One of the popular restaurant recommendations in the area was the Phoenix Toya Club, a hotel just ten minutes’ drive away from the Lake House and situated on a hill overlooking the lake.
They offered a set menu of French cuisine, starting with an amuse-bouche, then a cold starter, a hot starter, fish course, meat course and then the most beautifully designed desert that tasted as good as it looked. Waiters, dressed in their formal black, hovered attentively all evening. We finished with coffee and petits fours. By our standards the portions were tiny and we were surprised how full we were by the end of the evening
But we were in Japan and eager to try traditional Japanese cuisine – French restaurants were two a penny in the UK. We appreciated that for non-Europeans this style of meal offered something different but, for those of us who are newbies to Japan, give us sushi, sashimi or the good old noodle bar!
