The concept is to "revitalize the community from the town cadastre."
The restaurant offers creative cuisine with innovative ideas that make the most of local ingredients,
The space is integrated with the special attention that only a handmade renovation can provide,
A popular Italian restaurant and bar with plenty of artistic sensibility.
Italian restaurant & bar for the masses
This gourmet report introduces "Osteria e Bar RecaD," a popular Italian restaurant and bar located on a street corner in the center of downtown Taketa, Oita Prefecture, that serves creative cuisine featuring local ingredients and a wide selection of natural wines and local sake.
The owner, Takahiko Kuwashima (right in the above image), opened the restaurant at the end of 2014 after making a U-turn from the Kanto region in 2012 with the desire to "revitalize his hometown with young people," a wish that took shape over a period of about three years. The store was renovated by himself and his friends, and the table sets, counter chairs, cups, and pottery washbowls were commissioned from artists, writers, and furniture makers he knew who were active in Takeda City. The shop is filled with Kuwashima's passion.
After making a U-turn, Kuwashima, a musician-turned-chef, began to work steadily on restaurant revitalization projects and event planning, with the idea of "revitalizing the local community" in mind. We decided to open the restaurant. This is how they decided to open the restaurant.
I would like to continue to challenge myself to create a place where the ingredients of Takeda City can live, an atmosphere that people feel they have never felt before in Takeda City, and a base where new projects can be born and transmitted to the outside world as people gather," says Kuwashima. Here are some of the points that Kuwashima is particular about.
Strolling around the area Back alleys of the castle town full of historical romance
The city center of Takeda City still retains the atmosphere of the time when it flourished as a castle town during the Oka domain era. In particular, the "Road of History" is lined with the white walls of prestigious samurai residences and Buddhist temples, testifying to the prosperity of the time. Many outstanding talents were born in Takeda, especially in the fields of culture and music, including Tanomura Chikuden, the greatest painter in the Japanese nanga world, Rentaro Taki, who spent his childhood in Takeda and composed "The Moon Over the Deserted Castle," which is said to have been modeled on the song "Oka Jyosan," and Yoshimi Sato, a children's songwriter. The "Moon over the Ruined Castle" was composed by Taki Rentaro.
Because of the above connection, the area is also now famous as one of the areas where various artists from all over the country are moving to.
A stroll through the alleys of Takeda, with the murmuring of the irrigation canals echoing in the background, will heighten your sense of travel as you contemplate the romance of history☆.
Store Introduction Renovation by ourselves
The original exterior wall of the first floor was torn down to expose the pillars, and the shape of the pillars was used to add a wooden look to the exterior, creating a well-balanced presence in a shopping district full of old houses and merchant houses with an Edo-style atmosphere.
Between the magnificent columns along the street corner line are displayed miscellaneous goods that the owner has casually collected.
A large counter is set up in the restaurant and a perfect distance is maintained between the restaurant and the staff, creating a pleasant atmosphere where visitors can spend a comfortable time even if they visit alone!
This counter was said to have been stored in the warehouse of a nearby wood store, and the beams used in a 120-year-old mansion were reused. Incidentally, the tree itself is said to be over 150 years old.
The ceiling is decorated with geometric patterns created by layering several panels of mismatched colors and shapes, handmade lamps, and columns painted in chic colors, all of which create a unique design that is unlike anything you have seen before.
In addition to the interior, the space is decorated with antique goods and retro-patterned ethnic carpets, and many one-of-a-kind pieces, such as lamps created by an artist with the image of "Oka Castle," are on display.
The base of the chair at the counter was made by a friend who works at an ironworks. He is confident that the angle of the backrest and the height of the chairs were precisely adjusted. Incidentally, the seat surfaces are all handmade, and the design and material differ from one to another.
A handmade blackboard depicting carefully selected recommended wines and dishes. The handwritten words that express the personality of the owner make the interior of the restaurant even more vibrant.
Recommendations Lunch Menu
With the theme of ”authentic Italian cuisine that can only be realized in this region,” the menu is composed mainly of ingredients such as vegetables grown in Takeda, native wild plants such as fresh kikurage mushrooms, and high-quality venison and wild boar meat, and is as close to local Italian flavors as possible, paying attention to seasonings and even boiling water for pasta without using ready-made products. The drinks are also carefully selected, including "natural wines" that reflect the character of the land and enzyme juices from nearby regions, all of which are high quality items to be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle.
Pasta lunch (soup and salad set) 800 yen
The pasta is made with fresh local vegetables such as asparagus and tomatoes, rare fresh kikurage mushrooms also from Takeda, and a lot of salsiccia made from venison (venison) handmade by the owner.
The most notable point is that "carbonated water" from Nagayu Hot Springs is used for boiling the pasta! This is unique to Taketa City.
Originally, Italian water is "hard water" with a strong mineral flavor. On the other hand, Japanese water is "soft water" that is softer to the palate, and because of the difference in the quality of the water itself, the pasta is boiled differently. Therefore, the company has gone to the trouble of assembling hard, carbonated water that is close to the quality of Italian water.
The salads are made with fresh local vegetables and the recommended dish of the day, and the soups vary according to availability. On this particular day, the salad was a lightly smoked potato salad topped with black pepper, and the soup was a minestrone filled with fresh tomatoes. Each dish is full of playfulness, and they all seem to hide unexpected surprises and delight.
Plate lunch (with bread and soup) 1,200 yen
A sumptuous lunch featuring the best prepared and best-tasting dishes of the day on a single plate!
On this day,
Ricado 1, the most popular "paté di・tacquetagneOriginal pâté of Takeda gibier (venison) and wild boar meat named "Tasmanian mustard" with Tasmanian grain mustard
Vegetablesfrittata
Homemade pickles
Eggplant, tomato and Yufuin mozzarella cheese gratin
・caponata
Marinated Octopus and Olives
It was.
The pâté has no unpleasant smell, and even with just one piece, you will be surprised by the presence of the meaty flavor that spreads in your mouth. The thick quiche and ratatouille, which are filled with vegetables, have a gentle flavor that brings out the sweetness of each ingredient. Tomatoes, in particular, are one of the specialties of Takeda City, and their "dark taste and color" are similar to Italian tomatoes, which makes it possible to achieve an authentic flavor.
In addition, because Oita Prefecture faces the sea, the fishing and seafood processing industries are also thriving, so even in Taketa City, which is rich in mountainous nature, visitors can obtain high quality seafood such as locally produced octopus.
This is a baguette from "Kitchen Usda Yama Cafe," which we have previously reported on. The chewy dough was the best match for Ricardo's dish.
Interview with Takahiko Kuwashima, Owner
The bar's function as a bar with dishes that make the most of the local ingredients and characteristics will create connections with people and create a new wind that will energize the city. We would like to propose activities that can be done only at a bar, and ways to enjoy Takeda that are possible only in Takeda.
Q: What does "Osteria e Bar RecaD" mean?
Osteria e Bar” means Italian ”ladder” or ”diner” and ”RecaD” is my coined word for ”Re” or ”corner. RecaD” is my coined word for ”Re (again) = corner” and represents the ”rebirth of the city," and "Re The "Re" stands for three words: "renovation," "reborn," and "return. I named the store after the idea of 'revitalizing the city from the street corner where people gather.
Q: Did you do the renovation and interior design yourself?
"I did this by hand with a team of freelance renovation designer Azunotadafumi, whom I met when I was inspecting guesthouses in the Kanto region. For the furniture and accessories, I asked my friends in Takeda City, who are active in various fields such as pottery, steel, sewing, and furniture, to create all original pieces. There are so many excellent people and things gathered in this area, and I myself am rediscovering the wonders of Taketa (laughs)."
Q: What did you do before?
I love music so much that I decided to work at a live music club and restaurant in the Kanto region to learn management and cooking. When I was over 30 years old, I felt a strong desire to use the knowledge and skills I had acquired to revitalize my hometown, so I returned to Takeda in 2012.
Q: What was the first thing you did after your U-turn?
Eighteen."I had dreamed of working at a "live music club" when I was a child, but by the time I was over 20 years old, that dream had changed to "a restaurant with live music". Later, I became fascinated by the charm of "guesthouses" I encountered in the Kanto region, and began to think about running a guesthouse, hoping to make use of my work in the food and beverage industry. However, I was having a hard time finding the ideal property and was wondering what to do. At that time, I heard that Takeda City was recruiting for a job called "vacant house bank," and I thought that I could match people with vacant stores by introducing the parts I felt inconvenienced when searching for vacant stores from the perspective of a prospective immigrant, and I got the job of "vacant house bank" in Takeda City that introduces stores to U/I-turners. I got a job at the "Vacant House Bank" in Takeda City.」
Q: When did you start thinking about running a restaurant?
「While working on the vacant house bank, I sorted out what I wanted to do and what my goal was, and arrived at the "restaurant" format in which I originally worked in the Kanto region.We thought that we could share the many wonderful local ingredients with many people in the form of 'cuisine,' and that we could use the connections we have cultivated with the Kanto region to promote products developed with Taketa's high-quality ingredients and raise Taketa's profile.
Q: What is the theme of the dish?
I try to create an atmosphere and taste like an authentic Italian bar, while taking advantage of Taketa's potential and using quality ingredients from the surrounding area, which is only possible here. By weaving my own ideas into the menu, I am conscious of adding value to the experience of coming all the way here, as people who try our food are surprised to learn that there is such a way to eat it, or that they can taste authentic flavors in Taketa City.
Q: What are some of the planned products that will be sent out from Ricardo?
In fact, Takeda's team of hunters is very skilled, and in the case of venison, most of the meat is of a much higher quality and has no odor than that used in authentic gibier cuisine or in other regions. Also, boar meat is not generally favored, but the concentration of flavor is superior to that of other meats. We want you to know how wonderful it is,Takeda's pâté and sausageWe are also planning to offer products that can only be produced in this region, such as Takeda brand "Toyo no Gundori" liver patties. We also plan to introduce products that can only be produced in this region, such as Takeda-brand "Toyo no Gundori" (Toyo's Chicken) liver patties.
Q: What are the owner's own activities outside of the store?
”Currently we are planning events in the back alleys of the city as the field.” We started with "Number 0" and plan to increase the number of events. We are also planning to create a "Cheer Taketa" team of artists and young people who are active in Taketa to support the town and provide information on events. Many people move to Takeda because they yearn to live in the countryside, but to live the life that awaits them, they must have the will to enjoy it. I would be happy if my own enjoyment of country life, whether for work or personal reasons, could serve as a guide to some kind of life in the countryside.
Thank you for your time.
Access
Osteria e Bar RecaD
Address: 498, Ooaza Takeda-cho, Takeda City, Oita Prefecture, Japan
Phone: 0974-62-2636
Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 17:00-22:30
Wed. and Fri. 11:30-14:00 / 17:00-22:30 (LO)
Sat. and Sun. 11:30-22:30 (LO)
(Lunch is served on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays)
Closed: Monday
Parking: None
guidance
From Nobeoka City, Miyazaki Prefecture, proceed toward Taketa City, Oita Prefecture, and first go through the tunnel to the "Oka Castle Ruins" located near the entrance to Taketa City.
Head for the ▲oka Clan Castle Town "Road of History". Go through the tunnel again.
Turn right at the "Athletic Park Entrance Intersection" where there is a "Welcome to Castle Town" sign (left side of the image) and go into the city center. Go through the tunnel again.
▲ Follow the road to the corner near the supermarket in the center of the city.
MAP
498, Takeda-cho, Takeda-shi, Oita 878-0012, Japan
Interview and editorial staff
Model: Tomoko Tajiri
Report editing: Nozomi Nakamoto
Photography and production: VOKE Ltd.