I visited the Japanese restaurant "Seizan" in Mita. Once again, I was delighted by the exquisite flavors and beautiful presentation of the dishes.The first course featured a Miyagi crab. The crab shell was oddly shaped, which caught our attention, but it takes two weeks of meticulous preparation to create this dish. Incredible! The tender crab meat and the rich roe, topped with okra seasoned with dashi, packed a burst of umami and a refreshing aftertaste that was simply irresistible.The soup was made with Awaji's white sweet sea bream. The deliciousness of the fish itself was enhanced by the wonderful garnishes of myoga, white leek, and Edo komatsuna.For sashimi, we enjoyed Akou from Akashi, torigai from Mikawa, and botan shrimp from Hokkaido. Each had a firm texture and delightful flavor, but the torigai stood out with its rich umami and delightful crunch.The next dish was chilled somen noodles from Shodoshima, topped with Awaji's new onions and Okayama's konoko. It felt like a celebration of the Seto Inland Sea. The somen was wonderfully chewy and delicious on its own, but combined with the ingredients and dashi, it was a symphony of flavors. The dish was served in a bowl adorned with nine horses, symbolizing good fortune in the Year of the Horse.The highlight of my meal was the grilled dish: unagi (grilled eel) served as shiroyaki with Kyoto Fushimi chili peppers. The skin was perfectly crispy, while the meat was tender and juicy. The sweetness of the chili complemented the eel beautifully, making it a contender for the best shiroyaki of my life. The balance of grilling and flavor was outstanding.For the fried dish, we had natural oysters from Maizuru, Kyoto. They were large but not overwhelming in flavor; each bite was packed with umami, and the vegetables served alongside were delightful.The simmered dish featured abalone from Aomori's Mutsu Bay, paired with Kumamoto's red eggplant. What I thought was seaweed turned out to be abalone liver, and the layering of flavors was simply extraordinary.As for drinks, we focused on Japanese sake, which ranged from crisp and dry to rich in rice flavor, all delicious. My favorite of the day was "Tanaka Rokugo," with its rich aroma and subtle sweetness, encapsulating the essence of sake. Plus, the design of the sake cup was lovely.I always look forward to the takikomi gohan (seasoned rice), which this time featured Shamo chicken from Shizuoka and flower pepper. This might have been my first time having Shamo takikomi gohan here. The chicken was dense and had a great bite, paired with the refreshing flower pepper, making it easy to eat more (I had seconds). The red miso soup and pickles were also delicious.For dessert, we enjoyed Miyazaki mango and passion fruit atop a gentle sweet wasanbon cream. The fresh flavors and the hint of Cointreau were delightful.I savored each dish, letting out sighs of admiration. I left feeling completely satisfied and full.
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