Wineshark Nice Hotel Experience - Arcana Izu (Yugashima Onsen)

This modern style ryokan is located in Yugashima Onsen on Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka. The purpose of coming here, apart from enjoying the relaxation of the hotspring and the environments, is also because of the gourmet. And this ryokan has a French restaurant, managed by the renown chef Yuma Itoi.

We have booked the River Wing Suite, with beautiful view looking over the Kano River underneath, surrounded by the forest and mountains, which is really peaceful and tranquil. The day was not very cold but there was some tiny snow falling down periodically, making it extra romantic.

The room is spacious, with a big sitting room and writing table on one side, while on the other side is the bedroom with a large and comfortable bed. There are the large windows looking out so one can always enjoy the view no matter where you are. A special feature is that they don't have any TV, in order for guests to enjoy the quiet time.

After walking through the toilet and the bathroom, the door opens into the balcony. And there is an outdoor pool where one can relax and enjoy the onsen while savoring the forest and mountains outside. The size of the pool is quite big, with plenty of room to fit a couple. And besides the pool there are also chairs at the sitting room end for one to take a time to reflect and think.

As mentioned earlier, the restaurant is the special highlight for this ryokan. The restaurant has an open kitchen, where you can see the chefs busily preparing the meal, and a big window on the background so you can also look at the scenery outside.

On the night we had the signature menu from Chef Itoi, and me also taking the wine pairing recommended. Starting with the Blessings of Izu, which is a tapas style appetizers featuring different delicacies in the Izu Peninsula, like prawn, vegetable, squid, pork and different fish. I have to say it is one of the best appetizers I have tried for long while. Not particular fancy in presentation like some high-end French restaurants, the taste and attention to the details are simply eye-opening.

The second course is Langoustine with Japanese Mustard Spinach. The langoustine is very fresh and tasty, pairing very well with the sauce blended from spinach, with a creamy texture. There are some sprinkle of green tea powder too which added a bit of fragrance further.

The third course is Egg Bio, Eel and Cauliflower. The egg is coated with some breadcrust to deep fry, so giving it a crispy surface but keeping the softness inside. A phenomenal test of the chef's skills. The eel is put on top of a cauliflower puree, with some finely sliced apple shreds and fennel to add a bit of crunchy texture and lightness.

Then the chef provided us an amuse bouche made from beetroot, which is highly refreshing and helps to clean the flavors in our mouth before we took the next course, which is an addition as we opted for a Prawn Sashimi which has been prepared interestingly by bashing it to paper thin. The texture is like tartare but it has an intense taste and we like it very much.

Then came the Mushroom and Fighting Cock, which is a mushroom soup with small cubes of chicken, mushroom, carrot and crouton. The soup is very rich and flavorful, and the different cubes on the bowl not only providing an interesting presentation but also highlighting different flavors and texture. A creative and innovative way to serve this soup.

Next we have Flounder, Jerusalem Artichoke and Truffle. The fish is pan-fried perfectly, with some truffle and radish on top. The artichoke was tender and the dish also has a chestnut puree accompanying to give a warmth and seasonal feel to the dish.

For the main course I have chosen the Fish, with inspiration from Chef Itoi, while Ivy went for the venison. Honest speaking this fish has not a lot of specialty for me to give any wow factor, but still a very nice effort in the taste and look. On the other hand, the venison was cooked beautifully with the right level per Ivy's requirements.

For dessert, the first is Strawberry "Beni-Hoppe" which comprises of strawberry juice, a fresh fruit, souffle and ice-cream, all made from the ripe and tasty strawberry in the area. Then we have the Citrus Fruit "Mikan" with Ginger. The pomelo and mandarin orange fruit are sweet and pair well with the cream cheese and ice-cream, and sprinkled with gingerbread toppings there is an extra kick to enhance the flavors further.

Last there is the Petite Pastry, which are very nice but by the time we are so full that we can barely eat them anymore. As a result I ordered a coffee to help digestion. The wines paired on the night were quite nice and matched well with the food. The sommelier is also professional in his duties to taste wines before customers.

On the next day we also had breakfast in the same restaurant. This time it is a fun setting with the theme Picnic in the Forest. There are lots of different things on the set, all tasty and fresh, giving us the energy and power to start our journey driving back to Narita.

On this visit it brought me a new experience on enjoying outdoor onsen while living in a more western style setting, and at the same time tasting fantastic food prepared in French style. It is really the best match of both worlds and one I strongly recommend you to try. The cost is a bit high at HK$10,458 for two persons but it is well worth it.

My overall rating is 8.5/10.