After spending a night in Shibata, I arrived in Murakami, the northernmost city in Niigata Prefecture, right next to Yamagata Prefecture.It took about 35 minutes from Shibata Station via the JR Ugo Main Line. My goal was to have lunch at Kappou Shintaku.Since it was said to take over 20 minutes to walk from the station, I took a taxi. Along the way, I passed through a charming old street, where projects are underway to preserve the remnants of the samurai and merchant towns. It’s wonderful to see.Kappou Shintaku has a magnificent exterior surrounded by black walls. I never expected it to be such a large establishment. It feels like a traditional ryotei! There’s even a separate building in the back, which is impressive!The main building doesn’t seem too old, but once inside, the atmosphere transforms into a beautiful Japanese-style space. While wood is used throughout, the high ceilings and white plastered walls create a modern feel. In contrast, the counter and tables are beautifully lacquered, and the shelves resemble a mix of traditional Japanese and Western styles from the Meiji era!The restaurant is a long-established establishment that branched off from the ryotei Noto Shin in the same city in 1867 (Keio 3), now in its fifth generation. The building was constructed in 2006 (Heisei 18).Now, what kind of seasonal course can we enjoy at this wonderful restaurant?- Appetizer - Chilled Edamame Chawanmushi Made with edamame of the summer variety "Kaze no Kaori" blended with kombu dashi. The flavor of the edamame is prominent, and it’s cold and delicious—this is the perfect summer appetizer! - Small Sea Bream Marinated small sea bream soaked in its own dashi for 30 minutes, topped with pickled plum and dashi. The sea bream is tender and its umami is enhanced. The plum sauce on top pairs perfectly.- Soup - Arakawa and Okahijiki A soup made with arakawa and land seaweed. The arakawa is lightly grilled on the surface while remaining semi-raw inside. It’s my first time seeing arakawa shaped into balls. The texture and strong saltiness are incredibly delicious. I’ve never tasted arakawa this good before!- Sashimi - Mebaru Sashimi of mebaru served with a jelly made from simmered fish. I was instructed to start with the jelly, which I enjoyed without any condiments. This jelly is made from mebaru, sweet sea bream, and cod. It has a rich, natural flavor. Next, I enjoyed the mebaru with wasabi and soy sauce. The aroma from the lightly grilled skin, the creamy texture beneath, and the rich flavor of the fatty flesh were all perfect! - Koya Tofu (off-menu) A palate cleanser. You can eat it in one bite… I’ve never had koya tofu that melts in my mouth like this before! - Iwagaki Iwagaki oysters from Iwakizaki, aged in dashi. Truly the milk of the sea! I’ve never had such delicious oysters before! However, it seems that Iwagaki oysters are becoming harder to catch...- Bite-sized Dish - Grilled Eggplant Grilled eggplant topped with a generous amount of freshly shaved katsuobushi. Is this eggplant really grilled eggplant? Haha! The katsuobushi can be enjoyed as is or soaked in dashi.- Rice Dish - Ayu Rice Rice prepared with ayu from the Okawa River in Murakami. The grilled ayu, along with its head and bones, are deep-fried and included. The texture is enhanced with cucumber. The tender flesh has a wonderful aroma and bitterness. Delicious! During this season, grilled ayu is everywhere, but it seems they haven’t served grilled ayu here for years!- Main Plate - Wild Boar and Tsuru Murasaki A salad made with wild boar, served over blanched tsuru murasaki. Topped with crushed almonds and fried rice. The wild boar is sliced thinly, and its flavor and texture are reminiscent of prosciutto! Delicious! - Mizukumo (off-menu) Served with a broth made from en-kai (also known as igai, a type of mussel). Topped with grated sudachi peel. The crunchy texture of the mizukumo is delightful.- Grilled Dish - Mebaru Grilled mebaru served with its own dashi. The skin, grilled to a crisp over charcoal, and the firm flesh are both delicious! The dashi is also flavorful, enhanced by a squeeze of sudachi!- Vinegared Dish - Sweet Sea Bream and Cucumber Three pieces of salted sweet sea bream, with the top piece enjoyed as is. The remaining pieces are served with cucumber vinegar. I had no idea sweet sea bream could be this flavorful! When paired with cucumber vinegar, the taste changes, revealing a more complex umami.- Hot Dish - Yuyou, Wild Boar, Tomato, and Green Beans A clay pot dish made with yuyou. The white part is a puree of yuyou, the green is green beans, the red is tomato, and underneath is shredded wild boar. Essentially, it’s the fruit of yuyou before it becomes dried gourd (fukube), but I had no idea it could be prepared this way. It’s sweet and creamy, reminiscent of cream stew. The texture of the green beans and the acidity of the tomato, along with the umami of the wild boar, all work wonderfully together! Delicious! It’s like Murakami’s Margherita! Haha!- Meal - Rice Dish: Hiramasu Sushi Sushi made with pounded hiramasu, layered with wasabi and kanzuri. The dish is accompanied by soy sauce-pickled zucchini. The crunchy texture of the wasabi is delightful. Oh, the zucchini is delicious! - Locally sourced Koshihikari rice from Iwafune - Accompaniments (nukazuke of small sea bream, boiled octopus, fried wild boar, and sake-pickled octopus) - Miso soup with Iwafune fu - Pickled Juzen eggplant This set meal concludes the dishes. The sake-pickled octopus was a spontaneous creation today. It will become even more flavorful in a couple of days. If there’s any left, I might use it for the staff meal! Haha.- Dessert - Corn Ice Cream This is truly corn! Haha! So delicious.The combination of ingredients from Murakami and throughout Niigata Prefecture, the skillful cooking, and the creative use of ingredients filled me with inspiration, even though I’m not a chef. The head chef was also an interesting person, making it enjoyable for the eyes, ears, and palate. I definitely want to visit again. It was a great meal!
We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience.
