Following the state of emergency declaration, the restaurant was closed for seven weeks until the end of February. I've been running restaurants for over 10 years, but this was the first time I'd ever had to close for such a long time.
The state of emergency has been lifted, so we have resumed business, but the state of emergency of "restaurant management in crisis" is still ongoing. Ugh. I want it to be lifted soon.
Professor Hemingway said:
The worth of a man depends on how he acts in the face of defeat.
First of all, it's quite painful to have to admit that the situation I'm in now is a defeat, but the reality is that there are other industries that are unaffected by COVID-19, so there's no doubt that restaurants are currently on the losing side.
So how I behave now is what determines my worth as a human being. Ugh, that's a heavy burden. My behavior now is what determines my worth.
It's often said that opportunities only come to those who are prepared. So let's prepare. That's the best thing I can think of right now.
So, I created a new menu.
Lamb shabu-shabu.
My restaurant, Bokumo, mainly serves New Zealand wines and uses a variety of New Zealand ingredients in our meals.
One of the standard menu items is lamb chop steak . This is it.
Thanks to you, it often appears. Actually, it used to appear (I hope it continues to appear).
When I first started this, I thought to myself, "Maybe a lot of people won't like it," but it has been a big hit. One factor may be that the lamb we sell doesn't have a strong, peculiar flavor, but I think it makes me realize that there are more people who like lamb than I thought.
So, I wanted to create the next hit, and while I was closed, I came up with the idea for "Lamb Shabu-Shabu."
The deciding factor was the deliciousness of the lamb. I asked my butcher, who I always use, to provide me with some delicious lamb from New Zealand. The texture was also important, so I tasted different slices of different thicknesses to determine the best thickness. The dashi and ponzu sauce were the chef's original recipes. I asked him to make some adjustments to make them go as well as possible with the wine.
I was a little worried about serving shabu-shabu in a wine bar, but the customers accepted it readily, and since reopening, it has become the dish that gets the most comments of "this is delicious." Some people have even come to eat there twice in one week. Thank you.
Another wine that goes well with it may be "unexpected," but it goes well with the New Zealand white wine "Sauvignon Blanc ." You may have the image that meat = red wine, but shabu-shabu has a refreshing taste, so I think it's okay to pair it with a refreshing white wine. In particular, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has a strong citrus aroma and flavor, so I think it goes great with lightly prepared lamb meat paired with a citrus dressing.
If you're going to pair it with red wine, Pinot Noir is a good choice. New Zealand Pinots have a strong berry aroma and are moderately astringent. Lamb meat has a long aftertaste, so if you pair it with a berry-flavored Pinot while the delicious aroma is still in your nose, you'll be amazed at the complex flavors that fill your mouth. The moderate tannins combine with the fat to create an indescribable flavor. It's really enjoyable.
In addition to this, we have created a number of new menu items.
- Salmon pie
- Roast beef tongue
- Natsume Cream Cheese Pizza
- New Zealand dessert: Pavlova
And so on.
The preparations are complete. The only thing left to do is to see when the environment will be ready.
I hope that when I look back, developing this new menu item will be the best thing I could have done.
This week's wine and snacks
I think the specific idea of lamb shabu-shabu and wine that I mentioned earlier is a good one, so I'll write down the brand of wine that I think would be the best match.
White Wine
CLOUDY BAY Marlborough SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020
Cloudy Bay is a wine that silences crying children. It became a worldwide bestseller, which helped New Zealand wine gain recognition, making it a wine that is considered to be a "contributor to the development of New Zealand wine."
The latest vintage 2020 Sauvignon Blanc is characterized by its very fresh acidity, and the expression "crisp acidity" is perfect. The lime-like freshness and rich flavor will play a role like a "rich lime sauce" to accompany lamb shabu-shabu. It's the best. Even now as I write this, I'm salivating.
red wine
SLIDING HILL Marlborough PINOT NOIR 2018
This is Pinot Noir, which we have been serving by the glass since reopening. It has a nice aroma of red berry fruits, a mellow taste, and a moderate astringency. Drinking it in a large Burgundy glass makes you feel even happier.
By the way, I learned something when I tried pairing wine with lamb shabu-shabu.
With shabu-shabu, you put your own meat and vegetables in, check how well they're cooked, and when they're ready, you dip them in the sauce that comes in the rice bowl and eat them.
When you go through this process, there is a waiting period. During that waiting period, you are unknowingly bringing the wine to your mouth. This wine is a "wine without pairing." It is what we call "the deliciousness of the wine on its own."
Remember this, and then when you eat the lamb shabu-shabu, you drink the wine. Then, in comparison to how delicious it was on its own, you will encounter a new flavor that has been changed by the pairing. "Wow, it's different from before! It's delicious!" you'll think.
Have a glass of wine on its own while you wait → Once cooked, eat the lamb and pair it → Have another glass of wine on its own while you wait → This time pair it with vegetables →...
Hotpot is a meal that allows you to enjoy this loop incredibly smoothly. It wasn't until I tried it that I realized that hotpot and wine are an excellent match in terms of ease of pairing.
picture?
Hotpot season is already over in spring, right?
...You're right. I wish I'd realized that a little sooner.
But isn't shabu-shabu a year-round menu item? Is it okay to have shabu-shabu in an air-conditioned room? Right? Someone, please say yes! (The inner cry of someone facing defeat)
