In the Chuetsu region in Niigata Prefecture, known as a rice- and sake-producing area and blessed by the bounty of the land and sea, Restaurant L'armoise is located on the first floor of a condo building that is a 10-minute walk from Nagaoka Station. It is a one-star French restaurant helmed by Chef Ryotaro Tanaka.
Chef Tanaka was born in Nagaoka City. He trained at restaurants in Japan and overseas and returned to his hometown to open Restaurant L'armoise in February 2018. The dishes featuring local flavors soon gained popularity and the restaurant was awarded one star in 2020.
The word “L'armoise” in the restaurant’s name means “mugwort” in French and reflects the desire of the chef to “make guests healthy and happy like mugwort does as a medicine and a protection from evil.” The chef also aims to deliver “dishes not found anywhere else.” The vegetables are picked in the morning from the chef’s garden and his grandparents’ and father-in-law’s farms. The chef’s signature pork dishes feature Tsumari Pork, a brand of pork from Uonuma. The fish is delivered fresh from a fish market in Teradomari, Nagaoka, which is known as a mecca for seafood markets.
The restaurant’s popular dishes include “Jerusalem Artichoke Flan,” which is characterized by its palate-pleasing combination of northern shrimp tartar and bisque from Sado, and “Monkfish Fritters with Spinach,” which is a winter dish that features deep-fried monkfish dressed with monkfish liver sauce and wrapped together with sautéed spinach in crispy spinach. Meanwhile, the chef’s specialty features Tsumari Pork. Pork tenderloin is wrapped in mugwort mousse and roasted over low heat.
The wine list offers a wide selection of more than 170 wines mainly from Burgundy, as well as champagne from RM (Recoltant Manipulant), a small winery that is not yet well known but produces tasty wines with great care. In addition, Rydeen Beer from Hakkaisan, Niigata, is available on the beverage menu. Another popular beverage is homemade ginger ale made from ginger grown in the chef’s garden.
Although it is a French restaurant, the interior is filled with Japanese vibes, such as walls covered with handmade washi paper and Oguni washi paper handed down in Nagaoka City and fretwork created by Sakai Tategu from Niigata City to decorate the glass tables.
Please visit Nagaoka with your family, significant other, friends, or colleagues and enjoy the unique dishes, exclusive setting, and one-of-a-kind experience at Restaurant L'armoise.
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* The availability of this webpage does not guarantee that the restaurant presented provides services in English, unless otherwise stated. Please be aware that English services may also depend on staff availability at the restaurant.
Access
A 10-minutes walk from Oteguchi of Nagaoka Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen
