When visiting Toyama, one of the first names that comes to mind is Oryori Fujii. I made a reservation, eager to try it out, and took a taxi from the station, which turned out to be farther than I expected. I managed to arrive on time, greeted by a wonderfully atmospheric entrance. As I was led to the dining area, I found only a counter, with a beautiful garden view through a large window behind it. It reminded me of Narumi.I started with a recommended sake. The first dish was white shrimp presented in a birdcage. The soup was a clear broth made with soft-shelled turtle, shaped like the moon. Next came a lively sweetfish on a skewer. The sashimi was served with either salt and sudachi or soy sauce, featuring nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) and white fish. What was that? Was it kiji-hata? It was wonderful. Then came the blue crab with noodles. The hassun (seasonal appetizer) followed, leading up to the climax: sweetfish with roe. The sweetfish were smoked with hojicha (roasted green tea) before being served. The cooking was superb.After that, there was a simmered dish of kinjitsugai (a type of edible seaweed) and fish with eggplant. The next highlight was the presentation of the sweetfish rice. As it was carefully flaked and served, I felt grateful to be Japanese, savoring the taste. I can only describe it as satisfying.The next day, the sweetfish rice balls I received as a gift were also fantastic. Seeing the Toyama specialty of tororo kombu rice balls lined up was truly moving. I want to make it a point to visit this place in each season.
We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience.
