First VisitIn the spring of 2021, I was introduced to this restaurant by the owner during my visit to a unique Italian place in Matsuyama. I made a reservation about a month ago, planning to combine it with a firefly viewing, but unfortunately, due to rain on the day, I decided to just go for drinks instead.I entered at 18:05 (5 minutes late). The interior features a tatami-mat L-shaped counter with about 9 seats. There seem to be private rooms in the back and on the second floor. The kitchen staff consists of the head chef and one apprentice, while the floor staff includes three women, making a total of five people.Here’s what was served:1. 【Soup】Imabari: Mr. Fujimoto: Hamo (pike eel) Broth: 6-hour sake-steamed hamo bones Soup ingredient: Hamo Accompaniment: None Garnish: Green yuzu 2. 【Sashimi-1】 Ainans: Mr. Hamada: Kiji-hanbata (Japanese rockfish) Hojo-oki: Mr. Fujimoto: Tora-uo (Tiger fish), liver + skin + stomach 3. 【Sashimi-2】 Ainans: Mr. Hamada: Kiji-hanbata, Oomonn-hanbata (large striped fish) fried, served with onion sauce 4. 【Sashimi-3】 Hojo-oki: Mr. Fujimoto: Grilled squid stuffed with its own tentacles 5. 【Palate Cleanser】 Pickled eggplant and myoga (Japanese ginger) 6. 【Sashimi-4】 Niihama: Mr. Fujimoto?: Fried Sawara (Spanish mackerel) 7. 【Small Soup】 Imabari: Mr. Fujimoto: Tora-uo bone broth 8. 【Side Dish】 Imabari: Mr. Fujimoto: Fried Yori-ebi (sweet shrimp) 9. 【Bowl Dish-1】 Imabari: Mr. Fujimoto: Grilled Anago (conger eel) 10. 【Noodle Dish】 Ainans: Mr. Hamada: Steamed rice with Shiro-amadai (sweetfish), served with a sauce of green peas, edamame, and butterbur 11. 【Bowl Dish-2】 Menkawa River: Previous generation (the head chef's father): Wild Ayu (sweetfish) caught by traditional fishing: grilled with salt, served with natural wasabi 12. 【Noodle Dish】 Imabari: Mr. Fujimoto: 2-year aged somen (thin wheat noodles) in sea bream broth, served with Mikuniya's nori (seaweed) and homemade yuzu pepper 13. 【Rice-1】 Uwajima: Tarikuhongan: Himenorin (rice) Ozu: Kajita Shoten: Barley miso, Matsuyama fried tofu, local chives miso soup Assorted pickles 14. 【Rice-2】 Uwajima: Tai-meshi (sea bream rice), egg yolk pickled 15. 【Rice-3】 Shikoku Karst natural soft-shelled turtle porridge 16. 【Dessert】 Milk ice cream with new tea from Shingu Village With such a variety of ingredients and dishes served, along with two glasses of sake, the total bill came to just a little over JPY 24,000, which is incredibly reasonable. Moreover, they efficiently managed cooking for a group in a private room while I was there, and my stay lasted only about two hours, showcasing their impressive speed and skill.Here are my impressions of the meal:- According to the head chef, all ingredients, except for the wasabi from Izu, are sourced from Ehime. The abundance of seafood left a strong impression.- 1 & 7: The fish bone broth, which doesn’t rely on bonito or kombu, is featured in various restaurants... it might be a fundamental aspect of Ehime cuisine. The seventh dish was particularly rare.- When I asked if there was any Tora-uo fin sake, I was served fugu (pufferfish) fin sake warmed up...- 2: It was disappointing that the Tora-uo liver was served blanched... the umami flavor was about 1/10th of what it would be as sashimi.- 9: This seemingly simple dish was surprisingly the most impressive. The sticky fat between the skin and flesh, along with the moist texture, was closer to unagi (grilled eel) than anago... I would love to request it as kabayaki (grilled with sauce) if possible...- 11: A unique strength of this restaurant is the ayu caught by the previous generation. When the head chef described the "Menkawa River" as Japan's clearest stream, I was puzzled, but it turns out it’s the upper reaches of the "Niyodogawa River," which has been recognized multiple times by the Ministry of the Environment as Japan's clearest river. I was thrilled to finally try this highly sought-after fish. Despite the fishing season just opening on June 1st, the fish was a magnificent size of around 23 cm. The aroma was subtly sweet, reminiscent of grains—perhaps similar to corn?- 【Bonus】A photo from the upper reaches of the "Niyodogawa River" in the fall of 2021, at "Ankyo Valley." I feel compelled to witness the beauty of the upper reaches...- 12 & 14: The local cuisine of Ehime is expertly arranged with top-quality ingredients... I doubt there’s any better local cuisine than this.I look forward to visiting again during the ayu season.