Grilled Toyocini Mushroom with Celeriac Puree
L'eau Blanche, Fukuoka
How can you resist falling in love when a drop-off description is.... This mushroom, grown for three years and foraged in Oita is lightly grilled...
"Mushroom that eats like a steak" has been done. But this dish takes it to a completely different place. The smoke from the grill imparts and brings out a sublime umami flavour. Ten seconds more and it's toast. Ten seconds less and it's flavourless. The puree smooths out the smoke and balances the dish perfectly. While the greens come in bitter and round out the dish.
For the second year in a row I've chosen a vegetable-focused dish. If I keep getting plates like this, it may be three in a row.
To qualify for The Single Table awards, I had to visit that location in the given calendar year.