Heading back towards Mishima station to find somewhere for lunch after a morning visit to Mishima Taisha, I spotted a building across the stream that said 'Rin Nouvelle Japonaise'. I thought from the name it might be a bit pricey, but I went and checked on the menu at the entrance anyway, and was pleasantly surprised by the reasonable prices. Lunch plans decided, up the steps and in I went.
Like the Tardis, it's bigger inside than it appears from outside, with simple but stylish fittings and decor; the tables were screened off from each other by thin hanging drapes, but the room can be rearranged for parties and dinner sittings. It came as no surprise that it's part of the same group as the equally chic-but-affordable K's Diner, also in Mishima. I'd have preferred more natural light than the narrow, high windows provided, but it is in a peaceful residential area, so bigger windows would allow the neighbors to look in on you (and you on them).
The menu is only in Japanese, and looks to be seasonal, as it said 'Autumn Lunch Menu'. (I'd clearly make a good detective.) Lunch sets are ¥980, ¥1300 or ¥1500 (all these prices are before tax is added); the cheapest (A set) gives you rice, pickles, soup, a salmon carpaccio and a choice of main dishes such as grilled fish, salmon doria, or deep-fried pork and cheese rolls, and the more expensive sets add a drink and dessert (the B set) and then extra side dishes (the C set).
I went with the B set, choosing as my main dish a mix of tasty fried tofu-and-shrimp blocks and other ingredients: eleven years in Japan and I still don't know what everything is that I'm eating! All the dishes were good, the carpaccio a delightful mix of flavors and textures, the pickles tangy without being too sharp or bitter. The day's dessert was pumpkin panna cotta and vanilla ice cream, a sweet and delicious way to round off my meal.
As well as the friendly staff, I particularly liked two things about the service: they didn't provide a mountain of rice, just a smallish bowl to complement the other dishes; and when I asked for my apple juice without ice, they filled the glass to the brim rather than leaving an ice-sized space at the top.
If you go in the evening, a dinner set is ¥3000, while a la carte dishes cost from ¥200 to ¥820 for salads and sides, ¥500 to ¥1120 for fish and main dishes, and ¥350 to ¥480 for dessert. Drinks start at ¥390 for sours or flavored shochu, then ¥430 for a glass of house wine, and cost between ¥450 and ¥680 for beer or a wide variety of cocktails, whiskies, and flavored liqueurs.
Good quality food at reasonable prices in a relaxed, stylish space: try Rin Nouvelle Japonaise.
