It just keeps pulling ... Fei, Sapporo.

It’s a gravitational force that just keeps pulling us in.

Fei is the perfect stop. Whether it be for a dessert after a mountain of Yakitori and a midnight pizza fix, a fantastic start to an evening with a few amuse for the bouche or in this case, for a special night out, some nice wine and the chef’s omakase course. What’s great is we keep going back and we’re always having something new.



The evening starts with a terrine. The ever-so-gracious Kumi going out of her way to explain to us what we’re eating and willing to go to any extremes to do so. With a little charades we gather it’s a bird … but then Kumi and her partner both harmoniously let out a little “Cooo ,, Cooo”. Ah-hah, Pigeon! It is a fine demonstration of a pigeon terrine, there are chunks of all the bits encased by a thin slice of bacon. It’s nestled in a romesco-like spicy sauce with some crisp watercress fanned out from one side.



Some crusty baguette arrives to accompany the terrine, and an Italian olive oil is poured at the table into a tiny little ramekin.



The house Prosseco, which is generously poured from a magnum pairs just beautifully with the terrine.

Pink soup. Pink wine. It makes perfect sense! We move onto a beautiful pink velvet beetroot soup. It tasted every bit of sweet red beets, served just warm and seasoned with only salt and pepper and finished with just a splash of cream. A large shard of homemade cracker and a delicious Italian rose have us both seeing pink!



Tatchi, or cod sperm, is the next star of the night. A clump of the stuff is pan-fried with a super crispy coating. It’s super fresh and although being quite creamy, it’s still quite firm. It’s sitting in a pool of gorgonzola sauce which marries together incredibly. A single round of fried potato giving it that little bit of extra crunch.



Okinawa always features as a point of interest on Fei’s menu. We’ve had from the little jewel of the south, banana, golden kiwi, baby vegetables and many more. Tonight is a showcase of Okinawa Spring vegetables. The risotto is made with a handful of the vegetables, the al dente rice clinging to them with a touch of cheese and butter. There’s an array of tempura’d baby vegetables on top a splash of balsamic reduction and a citrus salt.



As the risotto plate was whipped away we enjoyed a little break before the next course. We both patiently sat … and there was an amazing smoke smell that filled the room. It was a mellow wood, perhaps apple or cherry, with such a sweet smoke aroma. We were intrigued as to what was happening in the kitchen. Secretly I was hoping whatever the cause of the delicious smoke aroma filling the room was for us, but not expecting it. Smoking something during service is pretty dedicated, and being it was the only time of the evening we noticed it happening it was also pretty special. As the plate was placed in front of us we both indeed did feel special. Kumi tells us we’re about savor the delights of smoked Wild Hokkaido Duck. It was so beautiful, the coulors bringing us back to winter after our little Okinawa Spring break. And the duck, oh divine! Delectable! Delicious! The smoke was racing around my head and filling every crevice with each bite of the tender pink flesh. I made of point of putting down my cutlery with each bite to truly enjoy each moment. The dishes accentuation’s consisted of smokey pan juices, fresh shitake’s and 2 perfect spears of Treviso. A basket of crusty fruit bread arrives just in time to mop up all the delicious juices.



Kumi then gives us about 4 options for our pasta course. Again with above-and-beyond to explain to us one pasta dish, firstly snapping her hands together like a hungry shellfish, we kind of assumed it was some sort of mollusk. Not content, she returns moments later with a Seafood Handbook. Ah, surf clams! Kim jumps at that one. Plump morsels of the clam meat are tossed through a fresh saffron spaghetti with dried mini tomatoes and herbs.



It was a hard choice, but I settled on the gnocchi. The baby gnocchi silky smooth in my mouth, coated in butter, parmesan and cracked pepper.



We’re now getting pretty full … but when offered a Margarita pizza we’re not going to say no!



After a little break we start with the grappa. A glass of grappa di pinot noir is poured at the table for Kim. I enjoy a beautiful rose liqueur. So elegant!



Another thing we, well, me especially, cannot resist on a visit to Fei, pistachio gelato.



The other choice is always a tough one, as there’s always a new dessert on the menu, but tonight with the Zucotto on the menu, the choice was easy!



Every single time we have the pleasure of popping into Fei, we leave with a feeling of exhilaration and inspiration.

Until next time ...

Because we can. Fei, Sapporo

Whenever we are in Sapporo there’s this magnetic force constantly pulling at us, till we set foot in the door of Fei there’s no escaping from it. Tonight is no different, we follow the pull and before long we are sitting at the stylish bar. The dandelions have disappeared to be replaced with vases of purple kale and swan plant, gotta love seasonal interior decoration. Having previously supped earlier in the evening we were just stopping by for a cheese and perhaps a little smackeral of something sweet.



Kumi is as always a gracious host and before long we are facing off with a plate of fine Italian cheeses accompanied by some fresh crusty bread and sipping on a glass of Italian chardonnay (Sanct Valentin) I couldn't tell you the cheeses.



Whilst we were entertaining ourselves with the cheese next door one of the waiters was entertaining a couple who had just ordered a sambucca, a coffee bean was dropped into a liqueur glass which was then filled with the sambucca and then set alight, after a few seconds on fire the liquid is then poured still burning into a new glass. Does this have a reason or is it just for show?? I don’t know, anyone any thoughts?



After the cheese and show it was time for that smidgen of something sweet, but before we could decide Kumi is at our side with two chilled bowls each containing a half of a rainbow kiwifruit from Okinawa. Pale green at the outer edges then yellow to pink and finally red in the centre, the skin really thin and without the usual kiwi fuzz meant the whole thing could be enjoyed.



For our smidgen we end up deciding on a fig gelato with fresh figs and a chocolate and banana terrine with banana ice cream. The gelato was not overly sweet and the fresh figs were peeled, first time I’d seen that.



The terrine is rich and studded with chunks of banana the accompanying ice cream is slightly tart, a great match. Another great match is the glasses of Yanir dessert wine we drinking.



We had now been sitting for a while and after watching a few margarita pizzas head past we thought why not? Each pizza is rolled to order, through the window we watch as the chef rolls out ours, she hand rolls the dough paper thin then spreads with house made tomato sauce and sparsely scatters some mozzarella and basil on top. The result a super crispy pizza with just the right amount of flavourings, well perhaps we added just a splash of the chili oil served along side. Kumi once again set us up with a nice wine match a 2006 Chianti.

I had no problems with the order we ate, but the I’m sure Kumi and the kitchen were very amused with our reverse dinner.

Fei, Sapporo

Sometimes, when you've done enough good deeds and your karma meter is sitting on full, life pays you back with an introduction to a place such as Fei. It's the sort of place you could walk past everyday for a year and still not know it's there, un-signposted and down a back ally off a back street, it even took M1 two times to find it and he's been there before.......several times.



The interior is a blend of of New York speakeasy, rustic country house and art space, with exposed beams, chandeliers made from full campari soda bottles and walls fixed with egg trays full of half egg shells and dandelion flowers, all bits of a little weird mixing to make just right.



Quickly sat (bookings essential) we give the menu the once over, broken down Italian style into cold antipasti, warm antipasti, first plates (pasta) and second plates (meat). There's such a great selection that we decide to go plate by plate with a few from each section.

The first plate to set the tone for the evening was the Hokkaido venison prosciutto, slices of soft venison slightly cured and just melt in the mouth, with baby dressed greens to cut it which disappeared in a flash.



The next dish lasted only slightly longer but this was probably only because as it was placed on the table we were transfixed with it's beauty, I mean really this artists palette of tiny baby vegetables surrounding a small bowl of bagna cauda, no one wanted to break the spell, but as soon as it snapped we were all in. The bagna cauda was fantastic! A rich heady blend of garlic and anchovy and the mix of perfectly blanched veg was crazy, baby beans, yellow and purple carrot, baby horseradish, snap peas, tiny Roma tomato's and what looked like a small cape gooseberry. For me this was the dish of the night. Absolutely outstanding!



Next came out our warm antipasto a fritto misto of little fish and maitake mushroom, covered with a quick squeeze of lemon they were snapped up.



Then shaako which we ordered without any one being able to explain what they were, "ahhhhh mantis shrimp, oishii", we'd tried these bad boys before in Thailand. Teamed up with a roast tomato sauce and a smoky eggplant halves, these tasty morsels immediately jumped into second place for the evening.



We then flicked onto a rabbit terrine, we had to have a go as rabbit is a bit of an oddity here in japan, well on menus anyway (we saw a girl walking her rabbit on a lead the other day).

The terrine in a nice fat slab wrapped in bacon it's well seasoned and a great match to the wedge of fruit bread we have with it.



Getting into our rhythm now with make short work of a perfectly cooked marron (chestnut) risotto.



We then move on to roasted Hokkaido venison with caramelised pears and a wild mountain grape sauce. Mountain grapes are tiny and it would have taken not a small amount to even make the sauce on our plate, it is an excellent match for the venison with is cooked just medium rare and again just melt in the mouth.



For dessert we each decide to go our own way and maybe share a bite......maybe. Kat has the creme caramel, delectable is the word used and it's a tough job to get past her spoon defence to confirm, but it is just that.



M1 has a pistachio gelato. Bright pistachio green in colour the flavor is intense and rich, you really couldn't eat more than the scoop given.



I go for a martini glass of truffles, five (well three by the time I'm forced to share), covered in bitter cocoa and definitely moreish.



With great food like this and warm friendly staff it's no wonder bookings are recommended.



As we leave I'm trying so hard not to fall in to contented relaxation and remember a few landmarks, it doesn't happen. They'll just have to excuse us if we're a few hours late next time.

Fei
Tel: 011 219 8244
Again, no chance of an address or even directions ... Sorry!
Open 17:00 Close 26:00 (That's what it say's on the card)