Taste and fun at its best! A review of the popular original Italian restaurant "New Course" that is so popular it's impossible to get a reservation (Wakahisa, Minami-ku, Fukuoka)

Hello everyone. This is Chihi Log, a casual blog that provides information about Fukuoka, with a focus on gourmet food.

This time, we will introduce the popular Italian restaurant's new fall/winter 2023 course menu.

Limited to two groups per day! Popular original Italian restaurant "Motofusa Araki" (Wakahisa, Minami-ku, Fukuoka City) requires reservations only

Motofusa Araki is a creative Italian restaurant located in Wakahisa, Minami-ku, Fukuoka City. It is a reservation-only restaurant, with only two groups per day (one for lunch and one for dinner).

The highly entertaining presentation and delicious food prepared by Chef Araki using the latest cooking techniques have earned the restaurant a reputation for being so popular that reservations are difficult to get.

It's a one-minute walk from the Nishitetsu Bus stop "Ryokuen-mae." It takes about 30 minutes by public transportation from the Tenjin and Hakata areas.

Image: CHIHIRO

Once you enter the store, you will see a golden, sparkling space.

There are decorations hanging from the ceiling. The moment you step inside, you'll feel a sense of excitement.

Image: CHIHIRO

The menu has only two courses, priced at 11,000 yen and 15,000 yen. The contents change depending on the season. The difference between the two courses is whether or not they include lobster.

Feel free to bring your own drinks.

Caviar, lobster, and Saga beef! The "2023 Autumn/Winter Course" is packed with high-quality ingredients

We received the "2023 Autumn/Winter Course" (15,000 yen), which will start on November 1, 2023, so we would like to introduce it in detail (reservations have been accepted since October). *Scheduled to be available until April 2024

The first thing to appear is a wet towel.

When you pour water over it with a silver watering can, a fluffy towel is created.

Image: CHIHIRO

Salty Tomato ~Clear Tomato Soup~

The first dish that arrived was "Salty Tomato - Clear Tomato Soup." This mysterious, clear tomato soup was made by spinning tomatoes in a centrifuge 44,000 times.

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I was impressed by the surprisingly rich tomato flavor.

The salt on the rim of the glass brings out the tomato flavor.

Hokkaido scallop appetizer

And before the second dish was served, the decorations hanging from the ceiling came down!

Image: CHIHIRO

White smoke rises up in a puff.

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Meanwhile, the Hokkaido Scallop Appetizer was brought out. Scallops delivered directly from Hokkaido producers were beautifully arranged on top of chicory.

Image: CHIHIRO

The sauce was made with scallop stock, soy sauce, and fresh cream, bringing out the rich flavor of the scallops.

Image: CHIHIRO

Abalone somen noodles

The third dish was "Abalone Somen," a luxurious dish with plenty of abalone on top of somen noodles that Chef Araki was so impressed with.

Image: CHIHIRO

The golden broth, made from water using a vacuum cooking device called "Gastrovac," is poured right in front of you.

Using Gastrovac apparently results in a cleaner flavor.

Image: CHIHIRO

The balance of the rich flavor of the abalone, the full-bodied yet refreshing golden broth, and the smooth somen noodles was perfect.

Pasta with salmon roe, dried mullet roe and caviar

The fourth dish is "Pasta with salmon roe, dried mullet roe and caviar."

As the chef shouts, "Here we go!", generous amounts of high-quality ingredients are piled on top of the pasta right in front of you.

Image: CHIHIRO

First up is salmon roe from Kushiro, Hokkaido.

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There is also plenty of Italian bottarga.

Finally, there is chalk-shaped caviar, which is still rare in restaurants in Japan.

The caviar is from Italy and then solidified and smoked in France, after which it is aged.

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The caviar was shaved down so much that I started to worry, "Maybe it's time to stop?"

Image: CHIHIRO

This pasta will make your dream of "I've always wanted to try such a luxurious dish!" come true.

It was so delicious that I was sad to see it go.

Image: CHIHIRO

Saga beef steak with truffle flavour

The fifth dish is "Saga beef steak with truffle flavor."

When it comes out, it's covered in a white foam that smells of truffles. Then, flames burst into flames right in front of your eyes!

Image: CHIHIRO

The flames die down and the beautifully presented Saga beef appears.

The luxurious aroma of the truffles and the deliciousness of the soft and juicy Saga beef were so delicious that my jaw nearly dropped.

Image: CHIHIRO

Lobster ~ Hokkaido sea urchin ~

Then came the main dish, "Omar Shrimp - Hokkaido Sea Urchin." This menu is only available as part of the 15,000 yen course.

Image: CHIHIRO

Live lobsters are cooked at 65 degrees for an hour, topped with plenty of Hokkaido sea urchin.

Image: CHIHIRO

It is placed generously on top of the rice and grilled right in front of you.

Image: CHIHIRO

The chewy, rich sweetness of the fragrantly grilled lobster meat is truly impressive.

When combined with sea urchin, the flavor is doubled.

Image: CHIHIRO

Finally, we poured the lobster broth over the rice and made it into ochazuke. I was able to fully enjoy the lobster.

Image: CHIHIRO

Edible balloons

The signature dish at Motofusa Araki is the edible balloon.

It contains hydrogen, and when you put it to your mouth and inhale it right away, it's surprisingly fun!

Image: CHIHIRO

You'll have to experience it to find out what happens.

Chocolate ball

And the final dish is the impressive "Chocolate Ball."

First, table art is applied to the table using chocolate, sauce, etc.

Image: CHIHIRO

What was then handed to me was a plastic umbrella!

"Please protect yourself with this!" I couldn't help but feel excited by this display, something you would never see in a restaurant.

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As I opened my umbrella, a plume of white smoke filled the table, and out of the smoke appeared a huge chocolate ball! The chocolate ball exploded, releasing ice cream and sweets into the air.

This is a one-of-a-kind artistic sweet that combines table art.

The powerful performance was so much fun and the atmosphere was exciting from start to finish!

Image: CHIHIRO

The "2023 Autumn/Winter Course" allows you to enjoy a wide variety of high-quality ingredients. It's perfect for special occasions. Please enjoy it. (Text/CHIHIRO)

＜Click on the store name for more details about the store ↓＞
■ Motofusa Araki
Address: 1F Uchiyama Building, 1-19-3 Wakahisa, Minami-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Business hours: 12:00-21:00 (last admission) (limited to 2 groups per day)
Closed: Wednesdays
*This article is current as of the time of publication. *Prices in the text include tax.

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