Back from Japan, I joined the gourmet group’s first get-together in a while, held at Namhae Bada. Lots of familiar faces, which was nice to see.
Pomfret sashimi and hairtail sashimi
This was my first time eating hairtail raw. It had been prepped really well.
Mineo (croaker) jeon
I prefer it sliced a bit thicker, but this was tasty too. Mineo season is finally here. I’m looking forward to it.
Sweet potato shochu
I bought this in Japan just for an occasion like this. The airport duty-free shop was selling the Tomino Hozan series. Good sweet potato shochu has a floral aroma, so it’s perfect with sashimi that has sweet flesh.
Boiled whale meat (suyuk)
I’ve rarely seen suyuk cooked this well. It was way better than most specialist places.
Grilled Mokpo black hairtail
The hairtail was really big and delicious. I’ve hardly ever seen a hairtail this big in my life.
Eel soup (jangeo-tang)
This was the most moving dish of the night. Done Namdo-style with bang-a leaves (Korean mint), it tastes clean and refreshing. I think I’ll be craving it often.
Dessert
Taking care of dessert too is one of this group’s virtues. It was a great meal. Afterwards we moved on to one of the members’ homes for a glass (?) of single malt. It was a wonderful night.