One-of-a-kind experience with Japanese tea and spices. Nocake.'s sister store "nodate." in Gokiso

​ ​"Nodate.," the sister store of the popular restaurant "nocake" in Tsurumai opend in Gokiso in February, 2022

At nodate., which features Japanese tea and spices, you can enjoy lunch and cheesecake during the day, and a bar where you can enjoy course meals and à la carte dishes centered on sake at night.

"Daily life" and "stimulation" in a special space

The location is about 3 minutes on foot from Municipal Subway Gokiso Station Exit 3. The stylish exterior is marked by a white noren curtain.

The interior of the restaurant, which is based on monotone, has 9 seats at the counter facing the kitchen.
A tea kettle and wine glasses give off a strong presence in a refined space that has been stripped of unnecessary things.

The name of the shop, nodate., comes from the word “nodate,” whichi means making green tea outdoors. I asked the owner, Mr. Reiichi Hayashi, what kind of restaurant it is.

Please tell us the concept of -nodate.

Mr. Hayashi: “The theme is to have people enjoy “everyday life” and “stimulation” in a special space. We aim to create an inorganic “Japanese” space because we focus on Japanese tea and sake. In contrast to the warm nocake., we are particular about the inorganic and cool extraordinary space. I would like people to feel the richness of this space by serving food using a lot of useless things like tea utensils, sake utensils, and Oshiki (lacquered wooden tray).”

Not only the interior design, but also the tone of tableware and fixtures are unified, creating a conceptual space.

One of the features is that each day and night have different themes for the dishes. During the day, the theme is "Enjoy everyday life in a special space." Starting at 5:00 p.m., the atmosphere is completely changed with lighting and background music, with the theme of "enjoying stimulation in a special space."

-What are your commitment to your cuisine?

Mr. Hayashi: “We have featured Japanese tea and spices so that you can have a deeper understanding of what you take for granted and enrich your daily life. We offer tea with spices, international cuisine that fuses Chinese cuisine and and Italian cuisine, and cheesecakes that are creative and ingenious.”

Enjoy the changing taste of Japanese tea

There are four carefully selected types of Japanese tea (Koushun, Fujimidori, Benifuuki, and blended sencha 500-700 yen). You can enjoy 3 infusions while feeling the changes in taste and aroma.

A tea pot placed next to the counter. By boiling the water in an iron pot, the taste is mellow.

Supplied in such a set, the hot water is poured from the yuzamashi bowl into the kyusu teapot. Time and pour into a yunomi teacup.

1st infusion: Slowly steamed at a slightly lower temperature for a sweet taste without bitterness or astringency
2nd infusion: Short brewing at a high temperature brings out the bitterness and astringency.
3rd infusion: By adding spices, you can enjoy extra.

The light taste of the first sencha and the second sencha are clearly different! I feel moderate bitterness and astringency.

And finally, for the third infusion, put Hanazansho in a teapot. When I put it in my mouth with my heart pounding... it's delicious! I felt a moderately spicy taste and afterglow in the bitterness of the previous time.

You will discover new ways to enjoy Japanese tea with spices and new tastes that you may not know. The comfort of brewing your own tea using a beautiful kyusu teapot is also a nice experience.

Original menu with spices and seasonal ingredients

Nodate. can be used for any occasion as a lunch, cafe, dinner or bar. Every dish is devised using spices and seasonal ingredients, and they are particular about pesticide-free and additive-free as much as possible.

Lunch and cheesecake to taste everyday

During lunch hours (11:30 am to 5:00 pm), they offer a creative lunch menu and cheesecakes based on the concept of "putting a twist on everyday meals and drinks to give you something new and exciting to discover.

On the lunch menu, you can enjoy 2 types of set meals with different main dishes and 1 type of curry that changes daily.

[Lunch menu on the day of coverage] *Contents change depending on the day.

・Vegan curry with 10 kinds of vegetables
・Simmered beef tendon in red wine
・Ginger grilled Chinese-style pork

1,000 yen each (tax included)

This is "Ginger grilled Chinese style pork". In addition to the main dish, the set meal comes with soup and two side dishes. The sweet potato side dish is aged for a week, and the carrot rappe is made with multiple ingredients such as oranges and tomatoes.

For the main ginger grill, match the homemade tenjanyu. The salty-sweet tenjanyu complements the umami of the pork.

Truffle, fermented butter and vanilla cheesecake 600 yen (tax included)

There are 6 types of popular cheesecakes. Variations with truffles and foie gras, as well as cardamom and chili spices, are all intriguing.

[Cheesecake menu]
・Lemon and cardamom cheesecake 500 yen
・Chocolate and chili cheesecake 500 yen
・Lavender raspberry cheesecake 500 yen
・Gorgonzola cheesecake 500 yen
・Truffle, fermented butter and vanilla cheesecake 600 yen
・Foie gras cassis cheesecake 700 yen

The shop offers homemade ice cream topped like this. The ice cream on the day of the interview was Fukinoto. It was slightly sweet and felt the flavor of Fukinoto. Citrus jam and spices are also added, and you can enjoy various flavors with this one dish.

The "truffle, fermented butter, and vanilla cheesecake" that I received this time is a dish that is irresistible with its softly fragrant truffle and richness. You will be impressed by the taste that you have never tasted before. It was a cheesecake for adults that would go well with wine as well as Japanese tea.

Lunch box 1,200 yen (tax included) * Contents change daily

From March, a takeout menu that you can enjoy at home has appeared. A variety of bento boxes with meat and seasonal vegetables. This single box is sure to satisfy your appetite.

Dinner time to taste stimulation

On the other hand, the dinner from 17:00 is based on the concept of "exciting food and drink presentations that you have never had before." You can enjoy an original menu based on Italian and Chinese cuisine along with sake.

About 200 kinds of alcohol, mainly Japanese wine, are selected by Mr. Hayashi.

The dinner course is 5,000 yen (tax included) for a total of 6 items, starting with an appetizer. The menu changes every month, and in March it features plenty of seasonal ingredients such as white asparagus and mackerel.

Mapo tofu spaghettone 1,800 yen (tax included)

There are also a variety of à la carte dishes, so you can feel free to use sake as the main dish.

Selling original chopsticks and oshiki

At nodate., they are particular about items such as tableware and chopsticks because they want you to enjoy your meal, not just serve it. The chopsticks, oshiki boards, and some of the tableware used in the shop are from a tableware brand called "2+000 (Ni-to-wo-ou)," which was launched by Mr. Hayashi himself. It seems that they are doing design and product development while asking craft artists. You can also purchase original products at the store.

Pop-up events by artists are also held in the store. On the day I visited for the interview, I was introduced to the work of "Utsuwaya RIN", who produces items such as nodate.'s chopsticks and oshiki boards.

Nodate. makes us feel the charm of things we take for granted in our daily lives. Why not enjoy a moving experience with the carefully selected food, space, and tableware?