ばーむくうへん
It's been about 3 years since I explored a new restaurant. I had heard that they serve Mediterranean to ethnic cuisine, and I had been wanting to try it. The restaurant is located in a retro shopping mall called Ginza Center. When I heard that the center was closed, I mistakenly thought that this restaurant had also disappeared, and I was disappointed. After overcoming the challenges of the pandemic, the restaurant is now in its 8th year since opening in 2014. It seems that they have a loyal customer base in the Hokkaido Tokachi region, where traditional cuisine is highly appreciated. The restaurant has been renovated with a high sense of style, resembling a chic beauty salon in Ginza. I was delighted to see a familiar painting by Kiriko hanging on the wall at the table we were seated at. The menu offers a unique combination of Italian, Moroccan, Middle Eastern cuisine with a touch of Japanese flavors, making it difficult to choose what to order. The name of the restaurant, "Kabosu," comes from the owner's favorite citrus fruit. Kabosu is a small citrus fruit often served with grilled fish. The owner must have a very refined sense of taste to appreciate such a fruit. The variety of homemade drinks using citrus, plum, shiso, and other syrups makes choosing a drink enjoyable. Since they are homemade, once the stock runs out, the item is removed from the menu. So, it's best to order your favorite drink early. I had the homemade citrus syrup soda and then the homemade ginger ale as a refill. My friend had the homemade citrus syrup lemonade and then the homemade sangria. Even when ordering soft drinks, the restaurant provides a selection of 5 signature appetizers as a complimentary starter. And they are delicious! It's a good idea to try the appetizers first before deciding on additional orders. The appetizers included seaweed Zeppole, Chinese broccoli marinated in cumin, red cabbage marinated, and yuzu cream cheese. The Zeppole was a small Italian bread with a chewy texture and a delicious seaweed flavor. I loved it! The marinated red cabbage had a good texture and aroma, and the combination of Chinese broccoli and cumin was surprisingly delightful. And the yuzu cream cheese! It had a fragrant yuzu aroma, but the miso and sake flavors were not overpowering, creating a sweet cheesecake-like taste. It was so delicious that I wanted a refill as soon as I took a bite. However, there were other menu items that caught my eye, so I ordered a variety of dishes. The grilled vegetable salad in Catalonian style with a paprika and almond sauce was interesting in flavor. Since it was made with grilled vegetables, it was a great way to get a lot of veggies in one dish. The smoked whitebait and sun-dried tomato pasta was cooked al dente with a slightly strong saltiness. Although I didn't taste much of the smoked whitebait flavor, it was still delicious. The Kitakari potato gnocchi with three cheeses - Parmigiano, mozzarella, and Gorgonzola - had a rich and creamy cheese sauce, especially with a generous amount of Gorgonzola. The fluffy gnocchi's simple umami flavor complemented the rich sauce, making it irresistible. The restaurant seems to have a focus on cheese and bread, with several bread menu items available. I was intrigued by the "homemade cheese bread" and decided to take it to go. The bread, with cheese kneaded into the heavy dough, was dense and chewy, providing a satisfying bite. I also wondered about the dough that the owner was skillfully rolling and preparing. I wonder what kind of bread that was.