I finally had the chance to visit Hiyama, which I've been looking forward to for a long time. I wanted to come during the matsutake mushroom season, but it seems they are fully booked until the end of next year. Since I live very close by, I would love to visit more often! However, it has been years without availability! I had high expectations, so I felt a bit let down.The first dish was a seasonal appetizer of matsutake mushrooms and taro stems. The aroma of the matsutake and the crunchiness of the taro stems were delightful and very delicious.For sashimi, I had the fatty tuna from the Yamazaki Ryuhito line, and the abalone sashimi from Ohara, Chiba. The knife skills were impressive, but the abalone was sliced very thinly. I personally enjoy the texture of abalone, so I found it a bit lacking. Where did the liver go?Next was the grilled ayu (sweetfish). The chef grilled it over the finest binchotan charcoal, which was a treat.Then came the grilled sea eel, which was very thick and served with fresh caviar and wasabi. I learned that sea eel lives in deep waters, which makes its muscles well-developed, resulting in a thick layer of collagen that overpowers the wasabi.I also had the sea eel kabayaki clay pot rice.For the shabu-shabu, we enjoyed matsutake mushrooms, mekabu seaweed, mozuku seaweed, and green onions in a flavorful broth, dipping the eel into it.We also had octopus rice, pickles, and dessert.It was a truly extravagant meal. I was able to take home the leftover rice and shabu-shabu broth as a souvenir.
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