I visited Tokuha Motonari, located around Demachiyanagi.This popular restaurant is now incredibly difficult to book, and I was finally able to visit on my reserved date. I'm so glad to experience the delicious season of sweetfish and conger eel again this year!What stands out about this place is the exceptional cooking technique. The quality of the ingredients is evident, and the way they are cooked to match each fish and vegetable is truly remarkable. I was thoroughly satisfied once again.Here’s what I had:◎ Sansho Tea I started with sansho tea to refresh my palate. Its lovely aroma was perfect for kicking off the meal.◎ Lotus Leaf Cover A dish featuring Dadacha Edamame puree, soy milk, and yuzu vinegar. This dish uses Dadacha Edamame from the chef's hometown, Yamagata, and the rich flavor of the beans is incredible.◎ Simmered Abalone with Liver Sauce Tender abalone served with a rich liver sauce. The sauce is simply delicious!◎ Eggplant Somen Inside the beautifully prepared eggplant, there are baby octopuses. This dish is refreshing and has a delightful texture.◎ Kitasu Uni Sushi The sweetness of the sea urchin is nicely complemented by the sansho leaf.◎ Kamo Eggplant and Akou Fish Soup The creamy Kamo eggplant absorbs the umami of the Akou fish broth. The broth was exceptionally good.◎ Sashimi Platter of Akashi Tsubasu, Horse Mackerel, Tuna, and Octopus Served with grated daikon ponzu and soy sauce. This assorted platter allows you to enjoy the unique flavors of each fish.◎ Grilled Conger Eel This dish left a strong impression on me. I compared three different cooking times: "20 seconds longer" and "40 seconds longer" from a nearly rare state. Personally, I preferred the middle cooking time, as it brought out the sweetest flavor, making me realize just how delicious conger eel can be.◎ Conger Eel Jelly and Conger Eel Sashimi A seasonal delight featuring conger eel in various forms.◎ Grilled Sweetfish with Sesame-Seasoned Manganji Pepper An enormous sweetfish! It was grilled slowly over charcoal, making it crispy from head to tail. It's amazing that you can eat the whole thing. It pairs perfectly with the yuzu vinegar. The sesame-seasoned Manganji pepper served alongside was also incredibly delicious.◎ Sesame Tofu A simple dish that showcases the chef's skill. Smooth and rich.◎ River Whale Croquette with Yuyuga and Burdock in White Miso The croquette was simmered in white miso for four days until tender. This flavor is exactly to my liking—delicious and comforting.◎ Shimmering Rainbow White Rice Served with red miso soup, pickled jerusalem artichoke, cucumber, and Hatahata fish. Even the rice was delicious.◎ Unagi Zaku Rice Bowl The combination of eel and vinegared vegetables is irresistible. A luxurious finish to the meal.◎ Conger Eel Chazuke A delightful way to enjoy conger eel until the very end.◎ White Peach, Shine Muscat, and White Wine Jelly Refreshing with the sweetness of the fruit and the lightness of the jelly.◎ Ozenzai A comforting sweetness.◎ Matcha I concluded with matcha.This course allowed me to thoroughly enjoy seasonal ingredients, especially sweetfish and conger eel.The comparison of cooking techniques for the conger eel and the sweetfish was truly impressive. It felt like they had pushed the limits of how to make the ingredients delicious, reminding me once again of the incredible skill involved in cooking. It's no wonder that reservations are so difficult to secure. I left feeling completely satisfied.
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