Sushi in Shizuoka City: Sushi Ko (September 2011)

“Super California Roll”!

Service: Very friendly and attentive. Always ready to please
Facilities: great overall cleanliness
Prices: Appropriate. Good value
Strong points: Great blending of local and all-Japan seafood. Great list of Shizuoka sakes! Both modern and traditional sushi.

We are entering the Autumn season, albeit a very hot one, and new fish are being caught.
It was time to visit Sushi Ko, my favorite sushi bar/resturant in Shizuoka City to check on the new arrivals!

The present Master of the Place, Mr. Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太 has just been rewarded with the Gold Medal at the Japan National Sushi Design Contest, an event held every 4 years!
Mr. Oda, the former Master, who is presently in charge of the mother company, was also rewarded the same prize 4 years ago!

So, what did we enjoy?

Kinmeidai/金目鯛/Splendid Alfonsino sashimi (Izu Peninsula).

Beautiful colors!
Notice the edible shiso/perilla/紫蘇 flowers!

This is the season of the katsuo/鰹/bonito which swim across the Suruga Bay!

Usually served with freshly grated ginger, chopped scallions and thinly sliced red onions.
Thinly sliced fresh garlic is another option!

A wink to America: Super California Roll! Can you guess what’s in it?

Sake from Masu Ichi Brewery in Shizuoka City!

Chyawanmushi/茶碗蒸/ Japanese steamed salted pudding!

Hirame/平目/Sole-Grouper (Shizuoka) just seasoned with a little salt and lime juice. No need for soy sauce!

Sazae/サザエ/Turbo Shell!

the whole flesh is first taken out, sliced and cooked inside the shell!

The liver of the turbo shell!

Tachiuo/太刀魚/Scabbard Fish (Shizuoka) served as aburi/炙り/grilled on the skin surface seasoned with ponzu and served with momijioroshi/grated daikon and chili pepper, and chopped scallions.

A sneak view of the sashimi plate prepared for a group of five at a table!

Magurozuke/鮪漬け/marinated tuna (lean part), a real dessert!

Ikura/イクラ/salmon’s roe served as “gunkan nigiri/軍艦握り/Mothership Nigiri. Notice the small empty “boats” following the mothership?

A cute fleet, isn’t it?

How about that for tamagoyaki/玉子焼き/Japanese omelette design?

Anago/穴子/conger eel (Shizuoka), a universal favorite!

A vegan sushi nigiri with lightly boiled Chinese cabbage and Japanese hot mustard!

A real dessert: Home-made fig Wine Stew!

To be followed…

SUSHI KO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 2-3-1 (Aoba Park Street)
Tel.: 054-251-9701
Business Hours： 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 （Sundays）
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (in Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK); Ohayo Bento

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

Sushi Restaurant: Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City (June 2011)

Umazura tsukuri/ウマズラ造り/Filefish sashimi plate!

Sushi Ko in Aoba Park Street in Shizuoka City is the sushi bar owned by Sushi Ko Main Sushi Restaurant in Ta-machi in the same city.
Mr. Oda has just been asked to take charge of the main restaurant while his very capable second, Mr. Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん has been promoted Head of the Sushi Bar in Aoba.
The Bar is as good as ever, but now I will also have to check the main restaurant!

While the Missus drank her Chardonnay, I was sipping my sake brewed by Takashima Brewery in Numazu City. The above shows the snack coming with the first drink: octopus/tako/蛸 served with seaweed, momijioroshi/grated daikon with chili pepper, chopped thin leeks and ponzu!

We managed to get our favorite seats at the counter, but one half of the tatami room was busy with a group of 11 hungry salarymen!
Loads of consecutive work!

Our seats gave us the perfect view of the chefs at work!
They know us well, so they actually welcome the photography (without flash!), but make a point to ask for permission if you are a new customer (the latter applies for any restaurant!)!

On the menu of the day they had umazura tsukuri/ウマズラ造り/Filefish Sashimi Plate.
This fish whose name literally means “Horse face” is a kind of filefish found in Suruga Bay.
It was taken alive out of the fish pond!

Filefish in general is not that popular in other countries, but it definitely deserves attention.
Although it has not much meat, it makes for beautiful sashimi!

For a closer view!

Here it is, served with a dip made with its fresh liver and ponzu!
A real morsel!

Its cheeks were served deep-fried!

Chef Birukawa has kept a little to serve the perfect filefish nigiri topped with its liver and momijioroshi and some thin leeks and wasabi between the neta/topping and the shari/rice!

The Missus always asks for the maguro ponkara/鮪ぽんから/deep-fried tuna served with momiji oroshi, ponzu and sliced red onions!

Whatever the sushi restaurant we always ask for magurozuke/鮪漬/marinated tuna as each establishment has a different recipe!

Sushi Ko always have great botan ebi/牡丹海老/large sweet prawn from Hokkaido in season!

Their freshness means we are guaranteed their deep-fried heads. They make for beautiful crackers!

When we asked for anago/穴子/conger eel, they came in the perfect combination of one piece shio-aji/塩味/salted and the other one, tare-aji/たれ味/brushed with sweet sauce!

Another favorite: tachiuo aburi nigiri/太刀魚炙り握り/Seared scabbard fish nigiri seasoned with ponzu!

Chef Mirukawa’s specialty: Sushi Millefeuille!

The Millefeuille was made with maguro akami/lean tuna, cucumber, avocado and topped with flying fish roe!

A vegetarian/vegan sushi roll with natto, shiso and umboshi!

Another vegetarian/vegan sushi roll with kanpyou/干瓢/dry gourd shavings and plenty of wasabi!

Tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette!

We usually finish such meals with hot food.
The Missus had nameko mushroom miso soup with plenty of seaweed.

As for me I had chyawanmushi/茶碗蒸し/Japanese-style hot salted pudding!

And we were graciously offered Shizuoka-grown musk melon as we paid our (very reasonable) bill!

To continue…

SUSHI KO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 2-3-1 (Aoba Park Street)
Tel.: 054-251-9701
Business Hours： 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 （Sundays）
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (in Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK); Ohayo Bento

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

Sushi Restaurant: Narukawa in Shizuoka City

“Namida Maki/涙巻/Tear Roll” made with fresh wasabi root from Shizuoka!

Service: Professional and very friendly. Keen to please customers
Facilities: Very clean overall. Great washroom
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Extensive usage of local fish. Shizuoka sake.

Hiroki Narukawa/生川広樹さん

I’ve known Chef Hiroki Narukawa for ages since his apprentice days.
Since then he has flown on his own wings and has recently opened his restaurant Narukawa/なるかわ at a new and more spacious address.

In spite of the higher class atmosphere and the increased staff, the prices have not changed and can be considered as reasonable for the quality he serves even in this very difficult to please Prefecture!

Although the seating is modern and almost western in concept it is still very much a traditional atmosphere!

There are naturally menus and sets, but I would encourage you to have a look at the offerings of the day under the glass display and talk with Narukawa San before you start ordering!
Personally I do not bother looking at menus and prefer a more social introduction. The fact that I know the chef also helps! LOL

The Missus and I usually starts with sashimi!
The above is hirame konbujime/平目昆布〆/sole lightly preserved in konbu seaweed. From Shizuoka!

Aka mutsu/赤むつ/Rosy Seabass from Shizuoka.

Kaisui uni/海水海栗/Sea Urchin in his original seawater eaten as it is! Extravagant! From Hokkaido!

Hotate nigiri/帆立握り/Scallops Nigiri. Large! From Northern Japan!

The filaments, roe and liver of the same scallops. A dish that would please a lot of people all over the world!

Madai nigiri/真鯛/True seabream/grouper-Red Seabream/grouper nigiri. From Shizuoka!

Magurozuke nigiri/鮪漬/marinated tuna (akami/lean part). Probably from Shizuoka or North of Japan (I forgot to ask as I always ask for this morsel in Shizuoka!).

Asupara mentaiko maki/アスパラ明太子巻/asparagus and hot cod roe (with mayonnaise) roll. For the Missus! The asparagus is from Shizuoka, the mentaiko from Kyushu island!

While the Missus had her mentaiko I had a kanpyou maki/干瓢巻/gourd shavings first dried, then marinated. With real wasabi from Shizuoka, almost a dessert!

Suwagani nigiri/諏訪蟹/snow crab nigiri from Hokkaido!

Shiroebi kakiage/白海老あき揚げ/white shrimps tempura from Toyama Prefecture!

</

Namida Maki/涙巻/Tear roll made with freshly sliced wasabi root from Shizuoka. Extravagant!

For a closer view!

Menegi nigiri to daikon zuke/芽葱と大根漬/leek sprouts and pickled (lime) daikon. All from Shizuoka!

Ikura Mini Donburi/イクラミニ丼/mini bowl of salmon’s roe!

To be continued…

NARUKAWA
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 1-5-2
Tel.: 054-221-1689
Business hours: 11::30~13:30, 17:00~02:00
Closed on Mondays
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK); Ohayo Bento

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

Ekimae Matsuno Sushi (revisited)

The Japan Blog List

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

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As the grotty weather last Sunday prevented any cricket to be played, I just went to do some “work” at my classroom. When lunch came, I decided it was about time I paid a visit to an old favourite sushi restaurant of mine, namely Ekimae Matsuno Sushi in fornt of Shizuoka City JR Station.
They do make a point to serve local fish whenever practical and last Sunday was no exception!

The “snack” served with the sake (See below article) from Yoshiya Brewery in Shizuoka was “Seguro Iwashi”/”black back sardine”, a succulent fatty fish in season.

The “sashimi no moriawase”/sashimi plate were all fish (as well as all other fish cited in this article) brought from Yaizu Harbour in Central Shizuoka Prefecture:
From left to right:
-“Akami”/tuna lean part
-“Yari Ika”/cuttle-fish (calamari)
-“Kawahagi to Kimo”/filefish cut in thin strips and mixed with its own liver. Sweet dipped in a mixture of three different miso paste rice vinegar!
-“Bora”/mullet. So fresh there was no need for soy sauce. Just a little “yuzu”/ime juice was perfect!

The chef recommended a couple of seasonal morsels:
the first one, above, was “Tachiuo Aburi”/scabbard fish lightly grilled on one side. Just a little salt, wasabi and lime juice. The meat melts away between your teeth!

The second one was “Houbo”/blue fin robin. Tender and sweet!

As for dessert I asked for “Tamagoyaki”/Japanese omelette (not shown) and “Kanpyou Maki”/dry gourd shavings maki!

Here are my tastig notes for the sake:

Yoshiya Brewery (Shizuoka City): Chuumasa Junmai Ginjo
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Contents: 300ml
Bottled: April 2008

Clarity: Very clear
Colour: Transparent
Aroma: Dry, light and fruity: Pineapple, ricey
Body: Velvety
Taste: Short tail. Junmai tingle. Complex. Fruity: Pineapple, almonds, nuts, coffee beans.
Nice acid finish with bitter chocolate, coffee beans and banan.
Turns drier with food with a strong comeback by coffee beans and almonds, although it did surprise me with a sweetish finish at times.

Overall: A “Shizuoka Type” Sake.
Very elegant, pleasant and easy to drink.
Great with sushi and sashimi.
Strong character and many facets revealed all way through.

Ekimae Matsuno Sushi
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Oyuki Cho, 9-3 (just across from Shizuoka JR Station North Exit after Matsuzakaya Dept)
Tel.: 054-2510123
Business hours: 11:00~21:00
Closed on Wednesdays
Credit Cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

Sashimi Sets: Yasatei

The Japan Blog List

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

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Last night I was invited by the owners of Odakkui, Katayurimo and Hana Oto Izakayas to share a very special bottle of sake.

This sake, a superlative Daiginjo, had been brewed back in 1997 by Okada Brewery which eventually ceased operations in 2006. In spite of its old age (for a sake) it had preserved in perfect condition all the time at very cold temperature by a collector cum liquor shop, Matsunagaya in Shizuoka City.
For the connoiseurs, this Daiginjyo is called Okinabeneten, brewed by Okada Brewery in Fujieda City. Rice: Yamada Nishiki milled down to an extravagant 35%. The yeast was a Shizuoka NEW-5 Yeast. Dryness is only +7~+9 and acidity a very low 1.0~1.3. The drawing process was “Fune shibori/tank press”. Alcohol was standard 15~16 degrees.
A great sake, so pleasant to drink with a dry elegant entry, short tail and a complex and rich aroma and taste. Tended to show different facets with food, alternatively turning drier and sweeter. An incredibly extravagant sake to drink with food. We drank it both chilled and heated.

Now, what did we eat with such a nectar?
First of all, sashimi of course. Not one kind, but two!
First seafood sashimi as shown on pic above:
(From top clockwise) Fresh Shirasu/baby sardines, Akami/lean tuna, Madai/red snapper, Hotategai/scallops, Katsuo/bonito. In the centre is boiled Tako/octopus. The whole was provided with wasabi (real one!), grated ginger, myoga cut into very fine strips and chopped thin leeks.

Yasai sashimi/vegetables sashimi, the specialty of the house. Great juicy and cruchy cucumber, daikon, red radishes, celery (Shizuoka Prefecture produces half of all celery in Japan!), myoga and sweet red pimento. You probably noticed the big shiso leaf concealing chopped sweet onions. A treat for vegetarians (and vegans!)!

Great food for a great sake!

Yasaitei
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-Cho, 1-6-2 Green Heights Wamon 1-C
Tel.: 054-2543277
Business haours: 17:30~22:00
Closed on Sundays
Reservations highly recommended

Sashimi Set: Waga

The Japan Blog List

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

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Waga is your typical new wave izakaya. Opened a little more than two years ago by the very young at hearｔ (a fan of the Beatles,Queen and Led Zeppelin among others) Shuhei Ichikawa it seems very popular as I managed to enter it only at the third try and this somewhat late at night. In any case if you plan to patronize the place before 9:00 p.m., you had better reserve in advance!

The staff in their late 20’s (30’s?) are a smiling hard-working bunch, but nonetheless extremely welcoming and attentive.

Now the first indication of a good izakaya, and especially in Shizuoka Prefeture, is its sashimi offering. If you ask for “moriawase/plate”, you will get a good idea of the establishment.
Now, the “Katsuo Tataki/Bonito slightly cooked”, “Kanpachi/Yellowtail” and “Maguro/Tuna” were simply of the higher level that would put a few vaunted Tokyo places at shame, but at very kind prices!

Waga
420-0839 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Takajo Machi, 2-1-20, Kuroyanagi Bldg., 1F
Tel. & Fax: 054-271-7121
Opening hours: 17:30~23:30 (Monday to Thursday), 17:30~26:00 (Friday, Saturday and day before any National Holiday).
Closed on Sundays and National Holidays.
Set menus and parties possible.
Reservations recommended.
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

Sushi Ko (revisited): Sashimi and Sushi

The Japan Blog List

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

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Thursday! If everything goes well (Rowena, don’t start shooting!) t means eating out with the Missus.
Well, no surprise at all, as she requested we visited that (ver) old favourite of ours, namely Sushi Ko Restaurant in Shizuoka City!
No need to explain anything. Let’s keep to the basics and explain some of the morsels we ordered (not all, as it would become a boring repeat!).
Above is “Ika Somen/cutte fish cut very thinly, hence the name “somen/thin noodles”. The cuttle-fish variety is “Yari Ika/Halberd cuttle fish or calamari in Italian”.

“Sanma/mackerel pike”, a seasonal fish, although tis particular one came from Hokkaido. We shall have to wait until September for the Shizuoka specimen!

“Shima Aji/Saurel variety”. Another seasonal fish. Almost sweet!

We could not resist from ordering that very special maki/roll: “Piri kara hotate maki/hot scallops roll coated with “tobiko/flying fish roe”. That one is for you, Allison!

Finally, my favourite (my wife tends to shun it!): Japanese Foie Gras/Ankimo-Frogfish Liver!

Naturally I will spare you such details as French Chardonnay wine for the Missus and Shizuoka sake for me (I know, I know…). If you come to shizuoka,make a point to contact me! LOL

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)

Sushi Ko Revisited

The Japan Blog List

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

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Last Thursday, it was back to Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City on my wife’s orders. Not that I complain at all, but I was wondering what we would order this time we hadn’t eaten last time!

I finally managed to get my hands on the “Sushi Ko” label pasted on their Fujinishiki Brewery Junami Ginjo Nama bottle which will join my ever-growing collection. Not only it has the merit to become a collection item, but it is a great sake perfect for sushi!

Among the day’s orders, we sampled the seasonal “Madai/Seabream Carpaccio” (I’ve always wondered why people call everything “carpaccio” since it applies to red meat only in Italy… I would have to ask Chuckeats!)

Talking of seasonal seafood, we could resist asking for the “Yari Ika Somen/Spear Cuttle Fish cut in very thin strips”. Simple but very artful, it disappeared within a blink of the eye!

The Missus has always had a love affair with raw scallops. Notice that the edible flowers (Rowena, that’s for you!) are “shiso/perilla” buds, a great addition for decoration, too!

When we ordered the inevitable “Sushi Millefeuille”, the chefs had to prepare a couple more variations for other customers who couldn’t helping ogling! I wished Evelyn were with us!

Allison would have wished to be with us to taste another Sushi KoSpecial, namely the “Spicy Scallops Roll”!

I had my fill by then (the sake contained more calories than my wife’s Chardonnay!), but my better (…) half had to sample their succulent “Anago/Conger Eel”,

and “Ikura Mini Donburi”!

Chuck, you know what’s in wait from you when you come to Japan! Simple, Succulent and So So Satisfying!

Sushi Ko Morsels

The Japan Blog List

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

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Visited (pilgrimage?) Sushi Ko Restaurant In Shizuoka City again with the Missus last night.
We happened to a few morsels only available in season.
I wonder if Chuckeats had ever the occasion to sample such delicacies in the same manner. I hope he will find inspiration for his next visit at a sushi Restaurant in New York!

We could not resist the “Sayori/halfbeak” (look at the “mouth”, and you will understand its name!) as it is at its best right now. Sprinkle a little lemon juice and wasabi on it before dipping it (just a little, please) in soy sauce.

The fish was cut whole for the two of us. Notice how the dressed fish was used as support for the sashimi. The skin was lter offered grilled around a short wooden brochette.

We were fortunate enough to find “botan ebi/large sweet prawns fresh with their eggs. two provided enough eggs for a single “botan ebi ko gunkan”.

Not an easy treat to find, as it must absolutely fresh. The eggs were sweet with not any disagreeable “fishy” background. By the way, this is the only sushi featuring the colour “blue” that comes to my mind!

As any botan ebi served fesh, the heads were served deep-fried later. Crunchy and delicious. Fine, I admit they would have come with all kinds of “decorations” in New York, but you would certainly not get them at the same reasonable price!

Of course we did have quite a few morsels I have described in other postings, but the last is wirth mentioning:
“Gyuu Aburi Menegi Nigiri”/slightly grilled prime beef topped with leek sprouts. That one is for the carnivores. LOL.

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 on Sundays
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations advised
Credit Cards OK

Homepage (Japanese)

Ankimo: Presentations

The Japan Blog List

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

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I have already introduced the recipe for preparing Ankimo/Frogfish Liver (Japanese Foie Gras) in a precedent article.

Although there are very few variations possible from the basic recipe, Lindsay at DeLuscious Life will be glad to hear that there exist many ways indeed to present that celebrated Japanese culinary experience:

It could be the very traditional and simple manner of just serving it inside a lacquer bowl:

(Fuji Sushi, Shizuoka City)
Another very traditional way is to present it cut in round slices with ponzu, chopped thin leeks and “momiji oroshi/grated daikon with chili pepper”:

(Sushi tetsu, Shizuoka City)
As it is easy to shape, you could emulate Sushi Ko’s, Shizuoka City, creation:

Now, there is a slightly more complicated, if not tradtional fashion to prepare ankimo.
Suehiro Hamanako No Aji in Hamamatsu City cooks the ankimo again (after steaming it) in soy sauce, mirin and sake, and probaly one more secret ingredient, obtaining a great morsel reminiscent of real terrine or pate:

to be served as follows:

two diiferent tastes and aspects!

Ankimo is rapidly acquiring great popularity abroad, especially in the States where it is served in a traditional but definitely imposing way:

(Courtesy of Chuckeats.com)
or as a totally new gastronomic adventure such as “Ankimo with Plum sauce and Truffles”!

(Courtesy of Chuckeats.com)

Let’s seee if we can discover more!

Sushi Millefeuille

The Japan Blog List

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

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(picture kindly provided by Mika who shared our dinner!)

As Chuck, Trine and Luxeat already know, you do not have to go to an expensive French restaurant to experience great gastronomic ideas.
One of the chefs at Sushi Ko Sushi Restaurant recently came up with his own interpretation of a famed French cake which has quickly gained popularity with all customers:
Sushi Millefeuille.
It consists of one layer of “shari/sushi rice”, one of “akami/lean tuna”, one of thin slices of cucmber, one of sliced avocado, one more layer of “shari”, the whole topped with “tobikko/flying fish roe”.
A couple stems of thin leeks for decoration.
The dressing consisted of mayonnaise mixed with wasabi on ponzu with a little “momijioroshi/grated daikon with chili pepper” on top for taste and effect.
Simple, tasty and reasonable!

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 on Sundays
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations advised
Credit Cards OK

Homepage (Japanese)

Sushi Ko Sashimi Set

The Japan Blog List

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

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We had this Sashimi Set (actually we had two as we were six of us!) at Sushi Ko Restaurant in Shizuoka last night, one of my top three favourite Sushi Restaurants in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Of course we had quite a few other morsels, but this should give a good idea of waht to expect in a good Sushi restaurant in our dear Prefecture!
Incidentally, all prices are clearly stated on wooden slats on the walls!
Top to bottom, left to right:
Hotate/Clams, Buri/Yellowtail, kanpachi/Amberjack, Tachiuo/Scabbard Fish, Akamai/Lean Tuna.
Sake/Salmon, Katsuo, Bonito, Aji/Saurel-Horse mackerel, House-made Zaru Dofu/Tofu.

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 on Sundays
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations advised
Credit Cards OK

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