Sushi Restaurant: Ginta

The Japan Blog List

Please check Shizuoka Gourmet Blog for all the gastronomy in Shizuoka Prefecture!

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Yesterday, I had the pleasure to introduce a “hidden treasure” to my friends Anselmo and Ticiana Zeri with Ticiana’s moter, Helda, who were on their 6th visit of Japan. Anselmo had found my blogs some time ago as he researched on Japan and had contacted me for more information.
Anselmo then decided it was grand time to visit Shizuoka Prefecture.
It was my pleasure to guide them for two days in and around Shizuoka City.
Yesterday I took them to Ginta, a minuscule Sushi restaurant not far from Yui Harbour famed for its sakura ebi/Cherry shrimps.
To cap it all we are in the middle of the season guaranteeing the best seafood available in this small city.

Now, Mr. Hara’s restaurant is unassuming and can be easily missed. But I can guarantee you you do need to reserve if you venture there at lunch as hordes of tourists and businessmen from all corners of Japan make a point tocome just to savour the region’s specialties.

There are indeed many possibilities, and a very good, amost ridiculous prices.
We decided to sample the 3,000 yen sakura ebi full course:

Raw Sakura Ebi, caught in the very morning in Suruga Bay.
Mr. Hara demostrated us how to recognize fresh Sakura Ebi. Take a few between two fingers. They should slip easily away!

Boiled sakura Ebi salad. Great with Eikun, the local sake available in Ginta!

Sakura Ebi lightly pickled in rice vinegar.

Sakura Ebi in “Suimono/clear hot soup” style with tofu.

Sakura Ebi Kakiage/Sakura Ebi Tempura. Extremely generous portions.

The Kakiage is served with salt and matcha tea mixture. Perfect with tempura! We hust ate them with our fingers!

Sushi set (part of the full-course!):
Tai/Seabream sushi served with its deep-fried scales between the fish slice and rhe rice.
Aji/Horesemackerel-Saurel with a dash of fresh grated ginger.
Kawahagi/Filefish with its flesh chopped in tartare style with its fresh liver in gunkan manner topped with a dash of fresh grated wasabi. A rare morsel indeed!
Sakura Ebi in gunkan manner topped with a dash of fresh grated wasabi.
Mr. Hara advised us not to dip the sushi directly into the soy sauce, but to “brush” it with a piece of pickled ginger (provided on the same dish) after having dippe it into soy sauce. “That will be just quite enough soy sauce!”, he added.

Actually, once mr. Hara has warmed up to a particular customer, he can become an incredible source of information that even fishmongers at Tsukiji would not be able to equal! I can guarantee you an interesting report next I go there to sample his local fish sushi sets!

Now, what are these Sakura Ebi-shaped things?
This is another specialty of Yui: People there take the long antenna (three times as long as the body) and dry them in the sun after having “shaped them”. These will be used all year long crushed into powder over a bowl of freshly cooked rice!

Since the Missus gotextremely jealous of our little venture, you can expect a report soon!

GINTA
421-3111 Shizuoka Shi, Shimizu Ku, Yui cho, Imajuku, 165. (get off at Yui Station and walk to your right. Only a few minutes away)
Tel.: 0543-75-3004
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Closed on Tuesdays
Reservations on the telephone recommended!