Sushi Restaurant: Dinner at Suehiro Hamanako No Megumi Restaurant in Hamamatsu City!

Service: Shy but very kind
Facilities & Equipment: Old-fashioned but very clean
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Traditional sushi. Sake & Shochu.

Suehiro Hamamako No Megumi Sushi Restaurant is my little secret in Hamamatsu City!
Located a few minutes on foot away from Hamamatsu JR Station it comes a s a bit of a surprise even for the locals!
It is unpretentious, very reasonable by Shizuoka sushi standards, serves delicious food and in spite of the initial shyness is full of nice homey people!
It had been a very long time since I went there last, but I finally had the opportunity the other day for a quick visit!

Ask about their sake and shochu! They keep changing!
This time I had a Junmai Genshu by Hana No Mai Brewery in Hamamatsu City!

Unfortunately the season for their specialty, torafugu/local globefish, had just ended!
But there were still some nice sashimi to be had!

Torigai/Heart Clam-Japanese Cockle and Shime saba/Pickled Mackerel!

Amaebi/Sweet Shrimps, Sayori/Japanese halfbeak and Maguro Akami/Tuna laen Part!

And then, it was the turn for some red nigiri!

Kuruma Ebi/Large Prawns!

Shake Aburi/Seared salmon!

Hamamatsu City is not only famous for eels but also for conger eels/Anago!

Shirayaki style, just grilled!

Tare-style/sauce-basted!

Provided with red rock salt for extra seasoning!

And for dessert, what did I have?

Tamagoyaki/Japanese omelet!

See you there time I visit Hamamatsu City!

SUEHIRO-HAMANAKO NO MEGUMII AJI
Hamamatsu City, Naka Ku, suyama Cho, 360-6
Tel.: 053-452-6288
Business Hours: 11:30-13:30＆17:00-22:00
Closed on every Wednesday and second Tuesday
HOMEPAGE?BLOG (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 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, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Douman Crab at Suehiro-Hamanako No Megumii Aji Sushi Restaurant

The Japan Blog List

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

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“Douman” is the name of a very rare crab of fairly large proportions exclusively caught in Summer in Lake Hamana, Shizuoka Prefecture.
Fishermen will be lucky if they manage to find 2 or 3 specimen caught in their nets in a single day for the whole lake!

It has become one of the symbols of the area as demonstrated by the rice/kome shochu of the same name brewed by Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery/Distillery in Hamamatsu City.
Consequently only a few privileged establishments may serve it from time to time.
One such place is Suehiro-Hamanako No Megumi Sushi Restaurant, a little secret place of mine.
As introduced in other articles, it is tucked away from the city bustle south of Hamamatsu JR Station.

I make a point to reserve a seat or two before I visit them as hey will make sure to keep a bottle of Shizuoka Sake just for me.
Last Friday, they just happened to have an excellent bottle from a favourite Brewery of mine, namely Hatsukame in Okabe Cho.
That particular brand, called “Fujisan”, is a honjozo made with rice from Toyama Prefecture and yeast from Shizuoka Prefecture, perfect in summer with sushi and seafood!
Light food was on order as it had been an excessively hot day now that the rainy season is finally off our heads.

Pickled myoga, and ham and avocado salad were perfect with the first couple of glasses of chilled sake.

With a kitchen conveniently closed away, Suehiro has the knack to serve the right mixture of sashimi, sushi and cooked fare which ensures you will not leave the place worrying about a still empty stomach.
Mind you, this is an expat notion which does not count for the Japanese habit to visit at least two or three different places in the same night.
We opted for some akami/lean tuna and suzuki/seabass sashimi and a plate of Hamana Lake prawns deep-fried inside Spring rolls.

Finally we were ready for the Douman Crab!
My friend took the opportunity to order a glass of shochu of the same name while I gamely took care of the sake.
In Hamamatsu City they just serve it steamed as it is without any dressing or seasoning.
And our half (can you imagine the price of a whole one?) did not need any whatsoever. It came very full of so soft, tasty, even sweet meat that you naturally take your time savouring a little at a time with chopsticks. Forbid a fork or spoon!
I’m afraid this will be my first and last time I experience such a delicacy. That is unless Suehiriro calls me (and other customers?) next time they chance upon one (two would be impossible, so do not plan a party!)

We still hjad one more morsel before we left for the Liquid Kitchen, a bar held by a cricket friend of mine: Hamana Lake anago/conger eel and ikura/salmon roe sushi.
As this restaurant always comes up with local delicacies on a purely seasonal basis, I wonder what will compel me to visit it again!

SUEHIRO-HAMANAKO NO MEGUMII AJI
Hamamatsu City, Naka Ku, suyama Cho, 360-6
Tel.: 053-452-6288
Business Hours: 11:30-13:30＆17:00-22:00
Closed on every Wednesday and second Tuesday
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

Fugu at Suehiro-Hamanako no Megumi

The Japan Blog List

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

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No this is not the day’s laundry, but the skins of the fugu/globefish that had just been dressed yesterday by Mr. Yokota at Suehiro-Hamanako no Megumi Sushi Restaurant in Hamamatsu City!
The fish were caught in Hamano Lake in the morning, so one could not expect anything fresher!
Mrs. Yokota has the government license to cut and dress fugu, and since I’m still alive this morning, I suppose it is the proof she is very proficient at her art!
Contrary to what many people think, she explained that it is not only the female fish ovaries that contain mortal poison but also the mal fish liver. There are over 100 varieties of fugu/globefish in Japan and almost all of them are poisonous, so beware!

Incidentally the skin of the fish is edible and is usually served in thin stripes either raw with grated daikon or grilled on a stick.
But I had come mainly for the nigiri I had ordered over internet, served with thin leeks strips between the shari (rice) and neta (topping) with a little momiji oroshi/grated daikon with chili pepper. Bliss!

People tend to forget that fugu makes for a great treat deep-fried or as tempura. Just eat them with your fingers and suck on the bones!
Simply extarvagant morsels with sake!

SUEHIRO-HAMANAKO NO MEGUMII AJI
Hamamatsu City, Naka Ku, suyama Cho, 360-6
Tel.: 053-452-6288
Business Hours: 11:30-13:30＆17:00-22:00
Closed on every Wednesday and second Tuesday

Sashimi Set: Tomii

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

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Had a quick “dinner” at Tomii Restaurant yesterday and asked for a plate of sashimi.
Sashimi sets in Tomii are slightly extravagant but so great!

From left to right:
“Kurodai”, black seabream
“Kampachi”, amberjack
“Aka Ika”, red cuttle fish
“Maguro No Akami”, lean tuna
“Hirame”, sole/ flounder

For the record, I enjoyed the fish with somえ Aoshima-Kikuyoi Brewery (Fujieda City) Tokubetsu Junmai!

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

Ekimae Matsuno Sushi Restaurant (2)

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

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(Houbou/Blue Fin Robin, Seguroiwashi/Seguro Sardine, amaebi/Sweet Prawns)

Yesterday saw my third visit to Ekimae Matsuno Sushi near Shizuoka JR Station, a certain proof that it is rapidly becoming a favourite!
There are many reasons to that: great fresh sashimi cut in front of you, the great Shizuoka sake and especially the little surprises:

This particular dish is Aji no Tataki/Finely chopped raw saurel/pike mackerel in “namerou” style/white miso+ginger. It is topped with “Kakisu”/Persimmon vinegar made in Shizuoka to give it a great sweet and sour touch! Perfect with sake!

Ekimae Matsuno Sushi
Shizuoka City, Aoi ku, Omiyuki-cho, 9-3 (across Route 1 from Shizuoka Station North Exit)
Ｔｅｌ．：　０５４２５１０１２３
Business hours：１１：００～２１：００
Holidays: Wednesdays and third Tuesday
Credit cards OK

Sushi Restaurant: Suehiro-Hamanako no Megumi Aji

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

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I had wanted to visit a certain Sushi Restaurant in Hamamatsu City since I discovered “Sushiya No Neesan” Blog (Japanese).
My wish was finally granted last Friday, December 14th when I managed to get an evening free after University in Fukuroi City.

Suehiro-Hamanako no Megumi Aji (Suehiro-Tastes from Hamana Lake) is conveniently located at short distance from Hamamatsu JR Station South exit (only two tarffic lights away).
It is a very traditional Sushi Restaurant. It was converted into the present establishment from a Japanese Restaurant 28 years ago by the second-generation owner, Mr. Katsuhisa Yokota presently ably helped by his daughter, Chisako, who literally grew in the restaurant, learning her trade by daily observing her father’s skills.

Since this was my first visit I opted to try my favourites and gradually order recommended tidbits.
I started with some succulent “shirako” (male cod sperm sacs. This is the real translation, not whiting as some people prudely call them…) with ponzu vinegar and momiji oroshi/grated fresh daikon with chili pepper.

I then asked for the inevitable akami/lean tuna. Chisako San proposed raw kuruma ebi/prawns just caught in Hamana Lake. Succulent!

This particular Sushi Restaurant for its “fugu”/globefish. I chose to have it deep-fried/karaage. No need for chopsticks. Just eat with your fingers and lick them. I was offered chopped boiled globefish skin with it and I had to use chopsticks, then (LOL). Certainly better than your fish and chips!

Back to raw fish, I asked for hirame sashimi/sole-flounder. That disappeared quickly, I can assure you!

keeping an eye on what was on the counter, I noticed a large dish full of unagi kimo/eel liver simmered Japanese-style by Mr. Yokota. Absolutely perfect with Japanese sake!

I was going to switch onto the traditional kampyo maki/dried gourd shavings and negi toro maki/finely chopped leeks with tuna, when I was offered a dish perticular to Hamana Lake District: Haze tenpura. “Haze”, or goby is a small fish caught in Hamana Lake at low tide. It is best eaten as tenpura (with your fingers) with a little salt and pepper.

All right, I fanlly had to call it a day, what with the local sake from Hana no mai Brewery (Hamamatsu City). I had a train to take back to Shizuoka City. But it will be a short time before I visit the place again to try the other morsels!

SUEHIRO-HAMANAKO NO MEGUMII AJI
Hamamatsu City, Naka Ku, suyama Cho, 360-6
Tel.: 053-452-6288
Business Hours: 11:30-13:30＆17:00-22:00
Closed on every Wednesday and second Tuesday