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年の終わりが現実味を帯びはじめた12月半ばの夜。空は驚くほど澄み、東京タワーの光は余計なものを削ぎ落としたように輪郭を際立たせていた。六本木の街は華やかさを保ちながらも、どこか締め切り前のような沈黙を抱え、今年が終わる準備を淡々と進めていた。
六本木の喧騒から半歩だけ外れた場所。高層ビル群の灯を背に、低い街灯が路面を撫でるその一角。地下へと続く階段の前に、既にお店のスタッフさんが寒い中に待ってくださっていた。階段を下りると、途端に非日常空間へと足を踏み入れるような錯覚を覚える。地上を離れ、地下一階へと身を預けるわずかな時間。その短い移動のあいだに、風景は静かに反転する。ランドスケープデザイナー・桝井淳介氏が描いた「空間と庭」は、石と木という自然の語彙だけで構成され、壁面には森の奥でひそやかに落ちる滝の気配が宿る。足を進めるほど、街の音は遠のき、ここが現実の延長なのか、それとも別の層なのか分からなくなる。
扉の向こうに現れるのは、中国料理店「KOBAYASHI」。ウォールナットの一枚板カウンターが据えられた空間は、静かな緊張感を保ち、奥には会話を預けられる個室も備わるという。
料理を司るのは小林武志シェフ。季節の素材を軸に構成される“ULTRA K”のコースは、目の前で仕上げられる所作までも計算に含め、味の層を幾重にも重ねていく。海鮮やXO醤の扱いは素材への理解の深さを物語り、ワインとの組み合わせにも妥協がない。夜を選んで訪れたくなる理由が、静かに積み上がっていく一軒のようだ。
本日は以下のコースをいただいた。
●厳選素材のシェフおまかせコース
◆ウェルカムドリンクとお通し
カウンター席に腰を下ろすと、金萱烏龍茶が迎える。乳香を思わせるやわらかな甘みと澄んだ香りが、冷えた体を内側からほどき、これから始まる一皿への集中力を静かに整える。
五香粉の飴をまとったミックスナッツは、シナモンの甘い香りが立ち、口に含むたび香辛の余白が広がる。次の皿へ舌を整える、粋な小休止になりそうだ。
◇上海蟹の酔蟹
170g超の特級サイズを使った酔蟹は、殻を割った瞬間に期待が現実へ変わる。とろりと詰まった蟹味噌と内子の濃度は圧倒的で、酒の香りが旨みを引き締める。無言でしゃぶり尽くす時間さえ、ご馳走の一部。
◇上海蟹の春巻
上海蟹と豚肉を包んだ春巻は、ひと口で設計思想が伝わる。内側は密に、外側は空気を含ませた二層の巻きが、噛むほどに食感を移ろわせる。最初に響く軽快な破裂音のあと、蟹の旨みがじわりと追いかけてくる。揚げ物でありながら、記憶に残るのはその繊細さ。
◇湯島聖堂式前菜
・生椎茸
・きゅうりのザーサイ
・干し豆腐の和えもの
・つぶ貝の醤油にんにく
・黄菊の甘酢漬け
湯島聖堂式前菜は、戦後に正しく根付いた中国料理の記憶を一皿に束ねた構成。生椎茸の含み、干し豆腐の端正な和え、つぶ貝の醤油にんにくジュレの力強さが交差し、黄菊の甘酢が全体を静かに引き締める。静謐でいて雄弁な前奏。
◇口水豚
熊本産「走る豚」を用いた口水豚は、よだれ鶏の発想を軽やかに裏切る一皿。5ミリ厚に切った肉を中華鍋で焼き、香ばしさを刻み込んでから器へ。そこに注がれるラー油と麻辣の刺激、渋皮付きピーナッツのコク、炒り胡麻の香りが層を成す。仕上げのパクチーが輪郭を整え、豚の甘みを鮮明に浮かび上がらせる。舌は自然と、次の一口を急かされる。
◇KOBAYASHI 特製XO醤 ULTRAstyle
熱々のココットで供されるKOBAYASHI特製XO醤は、まず香りで舌を捕まえる。プナピーや白舞茸、あわび茸など四種のきのこが、旨みの水脈を引き出し合い、その中心に小林シェフ渾身のXO醤が据えられる。別添えのXO醤は肴として成立する完成度で、加えれば一皿の輪郭が深まる。調味料の域を超え、料理を導く主役。
◇上海蟹と豆腐のとろみ煮
旨みを誇示しない潔さが際立つ料理。身、蟹味噌、内子をすり潰し、絹豆腐と共に塩だけで輪郭を整えた味わいは、蟹の本質を静かに語る。途中で加えるおこげが香ばしさと食感を呼び込み、穏やかな流れに一瞬の起伏を与える。その変化まで計算された、完成度の高い一椀。
◇KOBAYASHIとNUMAMOTO
ブッチャーの沼本憲明氏とのコラボメニュー。
水煮牛肉の概念を艶やかに更新する。岩国産・高森和牛に、ラー油と花椒、唐辛子を重ね、黒くなるまで火を入れた香味油を纏わせる設計。唐辛子を噛めばナッツのような香りと刺激が同時に立ち、食欲の歯車が加速する。麻婆豆腐を思わせる奥行きがあり、白飯を呼び寄せる必然性まで計算された一皿。
◇地鶏の煮込みそば
小林シェフのスペシャリテであり、揺るぎないシグネチャー。白湯は濃密でありながら雑味なく澄み、自家製麺がその懐に静かに収まる。まずは素のまま向き合い、シンプルながら圧倒的な美味さに衝撃を受ける。途中で白トリュフオイルを垂らせば表情が一変する。一杯の中に、料理人の現在地と到達点が同時に刻まれていた。
◇干し貝柱の炒飯
メニューには記されない干し貝柱の炒飯は、完璧なまでのパラパラ具合。タイ米は粒立ちよく、干し貝柱の旨みを抱えて軽やかにほどける。胡椒を振れば香りが輪郭を描き、さらに先ほどの地鶏煮込みそばの白湯をかければ、滋養深い一椀へと姿を変える。簡潔さの奥に、遊びと完成度が同居する炒飯。
◇正式杏仁豆腐
正式な工程で仕立てた杏仁豆腐は、杏の核をすり潰すところから始まるという誠実さが、そのまま食感と香りに現れる。ぷるりと震える口当たりの奥に、ほろ苦さを含んだ杏仁の香気が静かに広がる。甘さは控えめで、余計な装飾はない。食後の舌をきれいに整え、コースを締めくくるにふさわしい一品。
◇生月餅、阿里山紅茶
抹茶とココナッツのクリームを忍ばせた生月餅は、軽やかな甘みが舌に静かに溶けていく。そこへ寄り添う阿里山紅茶は、高山茶らしい澄んだ香りが立ち、余韻をきれいにほどく。甘と香が過不足なく交差し、食後の時間を穏やかに整える締めの一献。
最後の皿を置いた静寂のあと、席を立つと夜はすでに深さを増していた。噂されているように、ミシュランの星を獲得するのも時間の問題と思える素晴らしい時間だった。料理も、演出も、空間も、お店の方の接遇も、すべてが正確であり最上級だった。
扉を抜け、六本木の裏道へ足を踏み出す。坂の冷気が頬を撫でるたび、さきほどの時間が確かな輪郭をもって胸に残る。この夜は、きっと長く忘れない。そう確信しながら、私は街の暗がりへ溶けていった。
是非また伺わせていただきます。ご馳走様でした。