August 31st 2010

Bonito from Miyazaki

Young Stripe Bass from Fukuoka

Grunt Fish from Nagasaki

August 27th 2010

Stripe Bass from Fukuoka
in full season

Grunt Fish from Fukuoka
in full season

Baby Kou-Squid(Shin Ika) from Kagoshima

Pike Mackerel from Miyagi

August 24th 2010

Golden Eye Snapper from Chiba

Sardine from Chiba

Horse Mackerel from Oita

Shinko/Nakasumi from Nagasaki

Shin Ika from Kagoshima

Washugyu tasting dinner report

Wednesday August 18th, we held a tasting dinner with the theme of Washugyu.

Washugyu is basically the US version of Japanese prime beef Wagyu well known for its exceptional taste and marbling. The Japanese Tajima Kuroge Wagyu was crossed with the finest American Black Angus. They are raised in Oregon, following a feeding program developed for the Wagyu in Japan (Therefore the taste is very close to the Wagyu) for 27 to 30 months, which is a significantly longer period of time compared to regular US beef, allowing a mature taste and amazing marbling.

So this whole dinner was an attempt to enjoy Washugyu in many different ways.

Mr. Eiichi Yamamoto, a Washugyu expert, was among us at the dinner. If you are interested in tasting Washugyu at home, you could visit him at Japanese Premium Beef, a retail meat shop specializing in Washugyu (57 Great Jones street, New York, NY 10012).





Washugyu tartare: Outer thigh, scallion, olive oil, garlic infused soy sauce.






Sashimi of Washugyu: Ichiboniku (culotte).



Washugyu nigiri: Short rib.

Cold consomme gelee and shabushabu Washugyu, in a salad style: Beef consomme, ribeye slice, sesame sauce, micro green.

Washugyu hamburg steak (4oz): Ponzu, grated daikon, nori, scallion, shiso. Served with cabbage and mizuna salad, homemade bread.

There is no photo, but a small portion of cold burdock soup was served in between.

Washugyu striploin (4 oz): With fingerling potatoes, garlic chips, grilled market vegetables, wasabi, tamari soy sauce.

No photo, but a balsamico granite was served in between.

Washugyu over rice (3oz): Onion, teriyaki sauce, mitsuba, egg yolk of free-range chicken, pickled ginger, rice, nori.

Dessert: Milk flan and milk sorbet.

August 19th 2010

Gnome Fish from Fukuoka

in full season now

Grunt Fish from Oita

in full season now

Baby Spotted Sardine(Shinko/Nakasumi) from Nagasaki

Baby Kou Squid from Nagasaki

We have waited a long time for this squid. It melts in your month.

August 13th 2010

Silver Snapper from Fukuoka

Brown Stripe Horse Mackerel from Nagasaki
It has a good amount of fat. "Amazing"

Renko Snapper from Fukuoka

Bump Snapper from Fukuoka
Bump not caused by any violent act, but by birth.

August 12th 2010

Rudder Fish from Nagasaki
in full season now


Gnome Fish from Nagasaki
in full season now

Young Baby Yellowtail from Fuuoka









Figs from my back yard











Black Angus Hamberg Steak
Served with Ponzu Sauce

August 10th 2010

Gnome Fish from Kotsushima Island

Rudder Fish from Niijima Island

Red Bull Eye Snapper from Hachijyo Islnad

Crimson Snapper from Hachijyo Island

August 7th 2010

Pepper Snapper from Nagasaki

Silver snapper from Fukuoka

Golden Thread from Fukuoka

The Late Night menu:

Friday and Saturday only, during the small window of 12am to 2am only, we have been serving ramen noodles (and some other late night favorites).

The late night menu content changes every week, but there is always one or two kinds of ramen. So far, we have had 6 kinds of them.

* Oyako Ramen : Chicken broth, chicken comfit, soft-boiled egg

* Lobster Miso Ramen : Lobster/miso broth, lobster dumpling

* Clam shio Ramen : Clam / salt broth, poached clams

* Tanin Ramen : Chicken / pork broth, slow cooked porkbelly, soft-boiled egg

* Hiayashi Chuka : Cold Ramen with sesame sauce

* Tonkotsu Ramen : Pork broth, slow cooked pork belly, soft-boiled egg

August 6th 2010

Yellow Back Snapper from Fukuoka

Renko Snapper from Fukuoka

Stripe Bonito from Nagasaki




Red Cornet Fish from Nagasaki

old-fashioned sushi & sake dinner report

Wednesday 8/04, we had a tasting dinner named "Old-fashioned sushi & sake dinner", serving sushi made with techniques used before the fridge was invented, and sake made with two different traditional methods.

On the left: Suehiro Yamahai Junmai (Yamahai method)

Smooth on the first sip, good amount of acidity at the end.

A sake that does not scream out, a great companion to food. A very comfortable sake that you can keep on drinking for a long time.

We only served it in a regular room temperature for this dinner, but this sake is also amazing in "Kanzame", which is to warm it up once and letting it come down to room temperature.

Right: Daishichi Kimoto Junmai (Kimoto method)

Full body, good structure and high acidity. Compared to the aforementioned Suehiro which is mellow, this Daishichi gives an impact with its sharpness. It goes great with vinegar marinated items.

Clockwise from top:

* Saba Zuke

Mackerel marinated in vinegar, then marinated in soy sauce. Topped with white sesame.
* Ni Hamaguri
Poached clam rested in clam broth. Brushed with soy sauce reduction.

* Maguro Zuke

Tuna marinated in soy sauce. Brushed with soy sauce and topped with ginger.

* Shako Sujime

Mantis Shrimp with Eggs marinated in vinegar. Brushed with soy sauce reduction.

* Ma-Dai Sujime

Japanese red snapper marinated in vinegar. Shrimp and egg yolk oboro (minced and cooked) sandwiched between the fish and rice. Fish brushed with thoroughly boiled sake.

* Shinko

Young spotted sardine marinated in vinegar. Brushed with soy sauce reduction. Shinko are so tiny that there are three on one nigiri.

* Hirame Kobujime
Fluke preserved in kelp and wrapped in a bamboo leaf.

* Aji no Hakozushi

Pressed sushi of Horse Mackerel topped with thinly sliced kelp.
* Ika no Inrozume

Squid stuffed with sticky rice and slow cooked in soy sauce and sake.

* Menegi sushi

Young scallion sushi with soy sauce.

* Ni Anago
Slow cooked sea eel. Topped with soy sauce reduction.

* Kanpyo Maki (roll)

Dehydrated squash cooked in soy sauce. Served with wasabi.

* Fukusa zushi

Sushi rice mixed with pickled ginger,shiitake mushroom, shiso, wrapped in egg .

Dessert?

* Homemade Ika no Shiokara with yuzu skin

Salted squid marinated in its own guts.

We know, this one sounds strange and perhaps even gross, but this is one of those acquired taste items. Once you get into it, you are crazy about it.

SHINKO

Shinko is a very important fish for Edo Style Sushi.
In Japanese culture, fish are so important that many change their names as they grow, and this is one of them.

4-5 cm (1.6-2 inches) = Shinko
around 10 cm (3.9 inches) = Kohada
more than 15 cm (5.9 inches) = Konoshiro

Edo (=Tokyo) people cannot go through one summer without having some Shinko - It is almost one of the symbol of summer overthere.

As you can imagine by its size, Shinko requires a lot of work to the chagrin of the sushi chef. But we can also say that it is a fish that showcases the skill of the chef.

August 3rd 2010

Yellow Back Snapper from Ogasawara Island

Spotted Parrot Fish from Hachijyo Island

Red Rock Fish from Hachijyo Island





Roasted whole quail stuffed with sticky rice, edamame, shiitake mushroom, served with curry sauce