Japanese Travel Journal: Gotemba

The main reason I went to Gotemba was because the hostel in Hakone was full on Saturday night and I didn't want to end my vacation that early. I couldn't find another hotel in Hakone that I liked (and that wasn't full), so I turned my attention to Gotemba, which is about a half hour away from Hakone by bus. It's also closer to Fuji-san.

Having stayed in a hostel for two nights, I figured I deserved to splurge a little, so I settled on a beautiful, luxurious hotel called Auberge Blanche. The French influence is obvious even if you didn't know the name:

It definitely is a little reminiscent of a French chateau. Unsurprisingly, they take really good care of you at this hotel, and at no time did I feel unwelcome here. I felt a little out of place, considering that I arrived in jeans and a flannel shirt because it was pretty freaking cold, but the staff made me feel like I belonged there. I even got a nice, warm cup of chamomile tea as a welcome drink. My room was small but comfortable, and I had nothing to complain about.

The real reason I chose this hotel, though, was because of its restaurant, called Blanche. As you might guess, it's a French restaurant and without a doubt qualifies as gourmet. Half of the menu is available online, and it was the deciding factor. Three set meals are offered, but I ended up going with the a la carte menu because I wanted to pick and choose. Also, I did not want fish, and that was part of the set courses. It was an expensive dinner, but it was worth every penny.

• appetizer: pan-fried croquettes of black rice flavored with chestnut and stuffed with foie gras. I am a sucker for anything featuring foie gras, and this did not disappoint. It just melted in my mouth. This was also served with a red pepper mousse, which I thought would be strange and turned out to be fantastic.
• main course: thin strips of excellent beef in a Bordeaux sauce and a bit of bleu cheese, served with vegetables. Perfection. The beef was so tender that I could cut it with my fork. And no over-cooked vegetables here - they were still crisp and full of their natural flavor.
• dessert: raspberry sorbet served with fresh fruit and coffee. Heaven.
  

Breakfast was also a delight. First, Blanche has a wonderful view of Fuji-san, and the morning came clear and crisp. Fuji-san dominated the sky with all his glory. The food only heightened the experience. It was simple enough, starting with yogurt and fresh fruit. The main course was eggs cooked to preference (scrambled for me), bacon, and a green salad with herb vinagairette. Also, there was strong coffee, and a variety of breads. There were two highlights to this meal: the apple-carrot juice (I want to live in this juice, it is so bright and cheerful and full of win), and the homemade raspberry jam (so delicious that it almost brought me to tears - I have never tasted anything so perfect as this jam, a delicate balance of sweet and tart that cannot be matched).

I only tore myself away from the restaurant under much duress; also, I had to go and catch my bus. While waiting at the bus stop, I had another brilliant view of Fuji-san, so I snapped several parting shots. I present them to you now.

Next stop: Tokyo!