Situated about 20 minutes by car from Fukuyama Station in eastern Hiroshima prefecture, ""L’ardoise"" is a French restaurant operated in a house nestled in the woods. Its name can be found in 'Gault et Millau' 2018 and other renowned 'world gourmet guide Hiroshima Ehime'2018, and the cuisine is prepared by the skilled hand of Chef Fumio Fujii.
After graduating high school, Fujii studied under Chef Tsuyoshi Miki of restaurant ""Jean Moulin"" in Kobe before working at his father’s French restaurant in Fukuyama and subsequently traveling to France. Having worked at ""Le Petit Nice"", a world gourmet guide award restaurant in Marseille, Fujii moved to Paris, where he worked at a bistro ""L’ardoise"" under Chef Pierre Jay.
In addition to food, Fujii has always been an avid student of wine, and in this respect, the experiences of his year and a half in Paris have had a lasting influence on Chef Fujii since his return to Japan. Returning to Fukuyama in 2007, Fujii was entrusted by Chef Pierre Jay with the ""L’ardoise"" name in opening his own restaurant. It has not only developed the local following but also earned a place in world-class gourmet guides.
“My goal is for this to be a local restaurant favored by local patrons,” says Fujii.
He travels in the mountains, by the sea and upriver, seeking out and enjoying his encounters with local ingredients in the pursuit of a concept of cuisine that is both French and local. He says that his first desire is to have local people enjoy a cuisine in which he manages to maximize the potential of local ingredients by applying the techniques of French cuisine.
Examples include the game meats supplied by ""Iwataya"" in Hiroshima’s Sera district, lamb from ""Farm Mae"" in the town of Kitahiroshima, and the cheeses of ""Mirasaka Fromage"" in Miyoshi. Fujii sources his red sea urchin and other ingredients from Miyakubo in Japan's Setonai inland sea region. He ventures to the morning seafood markets himself every morning to make strict selections using his keen eye for quality. He buys his vegetables directly from the farmers, often making the purchases himself at local morning produce markets.
Seasonal dishes include springtime white asparagus and ice cream made from fukinoto. In summer, he prepares summer roast venison and peach desserts. His fall dishes include lamb, as well as kotake and matsutake mushrooms. Winter offerings feature game meats and oysters with apple desserts. The result is an ability to partake of the freshest local ingredients season by season, which is the essence of Fujii’s “local French” concept.
For guests wondering which wine to select, pairings chosen by the sommelier are recommended. Those who prefer sake can choose from selections only available from Hiroshima brewers, including labels such as Tenpoichi of Fukuyama and Kirei of Higashi-hiroshima.
The restaurant’s interior décor is based on the appointments observed during a visit to Chef Pierre Jay’s family home in the city of Mâcon. Cutlery and tableware ordered from local artisans blend well with the white-and-red color scheme of the interior, enabling guests to relax as they enjoy their meal. Dining tables seat a total of 32. This unique “local French” cuisine, and an ambiance overflowing with love of the local landscape, assures an enjoyable dining experience for meals with family, with friends, or on a date.
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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 5-minute by the taxi Managura Station(JR Fukuen Line)
A 20-minute by the taxi Fukuyama Station(JR Sanyo Line)
