Probably the best meal I had in Japan. I loved the food, but also the experience of being taken through a tour of sakes and seafoods. It felt like the curation over many years of the restaurant owners. The sake was self-serve and so you could have more of the ones you liked, and tasting all the different sakes emphasized the different attributes, (fruit, dry, sweet, after taste, alcohol content, unfiltered/filtered) of the different sakes. There were some really pleasant sakes and the experience was akin to smelling a new flower. The no photo aspect also made it feel like everyone there was purely enjoying the experience and focused on appreciating the food and drink which was a lovely environment in the small-ish bar setting. Sitting at the tatami and low-rise table and being able to witness everything going on was lots of fun. Ok so for actual food, I loved everything and the overall variety that was presented was amazing.
1. Hamaguri clam aburi in dashi served on a scallop shell. Really tender clam which I find typically chewy. The preparation also removed all the bitter portions which made the best parts of the clam shine.
2. Bite sized abalone, stringy mucusy konbu, tobiki, ikura - a slimy and tasty sampling of the sea. I felt like I was eating a little ocean and the different textures contrasted nicely. Crunchy tobiki against the chewy abalone in a mucusy medium
3. Shishamo smelt - a small grilled fish that was grilled so well. Head, body, and tail each had their own unique flavors/textures and just having a hot crispy preparation was a nice showcase of different ways of preparing seafood.
4. Uni - that’s it just uni and it was juicy and firm. Not at all mushy or decomposing, just plump, sweet, velvety, ocean kisses, almost like a fruit
5. Kurage/jellyfish and saba
Yuzu jellyfish provided a nice crunch. The toasted sesame was a reminder of how nice things are when they are freshly toasted.
6. Kawahagi + liver
7. Smoked herring (komomso nishin) - which was almost like beef jerky. This felt like a snack, a smokey chewy bar snack that paired nicely with a sake.
8. Shirako
Similar to the uni preparation, it was just the thing itself, and the ingredient spoke for itself. Incredibly rich, creamy, with an irony liver taste. The membrane is a subtle reminder that you are indeed eating an organ.
9. Ikura rice
I love ikura and rice and this was just high quality classic. Rice, a comforting way to finish the meal.
10. Maguro rice
Similar to above, a high quality classic. Pure and simple. Rice, a comforting way to finish the meal.
Unorganized notes on sake:
Domainetake
Heiwashuzou - Clean instant finish
Nigata-o-c
Kankikumeicho@ monochrome sake
Hakurakuse
Biden sake unfiltered - like Calpis creamy
Bidoju junrei tama label
Asamayama ashi (50 percent milled)