About 15 minutes by car from Hakata Minami Station in Fukuoka Prefecture. MAISON LAFITE" is a restaurant located on a small hill with an area of 1,000 tsubo. The owner-chef, Ken Kudo, is the chef of the restaurant.
Chef Kudo worked at hotels and restaurants in Fukuoka City before moving to France. He studied at a starred restaurant in the Lorraine region before returning to Japan and setting up his own restaurant. He opened his dream restaurant "MAISON LAFITE" in his hometown, Nakagawa City, in an ideal location with a view of the satoyama landscape. The restaurant has become a popular one-star restaurant, serving "cuisine rooted in the land" without wavering.
Reservations are only taken for two groups for both day and night. The course menu consists of 12 to 13 dishes from hors d'oeuvres to desserts, and is served in about three hours, as if to accompany the time flowing in the satoyama. Most of the ingredients are from the Kyushu region. Seafood is sourced from nearby ports, such as Usa and Nakatsu in Oita Prefecture for hamo (pike conger eel) and Akune in Kagoshima Prefecture for takashrimp. Freshness is the first priority for vegetables, which are grown locally in Nakagawa City or in the restaurant's own vegetable garden, and washed with spring water from a well. The local spring water is known for its high quality, so much so that there used to be a row of soba noodle stores in the area, and Mr. Kudo says that "the water and ingredients here" are the key to creating his own unique flavor. The picturesque colors of his dishes, which are created with an abundance of vegetables and herbs, and his skillful composition of acidity, bitterness, and umami are the essence of his cuisine. His dishes, combined with the view of the satoyama outside the window, leave a vivid impression on the guests.
Chef Kudo uses the ingredients produced by the terroir of Naka River City and composes his dishes according to his inspiration of the day. He expresses the umami of the ingredients with his one-of-a-kind menu. For example, he uses rice straw to roast the beef that is fed on rice.
The restaurant's wine cellar is stocked with mainly Burgundy wines, waiting for their turn to be served. Many of the wines are from well-known producers favored by Chef Kudo, and he recommends ordering a pairing to match the cuisine. The restaurant also offers a wide variety of homemade drinks and other beverages that can be enjoyed without alcohol.
The restaurant, with its large-opening windows, was designed by Kudo himself to blend in with the landscape of the satoyama. The restaurant, with a white base color and plenty of wood (table seating for up to 6 people), allows diners to relax and forget about time. It is a destination restaurant that attracts visitors from inside and outside of the prefecture to Naka River City to enjoy "MAISON LAFITE".
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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
15 minutes by car from JR Hakata Minami Station
40 minutes by car from JR Hakata Station
