Stone Oven Pizza [Ortolana] / 石釜ピザ「オルトラーナ」

Whenever we go to the Oirase Gorge, we always pass by this one restaurant that's always crowded. I've been wanting to check the place out for some time and this year we finally decided to have lunch there. The place is a pizzeria that uses a stone oven. It's called Ortolano. What makes this pizza place special is that they use a variety of high quality fresh ingredients. One of their specialties is the nagaimo (Japanese yam) pizza. They also make fruit pizzas as well. From late April to early November, they also provide a buffet style lunch. We decided to partake in the buffet. However, as always, it was very crowded and we had about a forty minute wait. We decided to take a little walk along the gorge before going back to the pizza place.

奥入瀬渓流行くたんびに気になるレストランをいつも通り過ぎる。店はいつも込んでてやっぱり美味しいんだろうなと思い込んでた。今年はやっとその店でランチを食べることに決めた。店は石釜ピザの専門店。店の名前は「オルトラーナ」。本格石釜で焼き上げたピザはカリッとクリスピーな食感（パンフレットにもそう書かれてますが、まさにその通り）。個人的で一番食べて見たかったピザは長芋のピザ。この店もフルーツピザも提供してます。そして４月末から１１月上旬まではプッフェスタイルでお料理が楽しめる。ちょうど１０月だったので、私たちもビュッフェをチョイス。行った時も混んでて、席まで案内されるのは約４０分後。その間にちょっと渓流のほうでお散歩。

The restaurant is a very cute building and is located near the beginning of the Oirase Gorge trail. 

建物はとっても可愛い。場所は渓流の駅（道の駅みたいなところ）の向かいにある。

Walking along the gorge to kill some time.

時間つぶしのため、渓流沿いで散歩しました。

You never know what kind of interesting things you will encounter. 

散歩しながらどうゆうものに出会うのかも面白い。

We walked back to the restaurant and waited to be called to our table. I took this time to check out the stone oven.

ちょっとした散歩して、すぐに店に戻りました。席に案内されるのを待つだけ。この時間を利用して、石釜を覗いてみた。

This is where they bake their pizzas.

ここでピザを焼くんだ。

The building looks more like a lodge than a pizza joint. 

ビルはピザ屋よりロッジみたい。

I love the bird-shaped spout on this faucet.

鳥の形の蛇口が可愛い。

Our name was finally called and I think we were quite lucky as we were directed to the second floor.

名前がやっと呼ばれて、席に案内された。超ラッキーなことに私たちの席は２階にあった。

In fact, for a long while, we had the entire second floor to ourselves.

結構の時間で２階の貸切状態でした。

And now for the food. My first trip, I had to try at least three or four different types of pizza. I also made a fresh salad plate and tried the soup as well.

そして肝心な料理。最初はスープとサラダ。ピザは４種類くらい選んだかな。

Also had the pasta.

パスタも食べてみた。

More fresh vegetables and meat.

新鮮な野菜と肉。

More pizza. Toda's dessert pizza was topped with apples.

またピザ。今日のデザートピザはりんごのトッピングでした。

Yes, you could say we had a little too much to eat but it was all delicious and worth it. The price for the buffet was ￥1900 per person. A little on the expensive side but we thoroughly enjoyed our meal.

はい、今日はちょっと食べ過ぎましたが、全ての料理はとっても美味しかった。ビュッフェの値段は一人￥１９００、ちょっと高額ですが、味と雰囲気、量と考えれば納得。価値のあるビュッフェです。

After lunch, we planned to drive to the Ishigedo Rest Area and walk from there to the Kumoi Waterfall and back. And so our adventure continues...

ランチを食べ終わったら、石ヶ戸まで行って、そこで車を駐車して、雲井の滝まで歩く予定。冒険がまだまだ続く。。。