I figured I’d spend this weekend holed up in my room as an internet zombie again, but a last-minute plan came up and I ended up back at Naniwa Sushi, a place I’d been to before. The sushi, as always, never lets anyone down, but the level of the à la carte dishes is high too, not just the sushi. It’s a place worth going back to regularly.
First, a glass of sake
If there’s one thing sushi can’t do without, it’s well-brewed sake, don’t you think? It brings out the flavour of the sushi and lifts the mood of the meal too. But nobody else was drinking that day, so I drank on my own.
Starter: sazae tsuboyaki (turban shell grilled in its shell)
They were a bit small today, but the taste was solid. There’s a flashy bit of theatre with the flames, but it’s the slight bitterness of the innards that really gets your appetite going.
Clear soup
It looks like udon, but it isn’t: the noodles are made from fish paste. Chewy yet light. It was a touch on the salty side, but it was the best udon-style noodle I’ve ever had.
Sushi
It would have tasted even better at the counter, but there were quite a few of us this time, so we sat in the tatami room. The nodoguro in the second row, far right, was a work of art, and the rest of the sushi didn’t fall short in the slightest. Sushi really seems to come into its own once the weather turns cold.
A complimentary à la carte dish: persimmon cheese gratin
A one-of-a-kind presentation, as expected. And of course it tastes great. Everything this place serves is delicious, not just the sushi. That’s the level you need before you can say you do Japanese cuisine. I also like how food in the provinces has its own local character.
Stir-fried squid legs
Nicely salty, just right as a drinking snack.
Sazae
Definitely a smaller one than the ones I’ve had before. Just average. There was tamago as well, but I completely forgot to take a picture.
Otoro
The marbling of fat felt like a bit much. I didn’t actually eat this one, but according to the person who did, it was the best sushi of the day. I’ll have to go back soon and check for myself.