My visit to Hirokado at the end of June was a delightful lunch after the typhoon.The eight-counter seats were fully booked.As usual, I opted for the omakase course, paired with a Japanese sake pairing (JPY 9,200), while my designated driver enjoyed a non-alcoholic set of six items (JPY 6,600).I started with a small glass of beer.Once all the guests were seated, the chef introduced the fresh ingredients of the day, most of which were sourced from Tsurumi Market in Saiki City, Oita Prefecture:- Oomon Hata (Grouper)- Natural Clams- Farmed Sea Eel (raised for three years)- Natural Eel- Local Octopus from SaikiThen came the aroma of roasted buckwheat.We enjoyed freshly brewed soba tea, savoring its glossy and juicy flavor.The first sake was from Fukushima Prefecture, a favorite of the chef. I became a fan as well.The first dish featured grated natural yam, steamed crab from Saiki, and crab miso mixed in.I could have easily enjoyed more than one drink with this dish (laughs).The pestle used was said to be made from a prickly ash tree, with a unique rough bark.Next, we had sake from Kuroda Samurai in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, which is from the chef's apprentice's hometown. This was also one of my favorites.The next dish was described as "natural sweetfish served like ochazuke (tea over rice)."It featured dried sweetfish, combined with glutinous rice and liver, accented with small cucumber pieces.The broth was thick, finished with kabosu citrus.Next was Tanaka Rokugo from Fukuoka Prefecture, polished to 65 with an alcohol content of 13, from Itoshima.In the bowl, a large clam was cut for easy eating.The aroma of the first dashi was breathtaking, with delicate umami flavors that left me in awe, garnished with kinome (young leaves) and sansho leaves.From Nagasaki Prefecture, we had Yokoyama, which was dry yet flavorful.The local octopus was blanched, served with plum and ponzu jelly.The meticulous preparation and beautiful knife work allowed for a variety of textures to enjoy.Next was Nabeshima sake, served in a large ochoko (sake cup).The sashimi was Oomon Hata, served with skin, liver, and stomach, all utilized beautifully.I felt like shouting "Delicious!"—it was heavenly.Here, we were introduced to the ingredients, including abalone caught in Saiki.From Nagasaki Prefecture, we had HIRAN.The sea urchin was red sea urchin from Saiki, and the sauce made with abalone liver was irresistible.The abalone from Saiki was lightly steamed with sake, offering an exquisite texture and flavor.The sake was from Sasebo, Issui Nishikou.We then started the hassun (seasonal platter).It included shabu-shabu of Oomon Hata, grated daikon, and braised local octopus, along with various vegetables like mukashi yasai, green beans, okawakame, salad pumpkin, and carrot puree, seasoned with dashi and salt.The sake was Yamano Kotobuki from Kurume.Good times.The tempura was served one by one: green beans, new onions, okra, and pickled shallots, along with corn tempura.The sake was Kumamoto's Hibari.The natural eel was grilled white, with a firm texture and a wild, muscular flavor.The farmed eel was served as kabayaki (grilled with sauce).It was wrapped in sansho, buckwheat, and kabosu, with a soft texture and rich umami.The sake was Kumamoto's Kyuuyou Masamune, unfiltered and fresh.We enjoyed fresh shirasu (whitebait) from Toyoyomaru, cooked in dashi and served with clay pot rice.This luxurious natural fuki and shirasu rice was best enjoyed plain at first, then as ochazuke with dashi.Topped with lightly fried shirasu for a delightful texture.We had miso soup and pickles.The sake was Shiki Sakura from Tochigi Prefecture.Finally, I was in ecstasy over my favorite soba.I regretted not ordering the large size.The lychee was made using geothermal heat from hot springs.It was the first fresh lychee I encountered outside of Miyazaki, accented with Japanese mint.For dessert, we had yomogi (mugwort) kinton.Once again, I enjoyed a blissful time filled with love at the counter, experiencing the chef's hospitality, the dishes created in collaboration with producers, gratitude and respect for the ingredients, and the trust between the chef and his apprentices. It was an irreplaceable moment of happiness, filled with kindness.I look forward to seeing you again next time.Thank you very much.It was a great meal! (^^)
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