Tag Archives: sashimi

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Japanese Shellfish 8: Pen Shell-Tairagi-玉珧

March 25, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

TAIRAGI-4

Pen Shells or Tairagi (玉珧-Atrina pectinata) in Japanese are usually sold in winter but tend to still appear in Spring in Shizuoka.

TAIRAGI-1

Also called Tairagai, it was very common not so long ago when the domestic catch amounted to 13,395 tonnes in 1976 to suddenly fall to a mere 134 tonnes in 1994!
It disappeared from the Tokyo Bay and is presently mainly caught in the Inner Japanese Sea between Shikoku and Honshu Islands.

It has become expensive these days and when you realize there is not so much to eat for such a big shell, one can understand it is fast becoming a rare morsel.

Some great Japanese chefs are keen to introduce it in Western gastronomy as shown above by Chef Kensuke Sakata!

It is particularly delicious as sashimi or salt-grilled and is very similar to scallops, although distinctly different in shape.
Naturally it is most popular served as sushi nigiri!

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Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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Japanese Shellfish 7: Clam-Hamaguri-蛤

March 24, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

HAMAGURI-SUSHI2

Clams come in many varieties in Japan.
They are either called Common Orient Clams or Hard Clams, whatever their mode of cooking.

HAMAGURI-JAPANESE

Japanese Clam Variety

In 1993, Japan produced 29,000 tonnes before suffering a steep decline down to only 1,500 tonnes in 2000.
Since then imported clams are 15 times the domestic production.
Main importers to Japan are:

HAMAGURI-CHINA

China (see variety above): 20,100 tonnes

HAMAGURI-NORTH-KOREA

North Korea (see variety above): 3,33 tonnes

A great part of both Chinese and North Korean varieties are imported young and “re-planted” on Japanese beaches to be sold as Japanese varieties!

80 percent of all clams are sold over the counter at supermarkets while 20 percent are proceesed by canneries.

Clams, like everywhere in the world, are cooked/prepared in may ways in Japan:

HAMAGURI-NI

Ni-Hamaguri/simmered clams served in broth with vegetables, tofu and chopped thin leeks.

HAMAGURI-SUSHI1

Chirashizushi/”Decoration Sushi”, very popular in Japanese homes!

HAMAGURI-SUSHI2

But my favourite is Ni-Hamaguri Sushi!
The clams, large variety only, are first slowly simmered into broth, then drained and cooled before being served brushed with a sweet “tare” sauce. Sublime!

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Japanese Shellfish 6: Turbo Shells-Sazae-栄螺

March 24, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

SAZAE-1 SAZAE-2
Japanese turbo shells with and without “spikes”

Turbo shells, also called Horned Turban, are common all over the world, but are not eaten everywhere. Called Sazae or Sadae in Japan, they are at their best in Winter and Spring.
About 10,000 tonnes are consumed every year.

SAZAE-KOREA

Korean turbo shells are also found in markets.

The Japanese consider that the best specimen should have a comparatively thin shell and well-pointed “head horn”.
They should not emit any noise when lightly shaken.
They should be avoided in hot weather as they tend to spoil quickly.

SAZAE-3 SAZAE-4

They can be enjoyed grilled with soy sauce.
As sushi,they can be served as nigiri either raw or cooked.
Large specimen’s livers are served raw as “gunkan”!

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Japanese Shellfish 5: Geoduck-Mirugai-海松貝

March 22, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

MIRUKUI-1

We are just in season for Mirugai or Gaper Shellfish.
Known under many names including Mirugai, Mirukui, Mirukuigai, Mirukugai, Guidakku, Umitake or Atlantic Miru, it is a bit grotesque with its vent protruding endlessly. Its common English names are Pacfic Gaper, Geoduck or Trough Sheel.
In Japan it is collected mainly in the sea between Shikoku and Honshu islands.

MIRUKUI-2

It can be either dark brown or completely whitish beige.
When consumed as sushi or sashimi, the dark skin is taken off.
It is widely consumed in this country and more are imported from Canada, and Korea. There is practically no difference in taste or quality whatever its origin.

A real monster!
But plenty to eat!

As sashimi!

As nigiri sushi!

For sushi lovers with a big appetite!

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Japanese Shellfish Species 4: Heart Clam-Torigai-鳥貝

March 22, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

“Torigai/鳥貝” has many names in English: Heart Clam, Surf Clam, Japanese Cockle. In Japanese it is called “Bird Shell”!
They appear on the market in Spring and earlier in Shizuoka Prefecture. They are mainly found in Tokyo Bay, Ise bay and Seto Inner Sea. Some are imported from Korea, but catches can wildly vary, especially with the occurence of “red tides”. A lot are imported from Aichi Prefecture to Shizuoka.

TORIGAI-SHELL

They must be absolutely fresh to be consumed.
One easy way to check if they are still fresh is to slam them on the wooden board. They should immediately retract, even if cut out. They are at their cheapest between March and May.

Torigai in its natural element

Torigai Ngiri sushi!

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Japanese Shellfish Species 3: Oysters-kaki-牡蠣

March 21, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

Oysters! One would be hard put to find a produce from the sea more internationally recognized as a gourmet’s choice! Moreover, it is the only shellfish you could survive on if you got marrooned on a desert island! It is a complete food in irself if consumed raw.
For a long time (that is before coming to Japan), I had thought that my country, France, was the place to eat them. Well, I must admit it was a little pretentious from me, especially in the light that more than half of the oysters consumed back at home originated from Japan!

Now the Japanese has come with many ways of appreciating them:

As in the picture above they would eat them as sashimi with a dash of wasabi and soy sauce.

-Or just a little lemon juice as in Euope, Americas or Oceania.

-Or in another Japanese fashion, with ponzu and momijioroshi (succulent!)

-Or, and here Japanese and foreigners are simply crazy about them, as “kakifrai”, deep-fried oysters in batter and breadcrumbs with a nice tartare sauce!

-Or finally, and I would recommend the experience to all foreigners, as “kaki-gohan”, either with oysters steamed together with the rice, or cooked apart in light broth poured over a bowl of freshly steamed rice!

Of course, any good sushi restaurants will serve oysters as nigiri or gunkan!

In Japan, oysters come from various areas, mainly Hiroshima, Iwate and so on.
As for Shizuoka Prefecture, oysters mainly come from Hamanako inland salted lake near Hamamatsu City.

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Japanese Shellfish Species 2: Scallops-Hotategai-帆立貝

March 20, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Hotategai/帆立貝, or Scallops, is another worldwide favourite and also a source of dispute caused by illegal poaching, international or domestic.
The season is summer and the shellfish is sometimes called Akitagai/秋田貝, as of Akita Prefecture.
They are caught off Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures.
The domestic production/catch is over 300.000 tonnes a year, while 400 tonnes are imported from China as whole Scallops and 700 tonnes as the muscle part only (“kaibashira/貝柱”). Japanese scallops will be significantly larger than the Chinese.

Of course, they are much appreciated as sashimi, but also as sushi:
HOTATENIGIRI

(pic taken at Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City)

They are also much appreciated cooked/grilled in the shell with just a little shoyu and sake:
HOTAGE-GRILLED

Actually, a good-class sushi restaurant will serve the muscle part as sashimi or sushi, and will serve the rest of the shellfish cooked in light broth inside the shell later!

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Japanese Shellfish Species 1: Abalone-Awabi-鮑

March 19, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

AWABI-KURO-2
Kuro Awabi/”Black Abalone

With the weather definitely turning hotter, the first abalones or “awabi” start appearing on the markets.
The Japanese are great connoisseurs and amateurs of abalones, and they do have to import a lot to satisfy their demand!
There are many varieties of different quality avalaible in the markets and restaurants.
Most are eaten raw, especially as sushi on nigiri!

AWABI-KURO-1
Kuro Awabi/”Black Abalone”

As for the main varieties, you can sample expensive Kuro Awabi or “Black Abalones”

AWABI-EZO-1

Another expensive variety is Ezo Awabi/”Ezo Abalone”

AWABI-EZO-2
Ezo Awabi as sushi.

Lesser varieties include:

AWABI-MADAKA-1

Madaka Awabi

AWABI-MADAKA-2

Madaka Awabi as sushi

AWABI-MEGAI-1

Megai Awabi

AWABI-MEGAI-2

Megai Awabi as sushi.

AWABI-VICTORIA-1

Victoria Awabi imported from Australia.

AWABI-VICTORIA-2

Victoria Awabi as sushi.

Do not forget that catching abalones in any place in Japan without a proper license is a severly punished poaching offense!

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Japanese Gastronomy: Sushi & Sashimi – Eat Local!

March 18, 2012 dragonlife 6 Comments

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Saurel pike/Aji from Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture

Very few people will disagree with the notion that Japan is the ideal place to discover and savour sushi and sashimi in the whole world. Nevertheless, there are a few rules of the thumb to respect, even in this gastronomic paradise.
The overriding rule is that you should try and eat only local fish or seafood.
Tsukiji might be considered a sushi paradise by Tokyoites (it has or will be moved to another location), but the cheap prices enjoyed by tourists cannot conceal the reality: the fish and seafood are “imported” from all over Japan and beyond!
More than often, Edomae (Tokyo) sushi is nothing but a clever way to “dress up” ingredients to lure officionados (and customers) into believing they are eating top quality sushi (with the consequent prices).
Now, if you have the chance and time to explore Japan beyond Tokyo, you will discover an unfathomable treasure trove of gastronomic pleasure and knowledge!
After all, this country is a vast archipelago stretched across greatly different seas and climates, making for a diversity difficult to equal.
So, even if you cannot possibly explore all the shores of this nation, make a point to learn about the food available wherever you choose to stay.
The same goes for residents, not only for their own sake, but for that of their visitors and friends!

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Sushi set with fish all caught in Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture

You also ought to do some homework. Sushi chefs worthy of their salt will be only too happy to answer questions to genuinely interested customers and come up with revelations of their own.
As an example to illustrate the need for some basic knowledge, in Hokkaido “oyakodon” (“parent and child”) is not cooked chicken and omelette on a bowl of rice, but raw salmon and its roe spread on top the same bowl of rice!
Likewise, the same fish will more than often be sold under a myriad of names.
Many morsels will not be found anywhere else suc as “sakura ebi/cherry shrimps” and fresh”shirasu/sardine whiting” in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Sashimi in most cases has to be perfectly fresh as typified by “kubiore saba” in Yakushima Island where fishermen break the neck (“kubiore”) of mackerels (“saba”) to preserve their quality upon catching. The same fish will be served within a few hours, or less, on the local tables.
On the other hand, tuna sashimi is best consumed first thawed and then ripened for a few days in a refrigerator.
In Hokkaido, large shrimps, especially “botan ebi” will be served only raw, whereas “kuruma ebi” will be first boiled in other regions.

If you ask for “tataki”, make sure it means the whole fish, especially “aji/mackerel pike” that will be served finely cut as tartare atop the dressed fish. And if the fish is really fresh such small and medium fish will have their bones and heads served deep-fried for a beautiful crispy snack!

002

Flying Fish/Tobiuo sashimi from Yakushima Island

On the other hand, sushi follows different rules.
Fish and seafood placed on “donburi” (bowl) are usually of the freshly brought variety but fish served as nigiri is prepared in a different way.
The greatest sushi (and this cannot be done in Tsukiji!) are made with fish which has been gutted and cleaned live within seconds, then dressed into strips/fillets left to mature in a refrigerator on clean cloth/kitchen paper. This can be done only with fish caught locally!
The same obviously goes with shellfish and other marine ceatures: One cannot sample better “uni/sea urchin” away from Hokkaido or sakura ebi from Shizuoka.

Vegan and vegetarians, upon finding a restaurant willing to satisfy their priorities should also ask for food grown locally, a search easier than one might think at first as there are many non-meat eaters in this mainly Buddhist country.
The same vegetables will make for the perfect combination when associated with local fish!

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Sushi: Kawahagi-Filefish Sashimi & Sushi at Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City!

March 2, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

Service: Very friendly and always accommodating
Facilities: Great overall cleanliness. Superb washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Great use of local seafood. Will try hard to accommodate any requests!

Kawahagi, or Filefish or Leather jacket in the Land of Oz, must be one of the most underrated fish in the World!
Some people go as far as to say that penny for penny it is worth more than overpriced globefish/fugu!

As we sat at Sushi Ko, our favorite Sushi Restaurant in Shizuoka City we noticed “Kawahagi Tsukuri”/カワハギ造り/Filefish sashimi Plate written on the small board featuring the “specials” of the day!

The live filefish taken out of the tank by the chef!
The fish had been caught off Sagara in Shizuoka Prefecture!

Sushi Ko has a great list of local sake, but I had to order one from Masu Ichi Brewery in Shizuoka City as this might well be the last bottle as the brewery closed down following the untimely death of its owner/master brewer. An incredible loss for the Shizuoka Sake World!

Tuna Tartare as the snack for the first drink!

The filefish sashimi plate!

You roll the fine slices of filefish around some thin leeks before dipping it in its sauce!

The dip sauce!
It was made with the fresh raw liver of the filefish finely chopped and mixed with ponzu!
A true delicacy!

The chef had kept apart a little sashimi and liver for two more morsels!

A nigiri with chopped thin leeks under the fish topped with its liver!

A gunkan/”mother ship” with the sashimi topped with its liver and chopped thin leeks!

And the deep-fried jowls of the fish you eat with your fingers (that you lick later!) to cap it all!
Have I convinced you to look for that fish next time you see it on a market?

“Pon kara maguro”/deep-fried tuna cubes with grated daikon seasoned with chili pepper!

Of course the filefish was only the beginning of our dinner.
So for the record here we go including the above picture!

Maguro Zuke/Marinated lean part of tuna!

Hotate/Scallops!

Amaebi/Sweet shrimps!
(sorry for the fuzzy pic, as my mind was getting a bit fuzzy with all the sake!)

Geso karaage/Deep-fried squid tentacles!

The same, to eat with your fingers!

Ankimo/Frogfish liver or “Japanese foie gras”!

Anago to kyuri maki/Broiled Conger eel and cucumber roll!

Ika shiso to mentaiko maki/Squid, perilla leaf and cod roe pickled in chili pepper roll!

Shirako yaki/Baked cod sperm sacs!

Rainbow California Roll!

Containing: avocado, tamagoyaki/Japanese omelet, salmon, salmon roe, prawn, cucumber and akami/lean tuna! Seven of them of course!

Kanpyou maki, the roll for the vegetarians and vegans!
Kanpyou is made with the shavings of a gourd, first dried and then marinated in sweet sauce!

Asari miso shiru/Miso soup with cockles!

To be continued…

SUSHI KO
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho. 2-3-1 (Aoba Koen)
Tel.: 054-2512898
Business Hours： 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 （Sundays）
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London
Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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Sushi Restaurant: Atsu in Shizuoka City!

October 20, 2011 dragonlife 6 Comments

Service: Friendly and attentive
Equipment: Great overall cleanliness. Beautiful washroom
Prices: Expensive
Strong points: Top-class seafood. Rare Shizuoka sake!

Eating sushi in Shizuoka City is even an experience in Japan!
Chefs can choose to use only local seafood, only seafood from other shores, or a personal mixture of the two with equal success.
Atsu in Shizuoka City is of the third kind, which means that the chef, Atsu Mochizuki, does come up with some rarities!

Atsu serves no less than 16 local Shizuoka Sake, from rare to extremely rare with the consequent prices!

The four of us last night opted for a “makase/chef’s course.
The pictures will surely tell you enough about the quality!

Shako/蝦蛄/Mantis Shrimp! Served as they are!

Tamagoyaki/玉子焼き/Japanese omelet!

Shiroebi/白海老/White Shrimps!

Ishidai/石鯛/Striped beakfish, Barred Knifejaw!

A rarity, Kawamatsu Karei/川松鰈/a variety of righteye flounder/turbot!

Kohada/小肌/Marinated flesh and skin of a Konishiro/鰶・鮗・鯯・鱅/Dotted gizzard shad

Another rarity: Keiji/鮭児/A rare variety of small salmon!

The bones and meat of the dame grilled!

Hamaguri/蛤/Large cockle/Clam!

Amadai/甘鯛/Tilefish!

Anago Aburi/穴子炙/Grilled Conger Eel!

Shime saba/〆鯖/Lightly pickled mackerel!

Maguro Zuke/鮪漬/Marinated lean part of Tuna!

Uni Gunkan/海栗軍艦/Sea urchin mounted on a rice ball wrapped in dry seaweed!

And for the finale, kuruma Ebi/車海老/Large boiled prawn!

To be continued…

ATSU/篤
Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Oshika, 1-4-19
Tel.: 054-2854010
Opening hours: 11:30~13:30, 17:00~
Closed on Mondays
Credit cards OK

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Shizuoka Fish & Seafood at Shizuoka JR Station Parche Supermarket! (October 2011)

October 19, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

Middle bottom: Kanpachi/環八/Great Amberjack. Left, large and red: Kinmedai/金目鯛/Splendid Alfonsino. Right, long and grey: Tachiuo/太刀魚/Scabbard Fish

One way to know your local food is naturally to visit regularly the local supermarkets.
In Shizuoka City we are blessed with a fantastic, maybe not in size but certainly in variety and quality, supermarket inside the JR Station Parche Building.
Now, this is the place to study all about the local (and from other shores!) marine life that will find its way onto your plates!
I do make regular visits just for the joy of it, so let me share with you the photographs of exclusively local seafood caught in the Suruga Bay or around the Izu Peninsula!

Click on pictures to enlarge and copy them!

Front: Ma-aji/真鯵/True Horse Mackerel. Left, top, Aka Shita Birame/赤舌平目/Red Sole. Right, top, Kinmedai/金目鯛/Splendid Alfonsino.

Enormous (and expensive) Isei Ebi/伊勢海老/Spiny Lobster!

Left bottom: Ishigakidai/石がき鯛/Spotted Knifejaw. Left top: Matoudai/まとう鯛/John dory, St. Peter’s fish. Right top: Itoyoridai/いとより鯛/Golden Threadfin-bream,Besugo

A closer view of the Itoyoridai/いとより鯛/Golden Threadfin-bream,Besugo!

A closer view of the Ishigakidai/石がき鯛/Spotted Knifejaw!

A closer view of the Matoudai/まとう鯛/John dory!

Watarigani/わたりがに/Gazami Crab, Blue Swimming Crab!

Amadai/あまだい/Tilefish!

From bottom top: Itoyoridai/いとより鯛/Golden Threadfin-bream,Besugo. Kuro Shita Birame/黒舌平目/Black Sole. Kuro Mutsu/黒むつ/Japanese bluefish, Bigeye.

Kisu/きす/Sillago.

Very cute Kasumi Sakura Dai/かすみさくらだい/A variety of (Kasumi Sakura) Seabream found almost only in Suruga Bay!

Meidakarei/めいだかれい/Frog-flounder, Finespotted flounder.

Honkasago/本かさご/True Rockfish, Marbled rockfish, Scorpionfish.

Finally, the pride and joy of Shizuoka Prefecture! Sakura Ebi/桜海老/Cherry Shrimps, just back in season!

To be followed…

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Sashimi Appetizer Plate at Tomii (October 2011)

October 17, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Professional and attentive
Equipment: Great overall cleanliness, superb washroom
Prices: Slightly expensive
Strong Points: Refined Japanese gastronomy. Great list of Shizuoka Sake.

Tomii is the typical Japanese high-class Japanese restaurant with all the trappings you ought to expect. The quality certainly warrants the prices, but it is always an experience, be it for a quick visit or a more elaborate repast.
The other day, taking a break away from the computer, I restored myself there before going back to work. I would like to introduce the individual sashimi appetizer plate I ordered then:

An indeed very sophisticated serving of five different sashimi!

Maguro akami/鮪赤身, lean part of tuna.

Kampachi/勘八, great Amberjack from Sagara, Shizuoka Prefecture.

Kochi/鯒, Sand Borer-Papilloculiceps longiceps, from Mochimune in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Hata/羽太, Grouper

Aka Ika/赤烏賊, red squid.

Naturally, the freshly grated wasabi and the shiso, sprouts and other vegetables are from Shizuoka Prefecture!

To be continued…
TOMII
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-cho, 1-2-7, Tomii Bldg, 1F
Tel.: 054-274-0666
Business hours: 17:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Sushi & Sashimi: Eat Local Fish, Seafood, Meat and Vegetables!

September 12, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

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Saurel pike/Aji from Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture

Very few people will disagree with the notion that Japan is the ideal place to discover and savour sushi and sashimi in the whole world. Nevertheless, there are a few rules of the thumb to respect even in this gastronomic paradise.
The overriding rule is that you should try and eat only local fish or seafood.
Tsukiji might be considered a sushi paradise by Tokyoites, but the cheap prices enjoyed by tourists cannot conceal the reality: the fish and seafood are “imported” from all over Japan and beyond!
More than often, Edomae (Tokyo) sushi is nothing but a clever way to “dress up” ingredients to lure officionados (and customers) into believing they are eating top quality sushi (with the consequent prices).
Now, if you have the chance and time to explore Japan beyond Tokyo, you will discover an unfathomable treasure trove of gastronomic pleasure and knowledge!
After all, this country is a vast archipelago stretched across greatly different seas and climates, making for a diversity difficult to equal.
So, even if you cannot possibly explore all the shores of this nation, make a point to learn about the food available wherever you choose to stay.
The same goes for residents, not only for their own sake, but for that of their visitors and friends!

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Sushi set with fish all caught in Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture

You also ought to do some homework. Sushi chefs worthy of their salt will be only too happy to answer questions to genuinely interested customers and come up with revelations of their own.
As an example to illustrate the need for some basic knowledge, in Hokkaido “oyakodon” is not cooked chicken and omelette on a bowl of rice, but raw salmon and its roe spread on top the same bowl of rice!
Likewise, the same fish will more than often be sold under a myriad of names.
Many morsels will not be found anywhere else as “sakura ebi/cherry shrimps” and fresh”shirasu/sardine whiting” in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Sashimi in most cases has to be perfectly fresh as typified by “kubiore saba” in Yakushima Island where fishermen break the neck (“kubiore”) of mackerels (“saba”) to preserve their quality upon catching. The same fish will be served within a few hours, or less, on the local tables.
On the other hand, tuna sashimi is best consumed after ripening for a few days in a refrigerator.
In Hokkaido, large shrimps, especially “botan ebi” will be served only raw, whereas “kuruma ebi” will be first boiled in other regions.

If you ask for “tataki”, make sure it means the whole fish, especially “aji/mackerel pike” that will be served finely cut as tartare atop the dressed fish.

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Flying Fish/Tobiuo sashimi from Yakushima Island

Vegan and vegetarians, upon finding a restaurant willing to satisfy their priorities should also ask for food grown locally, a search easier than one might think at first as there are many non-meat eaters in this mainly Budhist country.
The same vegetables will make for the perfect combination when associated with local fish!

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Sashimi: Shizuoka Fish at Ekimae Matsuno Sushi Restaurant!

August 21, 2011 dragonlife 6 Comments

Red-tail Horse Mackerel/oakaaji/尾赤鯵!

Service: Very friendly, attentive and informative
Facilities: Overall clean if a bit old-fashioned
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Mainly local fish. Local sake. Always ready to improvise!

It is not friends like Sissi or LouAnnn I’m trying to convince, but more gastronomes like Chuck and Melinda whom I would like to pull screaming out New york and Tokyo to convince them to give up on what I call “decoration/trompe l’oeil sashimi amd sushi”!

One does not need to patronize an Edomae-style Sushi Restaurant and spend untold amounts of yen or dollars to truly experience this side of Japanese gastronomy so popular all over the World.
Just go to a good local sushi restaurant in Japan (and even abroad if like-minded!) which is willing (and should be!) to serve local fish as much as possible!
If you come to Shizuoka it is only an embarrassment of choices, but I definitely would recommend Ekimae Matsuno Sushi in Shizuoka City as they are one of the rare sushi restaurants that open all day and serve whatever you fancy!

Fine, you would say, but show us!
No worries there, mate (gal)!
Here is what I savored for lunch there today. I even asked them to exclusively serve me sashimi from Shizuoka (Suruga Bay, Izu Peninsula, etc.)!

Seguro iwashi/背黒鰯/Black Back Sardines

These seguro iwashi are very much in season right now with a lot of (fish) fat. They were actually served as a “snack” with my first drink (sake). Plain sashimi to be enjoyed with a little soy sauce.

Hirame/平目/Sole-Flatfish-Bastard halibut-Olive flounder

Hirame is abundant in the Suruga Bay.
Note that the little piece at the bottom is “engawa/えんがわ/the piece along the fish by the narrow fins” that we throw away in Europe!

Marusaba/丸鯖/Round mackerel

Served as “han-nama/半生/half-raw, that is lightly seared or boiled, it is so fresh in taste and absolutely without any “fishy” smell or aftertaste!

Tachiuo/太刀魚/Scabbard Fish.

One of my favorite fish. It is best appreciated (as above) in “aburi/炙り/ seared fashion after being sprinkled with salt. No need of soy sauce to appreciate the different textures and tastes as you bite through it!

Aji no Tataki/鯵の叩き/Horse Mackerel

The Suruga bay, especially around Yui and Kambara is one of the famous spots in Japan for Aji/Horse mackerel.
Simply served as Tataki/cut thin with grated ginger and chopped scallions and a little soy sauce!

No need for fancy seasoning!

Ekimae Matsuno serve the same fish lightly marinated in rice vinegar!

Katsuo hara/鰹腹/Bonito belly

Shizuoka is famous all over the country for its katsuo/bonito, but few people have had the occasion to try its belly part!

Kisu konbujime/鱚,鼠頭魚/Sillago

Sillago are a celebrated morsel all over Japan, but Shizuoka is particularly blessed with shirogizu/白鱚/white sillago!

Served as konbujime/昆布締め/marinated in seaweed, it does not need any soy sauce!

Oakaaji/尾赤鯵/Red tail horse Mackerel

This is a variety of horse mackerel with a deeper red flesh you will not see often away from these shores!

Perfect in tataki/thinly cut style with chopped scallions, grated fresh ginger and chopped nori/dry seaweed!

To be followed… I mean with more local fish from Shizuoka Prefecture!

EKIMAE MATSUNO SUSHI/駅前松乃寿
Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Koya Machi, 3-3 (Just in front of Shizuoka JR Railway Station
Tel.: 054-252-0123
Business hours: 11:00~21:00
Closed on Wednesdays and 3rd Tuesday
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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