Cuisine that draws inspiration from all Creation is imbued with love and respect for nature.

The menus are focused on words associated with the traditional calendar; ingredients are plotted on a map of Japan to show which items come from where. The proprietor and his cooks begin by introducing the ingredients then work as a team to prepare the meal, presenting freshly cooked aromas and flavours. Strict attention is paid to temperature and texture. The choice of serving vessels and presenting food on paper or leaf garnishes convey hallowed customs in Japanese cuisine. The flavours of the season are savoured with the calendar never far from your mind.

A dining room fit for a noble mansion, décor of stunning symmetry and graceful service by the waitstaff create a moment cocooned in splendour. Commanding the kitchen is Christophe Gibert, a native of Bretagne. Accustomed to life by the sea, Gibert makes extensive use of seaweed. His preparations, with their strong accent on sauces, convey his spirit of respect for classic cooking.