I went to Hira Sanso with my dad.In early summer to summer, Hira Sanso serves ayu (sweetfish).This course features grilled ayu from the natural upstream of the Azumigawa River and nearby areas, Hira Sanso's specialty aged sushi with ayu, and ayu rice, allowing you to enjoy ayu to the fullest.The dishes include koi koku (carp soup), dried bear meat, fried river shrimp, aged sushi with ayu, nanban-zuke (sweet and sour) with young ayu, sashimi of koi, and biwa trout, offering a variety of items that are not commonly available.The sashimi of koi was firm and had no unpleasant smell, surprising me with its crunchy texture and refined umami flavor.I tried biwa trout for the first time, and it was rich and sweet, truly delicious.The low-temperature cooked deer meat was also tender and had no gamey taste, which was astonishingly good.The small grilled ayu allowed for a comparison between the ayu from Lake Biwa and the Azumigawa River. Both were grilled to perfection, making them easy to eat whole, and they were so delicious that I could have eaten more.The small pot dish of bear meat cooked in natural soft-shelled turtle broth from Lake Biwa was a delightful combination of flavors, with the richness of the bear meat blending beautifully with the turtle broth. It paired well with the sesame tofu, making it very enjoyable.The naturally caught eel from Lake Biwa, coated and fried, topped with shiso and myoga, served with sansho soy sauce and sesame vinegar, was incredibly tasty.The seasonal dish of white taro stems and round eggplant in Yoshino-style simmering had a pleasant crunch from the taro stems, and the round eggplant soaked in the Yoshino starch sauce was very gentle in flavor.To finish, we had ayu rice. The rice was cooked in broth made from dried ayu from the previous year, and fresh grilled ayu was added. The aroma and umami of the ayu permeated each grain of rice, making it delicious. For the second serving, I had ayu chazuke (rice with broth) topped with ayu broth, which also highlighted the flavor of the ayu and was very tasty.We even enjoyed a dessert of edamame kuzumochi, leaving us completely satisfied. I was able to savor many seasonal blessings.It was a great meal.---Ayu Course MenuKoi KokuDried bear meat from Tsuki no WaJunzai vinegarHassunItadori ohitashiSweetened green plumsFried river shrimpPressed sushi with iwana (char)Aged sushi with young ayuCooked flower pepperRoasted boarNanban-zuke with young ayuSashimiSashimi of koiBiwa troutLow-temperature cooked deer meatGrilled ayu from Lake BiwaGrilled ayu from AzumigawaUruka (fermented ayu)Small pot of moon and soft-shelled turtleBear meat from Tsuki no WaNatural soft-shelled turtle from Lake BiwaSoft-shelled turtle eggsIwatake (mushroom)Sesame tofuFried natural eel from Lake BiwaShisoMyogaSansho soy sauceSesame vinegarYoshino-style simmered white taro stems and round eggplantAyu riceAyu chazuke with ayu brothDessertEdamame kuzumochi
We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience.
