It's been a while since my last visit. This is my fourth time here, and I arrived smoothly at the restaurant from Nihonbashi Station without getting lost.1. Hatoshi... with salt on the left! This classic Nagasaki dish features shrimp paste kneaded until sticky, sandwiched between slices of bread and deep-fried. The crispy bread and the sweet, firm texture of the shrimp are delightful. So delicious!2. Kuruma Ebi... with coarse salt in front! The aroma of the oil, the refined crispy coating on the plate, and the lingering sweetness at the end are simply perfect.3. Kuruma Ebi... for the second one, served with grated daikon! The coating is adjusted to better hold the sauce. The crispy and light coating further enhances its presence.4. Red Eggplant... with tempura sauce or salt! This Kumamoto-grown Higo Murasaki is soft and juicy. It’s amazing how much moisture it contains! Asanuma-san’s cooking brings out the eggplant's sweetness and makes it even more tender and juicy.5. Kisu... the perfectly crispy coating is fantastic! The delicate kisu melts away in your mouth like foam. The moisture in the coating is minimized, allowing the delicate, thick texture of the kisu to shine through. Absolutely delicious!6. Yamagata Mogami Shiitake... I’ll have it as is since it’s topped with tempura sauce. It has wonderful softness and sweetness. The moisture of the shiitake is perfectly sealed and released.7. Iwaki Oysters... I’ll have it with tempura sauce. The umami, beautifully emulsified by Asanuma-san’s cooking, clings to my tongue. The oysters are well-prepared, so there’s no trace of the typical fishy smell. The texture is plump, and the deep sweetness of the iwaki oysters is fully brought out. This is delicious!8. Cucumber and Water Eggplant with Ume... a refreshing palate cleanser.9. Tachiuo with Shiso... with tempura sauce! The softness of the tachiuo adds to the delicacy of the kisu, making it wonderful! The crispy, perfectly cooked coating reveals the juicy and incredibly delicate hot tachiuo. While the kisu was great, this offers a different level of tenderness. The skin is thoroughly removed, allowing the pure flavor to shine.10. Snap Peas... one with salt and one with soy sauce! The snap peas, wrapped in a delicate coating with minimized moisture, subtly assert their aroma and sweetness. The soy sauce pairs better with this.11. Asparagus... with salt! When you bite into it, the perfectly sealed moisture bursts out juicily. Plus, it’s pleasantly sweet.12. Aori Ika... I ordered aori ika from the additional four types. I’ll enjoy it with black shichimi soy sauce. The gently cooked, soft aori ika teaches me about its sweetness. The umami lingers delightfully.13. Scallop wrapped in seaweed... The thick scallops, aged overnight to remove excess moisture, are wonderfully fibrous and super sweet. The naturally sweet scallops, cooked by Asanuma-san, smile seductively, enveloped in the aroma of nori. The black shichimi and soy sauce work beautifully.14. Tokachi’s Make Queen... The elegant sweetness gently seeps in. It was rested for quite a while after frying, so the sweetness feels settled.15. Anago... with tempura sauce! The anago, steamed to perfection with the right amount of moisture, releases a wonderful aroma. The thrill of dipping the crispy coating into the generous amount of tempura sauce with grated daikon is one of the true pleasures of tempura.⭐︎ Shijimi Red Miso Soup... The gentle acidity subtly blends with the umami of the shijimi.16. Mentaiko Rice... I was excited to see mentaiko added to the closing lineup during my absence! The center remains rare while the edges are lightly cooked, creating a beautiful gradient. This is incredible— I could eat bowl after bowl of this! It’s like shuto in the tempura world.17. Tempura Rice Bowl... The kakiage with asparagus and plump small shrimp is lightly dipped in sauce before being served. The aroma and flavor of the sauce come through strongly, making it delicious! The small grains of rice balance the delicate outline of the kakiage.◾︎ Sapporo Lager Beer Aka boshi◾︎ Fujisaki◾︎ Fujisaki LXX... This one has a refreshing finish that doesn’t feel like sweet potato, served as a soda highball!◾︎ Keisui... I’ll finish with this dry and easy-to-drink food pairing sake.I thoroughly enjoyed Asanuma's style of tempura, where the coating is the star. The unforgettable experience of biting into the "Iwaki Oysters" coated in tempura sauce with plenty of grated daikon is something I will cherish.
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