2015-12-06, A Very Special Dinner

I was invited to a special dinner with a couple of my adult students, a friend of theirs and Emily the preschool teacher.  Miho had been to this place before with some coworkers, and she thought we would enjoy it.  The 'restaurant' is actually 1 table in a small room with an old fashioned idori cooking area and a small kitchen behind the counter.  Let me show you.

Emily, Hiroko, Yuri, Miho

 Cooking over charcoal like this is called idori ryouri.

The man back there is preparing the food and the woman on the left (I assumed his wife but I'm not sure about that) serves.

A party of 5 -10 people reserves the restaurant for the night and the chef uses fresh local ingredients which vary by season.  I would say this falls into the category of 'slow food' for sure.  There is also a good selection of Japanese liquors.  We started off with the best sake I've ever had, served cold in this cute glass pitcher with these beautiful little glasses.

The sake was in the green part and there was ice water in the larger clear part.

.

The proper way to poor drinks - liquor, tea or anything - for others.

Here are the starters. 

A very typical dish of hijiki seaweed with some fried tofu and
konyaku (devil's tongue is the English translation for konyaku - doesn't help much).

This is funazushi - old style fermented crucian carp.  It's a specialty of the area.  It often smells, a lot,  this didn't but still...
neither my nor Emily's favorite.  It's VERY salty.  Miho thought it tasted a little like cheese.  I didn't.  It's interesting that they served so much of it because really just a few slices is enough even if you like it.  Maybe they serve a whole fish to each party.  They did pack up the leftovers for those who wanted them.  It was a beautifully presented dish for sure and the sake went with it perfectly.

Next.  This fish was grilled on the charcoal in front of us.  The skin was so crispy and delicious.

We couldn't figure out what this fish is called in English.  The translation said it was some
kind of mackerel but it was from the lake not the ocean.

The plates were beautiful too.

Leeks, taro and asparagus (which we ate before I took the picture).

We had finished the sake and I had some plum wine (no pic).

The taro root.

The highlight - I've never seen this before.  It's uchiwaebi - fan lobster.  Yum!

And this is cooked rice wrapped around bamboo poles which will be put into our soup.

Hiroko doesn't like beef (except for hamburger and sausage) so she was served
this special variety of chicken.

The rest of us shared this piece of beef.

The beef was coated in pepper and was accompanied by a little soy sauce and this wasabi topping.
We each had 2 small pieces.

The last course was soup with the rice from the bamboo poles, lots of leek
and a little chicken in a nice light broth.

We ended the meal with some nice tea.

I have always wanted to go to the countryside and stay in an old house and have a meal like this.  So I'm halfway there now!  It really was a very nice evening.