One night, I received an invitation from the curry master, a mouse-woman yokai, and revisited Kushi Katsu A-bon in Ashiya. It was a lively gathering with some friends I hadn't seen in a while, starting around 8:30 PM. As I stepped through the entrance of this hard-to-reserve restaurant, I was greeted by the ever-smiling chef and his team at the counter. Just watching the skewers frying to a delicate color right in front of me made me want to have a drink right away. Cheers!･:*+.\(( °ω° ))/.:+Here’s what we enjoyed that day! - Okra - Scallops, perfectly rare♡ - Shrimp, Thai, shiso, plum, and cheese - Beef - Eggplant mousse? - Shrimp - Lotus root - Rich fillet - Pork - Mushroom cream croquette - Taro and crab - Not sure what this was! - Burdock - Soybeans? A warm, gooey one. - Matsutake mushrooms - Sweet corn - and more!･:*+.\(( °ω° ))/.:+The signature shrimp was light and crispy on the outside, bursting with sweetness inside—truly a reliable star of the meal. The atmosphere was so relaxed that my friend and I even played around by making a heart shape with our shrimp. The taro and crab were comforting classics, and I couldn't help but do a little fist pump in my heart every time they were served. This time, the standout was definitely the scallops. The batter was still light, but the half-cooked scallops packed with umami made a strong impression. With each bite, the sweetness of the sea spread in my mouth—this was the best skewer of the day. To be honest, the overwhelming excitement I felt during my first visit might have faded a bit this time. Still, enjoying the perfect trio of taro, crab, and scallops, along with the freshly fried signature shrimp at this counter, is truly special. I might be feeling a bit different about fried food due to my age, but the light batter and meticulous preparation are still as good as ever! A few days later, the chef was heading to Edo to open his new place, "Juu-bon!" "Of course, ours is still better!" he said with a playful smile. By the way, my friend mentioned that at Juu-bon, they had a course with champagne for six people, which sounded like a blast! Chef, please stay healthy and keep up the great work! It was a great meal!
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