The chef uses the ingredients of Japanese cuisine to create freethinking French cuisine that resists categorisation. His credo is to maximise the intrinsic flavours of the ingredients. On the menu is Pâté de Campagne, a standard dish, appetisers that proclaim the season with the use of seafood and organically grown vegetables sent from Ofunato, and roasts such as of chicken and lamb. The restaurant is named after a character who appears in a favourite novel.

The focus at this casual, relaxed and homely restaurant opened by Sangubashi-based Regalo is on à la carte dishes. All kinds of customers enjoy chatting over their meal around a large table in the centre of the restaurant. Just like at the head restaurant, the seasonal dishes here are appealing and chargrilled meats are a standard offering. The speciality is ‘Poor Man’s Spaghetti’ featuring home-style pasta topped with a sunny side up egg and cheese.

The Showa-era décor, lit with incandescent bulbs, soothes the soul, while the name combines ‘rain’ and ‘soil’ – essential elements for growing vegetables. Owner-chef Miho Doi, whose parents hail from Osaka, was brought up in a region where light soy sauce is preferred. The dashi enhanced with ma-kombu also reflects this lighter seasoning. She cooks food that pairs well with sake, calling herself a ‘warmed-sake advocate’. The sake is junmai-shu, a pleasing companion when heated just so.

The main offering is a set menu that starts with well-chosen shuko and transitions to nigiri. Many of the items feature an extra touch like the vinegared gizzard shad, lightly salted squid and glass shrimp kobujime. Snacks include homemade karasumi, sardines and barracuda ichiyaboshi. There are also seasonal items, like chilled egg tofu in summer and oyster soup in winter.