山中湖のやまさと - Yamasato in Lake Yamanaka

三連休に山中湖に行く機会があって昼食に蕎麦を食べた。ネットで評判の良いやまさとに行ってみたら、かなりの順番待ち客が店の前にたむろしていた。名前をリストに書いて待つことしばし、ようやく案内された店内は広くて落ち着きがあり気持ち良い。いくつかテーブルは空いていたが、さばける客の量を考えて誘導しているのだろう。

バスの時間も気になるので僕は粗挽き田舎せいろのみを注文した。メニューの中には黒糖デザートもちょっと気になったのだが・・・。出て来たのは田舎そばにしては色白の細い蕎麦で、繊細な方向の作りだ。甘皮が混ぜ込まれて風味もある。蕎麦は喉ごしと言うが、この蕎麦はかなり硬めに茹で上げられているし、良く噛んで食べた方が甘みがじわじわと増して美味しいと思う。それでもせいろにありつくのに1時間ちょっとかかるとなると僕は敬遠気味だ。肝心の写真がボケボケで済みません！

During 3-day holidays in July, I had a chance to go to Lake Yamanaka and went to a very popular soba noodle restaurant, Yamasato, for lunch. There were bunch of people waiting to be called, and I had to put my name on the waiting list. After more than 30 minutes, I was guided to a large table inside. There were 2 classic rooms that were both spacious and comfortable. I saw several empty tables and understood that they brought the guests in according to their capacity of services. 

I had a bus to take and simply ordered country-style buckwheat noodles as shown in the "out-of-focus" picture above assuming it would be manageable in the limited time. The noodles were rather delicately white and thin for country style. We often say that the noodles are good when smoothly going through the throat, but I would rather recommend that you chew this one here much since the noodles are "al dente" and also the sweatness gradually emerges. I still question if you would love to be here if you know that you need to waste more than one hour before you have your plate in front...