over garden (Eclectic)

4-36 Yokai-cho, Nishinomiya/0798-32-2567/11:30-14:00,14:00-16:00 (teatime)17:30-22:00(L.O21:00)
/¥4000-6000/6 pickles/

"o(umlat)ver garden" (pronounced "woo ba rey gor den" ) offers healthy natural cuisine in a breezy modern Scandinavian setting.

It's difficult to find "över gården" at first. It looks like a furniture showroom. Although situated along a typical street of Japanese houses, shops, and warehouses, the interior succeeds in conjuring the spare warmth of scandinavian design. You can see someone put their heart into this place. From a blond wood table, you see only the sleek open kitchen and, through large plate glass windows, a lovely garden in the back.

In keeping with the light touch of the decor, this restaurant offers natural and healthy food in an eclectic French/Italian style. They contract several farmers to get top quality vegetables and eggs. Although not all materials are organic, the approach is decidedly so. Like the room, the food is a not unpleasant surprise. Though not likely to be a smash hit, the restaraunt is deservedly a modest success.

Lunch starts from ¥1500 that comes with salad, pasta, home-made bread, dessert and coffee(or other drinks). On weekends they offer ¥1800 and 2500 yen lunch courses. Their dinner courses start from ¥2,500 (salad, main course (fish or meat), home-made bread and coffee (or other drinks). When we went, we very much enjoyed main courses consisting of "fish farci (foie gras and vegetable puree inside)" and "meat stew (with beef, pork and chicken)". They also have ¥3,800 and ¥5,000 courses as well as a la carte menu. Service is not bad, but not sophisticated or particularly attentive. Their wine selection is small but very reasonable. English is not spoken, and there is no English menu. This one is probably better for lunch - it is particularly nice on a sunny day. Clickhere for their homepage.

Food: 6.5 Service: 5.5 Ambience: 7 Total: 6 pickles

How to get there: It's on Sakagura-dori in Nishinomiya. From Kobe, take R43 and turn right at "Honmachi" crossing (R43/Futaba-suji). Turn left at the next big crossing (Futaba-suji st./Sakagura-dori st.). Pass two blocks and it's on your left. Parking available. (The landmark near this restaurant is a big red sign of Japanese sake brand written " 日本盛"(nihonsakari)).