During the day, I suddenly found myself thinking about sea urchin and eel. Since I hadn't visited Higuchi during this season, I asked a regular customer if they would be serving sea urchin and eel today. Hmm, I wonder?Ah, it's June... At Higuchi, the menu is determined by the day's fresh ingredients, which adds to the excitement of waiting at the counter to see what will be served. But I can't help but be curious about the eel and sea urchin that popped into my mind.On this day, I met up with a regular customer right in front of the restaurant. As light rain fell, the owner opened the door for us. I was the first one in (laughs), followed by other regulars.I was seated right in front of the chef, and just as I was about to settle in, my dining companion whispered, "Isn't that eel?" Oh, it is eel! I must be psychic—this was definitely a sign! (laughs)While we were eating, my dining companion pointed to a wooden box. Ah, sea urchin!It's not red sea urchin, but it's the purple sea urchin from Karatsu! I love Aomori, but I absolutely adore the purple sea urchin from Karatsu. It really was a sign.But that's not all; everything that came out, including the white sweetfish, was incredible. When I asked the chef, he mentioned that he relies on a skilled fishmonger, and that person is truly amazing. The deliciousness of the fish combined with the chef's cooking techniques and the care put into the ingredients was simply outstanding.On this day, I tried all the rice dishes, finishing with soba. I was stuffed!My dining companion even had seconds of both rice and soba.We shared some sake. Since my sake cup was smaller than my dining companion's, I chose a larger cup, while they opted for a guinomi (sake cup). Are they a foodie or just competitive? They were like a child, so amusing! (laughs) It was another delightful dining experience.We spent nearly three and a half hours there. I love this leisurely pace; it allows for relaxation. The hospitality was wonderful.My dining companion headed to a second location afterward, disappearing along the way.Next time will be in autumn, but I have a prior engagement in Kyoto, so I’ll have to bow out. Since this place requires a minimum of two people, I wonder which sake cup my dining companion will choose next time?- Tempura Roots and leaves of hamabōfū with clam dashi sauce. The texture and flavor of the hamabōfū roots and leaves, reminiscent of ginseng, were delightful, and the clam sauce was perfectly seasoned.- Sesame-dressed Vegetables Fuki, Moroccan beans, dried daikon, fava beans, kinome, kogomi, and cucumber. The chef prepared this dish carefully, adding dashi right in front of us, filling the air with its aroma.- Pike Conger The chef rhythmically sliced the pike conger right in front of me. What a magnificent knife! The pike conger was grilled with its skin and served with onion soy sauce.- Soup Grilled eel (from Kagoshima) and scooped tofu. The fluffy grilled eel and the soft, plump scooped tofu made for a wonderful combination.- Sashimi Sea bream and purple sea urchin (from Karatsu). The sea bream was flavorful, and the purple sea urchin was sweet. It was exquisite.- Spring Rolls White shrimp, snow peas, and milk clam dashi. Best enjoyed while hot.- Grilled Sweetfish The season for young sweetfish is ending. Could it be from Lake Biwa? Perfectly cooked.- Soup Fried Kamo eggplant in white miso, with dashi made from the bones of Akashi sea bream. I love white miso zoni, and the combination of fried Kamo eggplant, white miso, and Akashi sea bream dashi was fantastic.- Fried Venison with Peas The umami of the venison was sealed in by frying, allowing us to savor the rich red meat.- White Sweetfish and Small Turnip Yuzu Flower Soup I thought it was a large white sweetfish while watching the chef cut it, but my knowledgeable dining companion pointed out it was a different fish. It certainly looked like a large white sweetfish, though! I just don’t have enough knowledge to think of anything else.The chef hires a skilled fishmonger who prepares the fish on-site, and they arrive by air freight to be ready by lunchtime. The fish is sent via photo, allowing for quick planning.- Braised Beef - Pickles - Rice - Sweetfish Rice - Chazuke (with fried clams) - Steamed Dish - Mizu Yokan (with konatsu) - Monaka **Drinks** We shared a one-go of sake. I asked the owner to choose for us. - Umeshu Soda - Aozora - Atago no Matsu Photos are prohibited for everything except drinks. Private reservations and private rooms allow for photos.