Izakaya Nola
居酒家のら / Izakaya Nora
An adult's hidden gem izakaya in Kushiro
valutazione
Recensioni
fotografia
menù
The most popular item at NORA. Made with fresh minced fish (from Kushiro, using Alaska pollock) and whole fresh cream, it is sweet and can be enjoyed without soy sauce. The wrappers are specially made by a noodle shop. Limited to 3 servings per day.
We make it by simmering chunks of beef cheek in a pressure cooker for 8 hours. It has been a signature dish since our establishment.
This is the most labor-intensive dish. Please touch your own Achilles tendon. The cow is very large. It overhangs the cutting board. It's very fresh. Cooked in a pressure cooker to make it tender, then cut with a deba knife, and back to the pressure cooker. It's a salt-based soup. The texture is something you won't know until you try it.
The second most popular dish in the field.
Satoru's feelings. I visited a fisherman in Yokosuka and ended up purchasing it. There are no horse mackerel in Hokkaido. In Kushiro, there are many people who have come from Honshu for work, and when they first arrive, they eat saury and salmon, but they really want to eat what they are used to. However, it's not available here... If I start talking about this, it won't fit here (laughs), so I'll stop here (laughs).
This is also Satoru's heartfelt sentiment. There are no Kinmedai in Hokkaido. You often see them on TV, though. Well, right now, they are being sent from Tsukiji. Originally, I used to buy them from the market in Yokosuka, and then it became a situation where instead of what was available in the store, I would take them out from the freezer, and it turned into a case of keeping the good ones aside, and it became cheaper to bid at Tsukiji, leading us to the present. The size is hard to convey, but it doesn't fit in regular household dishes (laughs). It's still overflowing now (laughs), about the size of a small Christmas cake.
I went to Misaki Port. It is at the very bottom of the Miura Peninsula. Misaki tuna is said to be a major tuna fishing port, known as the eastern Misaki and western Yaizu. Going to see the auction at 4 AM, there was no one around. In the past, we used to handle Misaki tuna even as a side business, but we have stopped now. It's a shame. I want to revive it someday.
Usually, Tachi is a dialect from Hokkaido until around February (winter limited). Mirin and Tachi Pon (the white roe of true cod) he loves Tachi Pon very much. I have never eaten anything tastier than Tachi Pon. I have absolute confidence. Since it comes out from the belly, the color is somewhat pinkish, and sometimes it's not available in season, and sometimes it is when it's not the season. Everything depends on the Madara. It takes a lot of effort to make it after the order comes in. You get in hot water, drink sake, and take a dip in cold water. The texture is completely different. You want to make it in advance, right? No, no one notices. But here is a mother's pride. It's a commitment that is taken for granted. I convey that. I am struggling with how to present it. Such a beloved Tachi Pon. The mirin bottle keeper pervert. What a wonderful combination. What goes well with this food? What pairs with this sake? I say every time, I don't know. Huh? You're a sake sommelier, right? But I just don't know (laughs). Even a lover, if you haven't been together for a long time, you can't pinpoint it, right? Whether they usually eat soy sauce ramen or salt ramen, whether they are from Kushiro or Sapporo. But I know. Then, when I serve a refreshing sake, oh wow, it's amazing. It refreshes the mouth. I get praised a lot. As expected of a sake sommelier! Probably most restaurants have this kind of flow, right? Because if you say that, it's safe and raises your value. Because I think nigori sake goes well with sashimi. But generally, it doesn't match. It's not that it doesn't match, but sashimi goes with junmai sake. Junmai sake is the true sake party. Sweet sake is heretical. This is that kind of place.
To the left of the tempura is Oobashio. The large leaves are dried and mixed with salt using a pestle. It's nice that Tachipon gets all the praise, but Tachiten is feeling shy.
Kushiro is involved in whaling, and fresh whales are brought in during autumn. This is a part called unesu. I actually wanted to post a picture of it being dropped into a pot from a large chunk, but I don't know how to do that. The color is very dark. Don't you usually see it in pink? That is the color of food coloring. It looks vibrant, doesn't it? This plain color is the proof of being homemade. Over there is a cute whale. It is from Kochi. Since its tail is upright, once you take it, you can no longer put it down. You will end up drinking sake forever. Don't be fooled by its cute appearance.
Doesn't it look like red meat? From here, we sprinkle salt and enter a bath just before boiling... and through various processes, it grows into whale bacon. I want to include growth photos until it becomes whale bacon, but it would take 5 pictures. So just these 2. In 2019, it changed from research whaling to commercial whaling. As the meat quality improved, the price also went up. It's not from the local area but from Toyosu. Last year, only 2 were caught in Kushiro. There are no sardines for food either. I've never eaten the tail meat.
The original reason for offering this was because customers kept saying they wanted to eat it (laughs) about 10 years ago or even longer. From there, we started ordering it and put up a sign outside. Then, we began to see people coming in after noticing the island rakkyo sign. Somehow, people think my mother is from Okinawa (laughs) and then I talk about this whole exchange. We get it sent directly from Okinawan farmers, but it seems to be getting more expensive each year. Last year, the typhoon completely ruined it. The peak season is winter. I suggest eating it raw with miso, but since the smell is strong, I ask if you're prepared to be disliked the next day. If you're working, it might be better to avoid it.
The birthplace of zangi, Kushiro. Each shop and household has its own flavor. In Chinese, it is called Zhaqi. It became Zagi, and to bring good luck, it became Zangi. Fresh meat and frozen meat have different juices that burst in your mouth. People often ask if it is different from fried chicken in Honshu, and yes, it is different.
It feels like Hokkaido. It originated from the Sapporo Grand Hotel. I have tried about 10 types of sesame dressing, and this is where I am now. The dressing is delicious. I drain the water 70 times. I don't like it when the final dressing becomes thin and watery, losing its flavor and becoming less tasty. The face of the mother holding the vegetables on top. When I finish it without losing to that, I feel happy like I became a ramen shop owner while cutting the noodles, but I can't be a 5, and I'm not a 3, I'm a 3.5 existence.
This is Red Moon. It is made from potatoes. A beautiful photo was taken. Depending on the weather, the Red Moon, which looks like sweet potatoes, may not be available on the menu once harvested. However, it became known during the stay-at-home period of the COVID-19 pandemic. People in Tokyo found out about it. Just like seafood goes overseas, Red Moon has also gone to the city, becoming a rare item even in the local area.
100% pumpkin. No binders are used. Some people eat it as a dessert. It's different from pumpkin mochi. What you see in the back is mirin warmed sake sprinkled with black pepper. Nora is a shop that proudly serves mirin.
The peak season in Hokkaido is around June. Real asparagus has a sugar content of 25 degrees, which is the same as Yubari melon. In that case, using butter would be a waste. Just boil it quickly and enjoy it with mayonnaise. When I was 20, I had that asparagus in Furano. Nothing has surpassed that yet. Even though I was a tour conductor, I ate more than the customers during that early summer (laughs)... I'm sorry, Asparagus Butter. It was your stage. But you are popular all year round, so it's okay. Be confident.
Young people → Butter uncle → The flavor of the grilled ingredients comes out when grilled, and sweetness emerges.
What I wanted to convey with this photo is that maitake is really big. A cluster. But it doesn't come across. It's about the size of 10 packs from the supermarket stuck together. It's like a ghostly maitake.
The meat from the meat shop is delicious. The ground meat has a rich color. Beautiful. Clean. It has a slight pink hue and stands out. It doesn't become limp. Just like the vegetable shop, the market meat shop doesn't attract tourists, so it needs support from restaurants to survive. If it disappears, it would be a problem, so local shops need to buy even small quantities.
We ask the butcher for the base and have them make a lump, which we knead. This is a classic product that has been around for a long time. You can only eat this on very lucky days, but the raw meat before freezing is from another dimension. Juicy.
Slowly grilled with far infrared rays, resulting in crispy skin. It has hidden cuts for easier eating. Anyone who comes must try it.
We mix several types of chips and burn them vigorously. We cannot make it in winter because it freezes. We cannot produce a large quantity, so it greatly depends on the weather and our mood. Be prepared to face smoke for a whole day on your day off. There might be one serving a month per person, or maybe ten servings (laughs).
This depends entirely on the sanma. Limited to autumn. If it doesn't have enough fat, it won't taste good. There are customers who look forward to it every autumn, but two years ago, we had to give up. If we make it, it will sell, but if we don't say anything, they surely won't know. That's the mother's commitment. The small bones have been removed, so it can be eaten with peace of mind. This smoked sanma is almost nonexistent, depending on the mother's judgment. We can serve it with confidence. The skin visible in front is crispy. In fact, it is juicy. Almost nonexistent, a phantom.
This is a photo taken when Tsururyu and Takayasu were competing for the championship. Satoru is going back and forth. Mom zone. Smoked hokke. Smoked cheese. Smoked egg. Smoked chikuwa. Satoru zone. Smoked salmon. Smoked cheese smoke. Smoked umeboshi. Firefly squid. Nut-like things. Smoked sake. Burning for 3 hours. I think the best is the egg. Stable. The problematic Satoru zone. Smoked sake. Combination of smoked salmon and smoked salmon. It's innovative. Give it a try (laughs) You're curious, right? (laughs)
It contains smoked squid, chikuwa, lotus root, and shrimp. I was thinking I haven't seen it lately, maybe because it's winter (laughs). Even though it's an appetizer, it's a menu item that often gets refilled.
When written in kanji, komai means icefish. It is caught by drilling holes in the ice during the winter when lakes freeze. It's like the king of smelt fishing. In Hokkaido, it is not highly regarded, but its evaluation in Honshu is very high. Also, people in Honshu eat it whole, which is surprising. You peel it and eat it. With mayonnaise, a little chili powder, and soy sauce. The ones often found in the delicacy section are the hard ones. It's half-dried, so it's semi-raw. Imagine an old man eating it while drinking sake.
People in Kushiro argue about it. The question of whether they prefer willow or Sohachi. This is probably an irreconcilable difference. From my perspective as someone who likes raw fish, both are good, but flounder is very slimy, so you wash that off, soak it in saltwater, dry it with a fan, and vacuum seal it.
We make dashi soy sauce by adding sake and mirin to 1 kilogram of bonito flakes, so it is delicious even when consumed as is. If you go too heavy, it becomes salty. Sometimes people say they want to take it home.
What we have here are whale, sanma, shime-saba, and hon-maguro chu-toro. The sashimi changes depending on the season and the day. The shime-saba uses a local brand called Hokusen-saba. Since it is rich in fat, it is only soaked in vinegar for 10 minutes. It is half-raw, so it is not quite sashimi, but it is different from just shime-saba. I can't explain it anymore. The shime-saba made by my mother is on the right, and the soy sauce marinated botan shrimp is something I bought; I have only seen this once. The sake in the back is all from Hiroshima. After all, this day was when Satoru decided to become a bridge between Kushiro and Hiroshima. These are very special sakes to me. The continuation of the dream-like photos in the drink menu. After such wonderful days, there was an earthquake, and I couldn't return to Kushiro. When I came back, I thought that the first thing to do was to keep the store open. The next time we meet, I want to say, 'That was tough. Thank you.' I was worried about causing trouble, so what can I do? Satoru, becoming a bridge between Kushiro and Hiroshima. I couldn't send packages from Tokyo, but I carried only Taketsuru, Fukuchou, and Kamotsuru in my backpack. And Satoru's hidden sake is now out of stock (laughs). I was in charge of oysters that day, so this time it's Kushiro oysters and seafood. In the past, we were told not to eat oysters in months without an 'R.' I wonder if I was able to repay even a little of the fortune I received that day. Satoru's repayment. What does that even mean? If you look over there and then come here, maybe you'll understand somehow. It's in two parts (laughs). So, on this day, we only had sake from Hiroshima. This is the sashimi from that time.
My tsuma is made by my mother every day. When you buy sashimi from the supermarket, it's usually watery and soggy tsuma, right? The essence of that shop, I think, comes from the beer foam, tsuma, and vegetables. It's not really noticed, yet it takes a lot of effort. I want you to eat the tsuma too. You'll end up liking it.
Many people say 'nora' when they eat Hon Maguro Chutoro. I am very happy about that, but I think eating it at the production area is the best. Personally, I prefer Misaki Port in Kanagawa. It's below Yokosuka. The Mebachi Maguro here is also called Misaki Maguro, and it is rapidly frozen on the ship, so the freshness is top-notch. I want people to eat it at diners that open from 4 AM or near the port. It's one hour from Shinagawa.
Kushiro mackerel (Hokusen mackerel) is a brand of mackerel from Kushiro. Just like how saury used to be caught in large quantities but is now hard to find, mackerel can also be caught or not caught. This is called a change in fish species. When saury became scarce, it was thought that Kushiro would now focus on mackerel. However, it has become hard to catch again, and it happened sooner than expected. Mackerel seems cheap, right? The Kushiro mackerel I bought recently was 2000 yen for one fish. The shime saba at Nola is semi-raw. Since it is frozen, there are no anisakis. Many people say they come to Nola to eat shime saba. Personally, I think it's tastier to eat raw mackerel at the market or the women's association cafeteria in Sagami Bay. I want to eat the round, fresh mackerel that is locally sourced.
It happens a few times a year. In autumn, it's mackerel. It's something I want to see served at the restaurant. When eaten with ponzu, it's refreshing. It's bite-sized. My ambition. Someday, I want it to be on the restaurant menu. I wonder if the day will come when I can overcome this wall of my troublesome mother. While writing this, I started a food blog for customers! When I said 'look at this,' they wanted to try it, and even though I said we usually don't cook rice, I pushed my way through and asked my mother to make it for me. Is it the effect of the food blog? (laughs)
Speaking of which, I really want this to be served at the restaurant. The tuna yukke is also good, but the tuna served there is bluefin tuna's medium fatty part. It changes color quickly because it has a strong fat content. My mom seems to dislike that. So, we eat it at home. With sesame oil, white sesame, and quail eggs, it becomes tuna yukke. This is something I really want to be served at the restaurant because it's truly delicious. This is a food review. It's a photo from home at 8 PM that is not on the menu. I will try hard to negotiate with my mom. Please support me on 2019.2.24.
This is also quite rare, but the medium fatty tuna really changes color quickly. It's because of the strong fat. Personally, I really like it.
When it reaches the size of a fist, it must be the strongest in the sea. I wonder how much it grows in a year. How long did it take to reach this size? And yet, it gets hammered and stripped bare, which is embarrassing. How terrifying humans are. The real name of the true shellfish is Ezo Bora. That's scary in its own way. If it comes with liver, that means it's a confident restaurant. Because if there's even a hint of uncertainty, they hesitate to serve it. From now on, if you order shellfish sashimi at a restaurant and it comes with liver, you can trust that it's a reliable place. Wow, liver and sake. It feels like a real experience.
After seeing the explanation of sashimi, it makes sense, right? It's big. Depending on the season, it could be Hokkigai or scallops. Tsubu is delicious when stir-fried with lettuce and a little soy sauce added to mayonnaise, combining the crunchiness of tsubu and the crispness of lettuce. A few years ago, there was a red tide that nearly wiped them out, but they have recently started to appear again. However, in September 2023, it seems that many are dying in the sea. The seawater temperature is too high, making it a difficult environment for them to survive.
Tantaka refers to a flatfish called Matsukawa. It is the tantaka from the shiso shochu called Tandakatam. Have you seen the label? It depicts an Ainu legend. The main character is Tantaka-kun. Foxes, rabbits, and deer. Let's eat tantaka while watching Tandakatam. Oh, it's fresh because you order it in the morning and they prepare it for you. There is an aquarium at the place I always order from.
Tantaka and Matsu are living together.
It comes from Norway. It is caught from the fish farm and arrives in Japan within 48 hours. Remarkably, by chartered plane. The water temperature in the Arctic Circle is 6°C, about the same as beer in a refrigerator. Moreover, it is raised at a density that is about three times lower than the typical fish farm. It sounds a bit strange in Japanese. Instead of using a three-person room, it is used as a private room. It is raised there and transported by chartered plane. It has no peculiar taste and is rich in fat. That is Aurora Salmon. However, due to the Ukraine issue, the flight routes have changed, and production costs are rising.
In Honshu, it is the common octopus, right? In the west, there is Akashi, and in the east, there is Sazima. In Hokkaido, it is the Pacific giant octopus. It is a monster. On average, it is 3 meters long, with a maximum of 9 meters. It weighs 250 kg. It has 9 brains and 3 hearts. It inhabits depths from shallow waters to 200 meters. It is a creature of legend. Sometimes it washes up on the shore and makes the news, as big as a giant squid. In Hokkaido, they eat the head. However, it is not actually the head but the body. It is so large that you will never see it whole in supermarkets or markets, but please go see the thickness of its legs and the size of its head. You will be amazed.
The serious scallops are crunchy. Satoru's number one recommendation is not to eat scallops at Odaito in Notsuke Peninsula, but to go to the fishing port. Have them open the shells for you right there, and eat the muscle and liver too. It's a two-hour drive from Kushiro. Definitely try it in the local area (laughs). By the way, Satoru likes the green part. It's the part that everyone throws away. I want to collect and eat only that.
Another name is Ubagai. The best way to eat Hokki is to have it as it is without cutting. Clean it after opening. It should be about the size that can fit in your mouth. It's called the Hokki King. In Honshu, many are boiled and turn red, but if you do that to the Hokki King, you won't be able to bite through it forever, so be careful. It must be eaten raw.
Ruibe means to eat it frozen. It is the wisdom of the Ainu people. Goro refers to the innards. True squid refers to surume squid. The dialect of Hokkaido is difficult, isn't it? The goro is seasoned. As it gradually thaws, it transforms into a squid sashimi that you eat with the innards. It is the number one dish that pairs well with sake. The ship's sake from Kochi's Tsuji Bonten Brewery, Senchu Hassaku. It flows smoothly like a reunion. I am really glad to have met you. Even if it's just one person, if there is someone who can say that from the heart, it is Mitsuo.
The best time for it is July. Do you see it well? Isn't it big? When you fillet it, there is a bone in the middle. When you cut the sides, it becomes the thinly sliced sashimi you often see. My mother cuts it in a V shape. It's difficult. But this way, it has more substance. That V shape becomes the base for smoked saba. It is served with ginger, but locally it is eaten with a spicy seasoning. At home, I have hidden frozen saba sashimi. I don't serve it at the restaurant; I eat it with my mother (laughs).
A menu item that is not often seen. If it doesn't have enough fat, it won't taste good. This photo shows a sanma that is about the size of a plastic bottle. It doesn't convey well, though. At the market, it cost 600 yen for one. It sticks out from the plate of regular sanma. I wrote 700 yen, but it depends on the sanma's migration. It depends on the market price. The one sold at the supermarket for 98 yen has a different sweetness of fat. Since it is grilled with far infrared rays, it takes about 30 minutes for this size. It's grilled over a strong indirect heat. The best sashimi is in July, but this is in September, I guess. Good sanma has sweet liver. It tastes like chocolate.
It's autumn, September and October. If you've ever eaten whale sashimi, wasn't it quite strong? The taste of blood. The smell. Not at all. The image of beef sashimi. No peculiar taste. Minke whale. I had a dream. Someday, I want to see whaling.
In Kushiro, there is a whale festival every September. For three days, you can receive a lottery ticket for 500 yen. This photo was taken last year. Look, doesn't it look like beef? What you see in the back is whale ham from Kochi. Huh? Kochi? That's right, Satoru went to Kochi to study about whales. I want to be a bridge between Kushiro and Kochi. To match the whales from Kushiro and the whales from Kochi, there is only Suigei. This is a menu that is available only for three days a year.
It's burning fiercely. Do you know the origin of tataki? It's bonito tataki. I won't tell you (laughs). They really used to pound it. After all, I went to Kochi to study it. I really want you to try the authentic bonito. Over there, they eat it with salt, and it even stands up. That's how fresh it is.
People of Hokkaido, have you ever eaten real boiled shirasu? Have you ever been so moved that you let out a voice saying it's delicious from the bottom of your heart? People of Honshu, there is no shirasu in Hokkaido. At the supermarket, three packs for 298 yen, just like shirasu on top of grated daikon. Satoru's love at first sight. That was in Tsujido (Fujisawa City, Kanagawa), when we caught fish with a dragnet and ate them straight from the pot that summer. Is there something this delicious in this world? Fluffy. I can't find anything other than fluffy. How many years have passed since then? I want to serve it in a shop. However, if frozen, it inevitably becomes watery. A year of planning. Finally, I went to the master. Here is Hiratobimaru in Sajima, where the horse mackerel is opened. Satoru helped out. I dried them. The sparkle of the sun. In July, it was 35 degrees. Hot. The raw shirasu was delicious. It was in a bucket. I took a bus from Zushi. Everyone around was going to the beach. They were going to Hayama. Amidst that, I pulled a cart, got off the bus, and took an hour to cross a mountain. There is a port beyond the mountain. Such boiled shirasu. From December to March, fishing is prohibited. The conclusion I reached is that it will be completely reservation-based. It will not be available in the shop. I will prepare at home from the day before and make it for that time. Even in the shop, I will be right there. How to convey the emotion? It is not about eating it little by little with chopsticks, but taking a spoonful in one bite. The whole mouth is filled with shirasu. Munch munch. In the oral cavity, Sagami Bay. Isn't this little one cute like a garden eel? The most popular and delicious thing at the fisherman's place was barley tea. I have never had such delicious barley tea.
This one piece of fresh whitebait, which I reluctantly cried over, was cherished by the master among the ten pieces. It was loaded onto a light truck to deliver fish and collect payments. The anglerfish served for our meal was very delicious. A giant anglerfish weighing 10 kilograms. I cannot cross that mountain without a major resolution, but beyond it, there is a family that will warmly welcome me.
I don't have any particular memories. But it often appears. Quail eggs are expensive, but chicken eggs tend to be watery.
I don't have any memories of this yet, but it seems like a stylish izakaya menu. After all, Yukke is often served.
Liver comes suddenly. It all depends on the butcher. It depends on the livestock. Liver, garlic chives, and bean sprouts. In September 2018, there was a big earthquake, and bean sprouts were unavailable. It was either water, milk, tofu, or natto. Liver comes suddenly. Satoru goes on a journey to find bean sprouts. Mom, even if there are no bean sprouts in the liver and garlic chives in this situation, no one will be angry. I ask about the availability of bean sprouts at Seicomart. I must have had a very desperate look on my face, as they asked, 'We have bean sprouts today. Are you okay?' My nickname has completely become Bean Sprout-kun. Mom laughs. No, it's because of you, Mom. This is a photo of stir-fried liver and garlic chives from that time.
This has been a menu item for a long time and is often served, but the focus is minimal. If I had to say, the steak sauce is made in-house. However, the focus is minimal. The steak sauce has been made since the establishment. It is delicious when eaten with wasabi.
Well, I really don't want this to be the first thing that comes out. We only have two gas burners at home, but this dish wants both. One for stir-frying vegetables, and the other for stir-frying rice noodles. However, customers who order rice noodles are usually very hungry and want to eat right away. But it takes time because we make it last in the overall process. It has disappeared from the menu a few times, but orders keep coming in without looking at the menu, so we reluctantly brought it back. We use domestically produced wood ear mushrooms, and the texture is completely different. I often hear that you can't make it delicious at home, but when stir-frying rice noodles, adding a little sake helps to separate them well, and adding sesame oil at the end makes it mix well with the vegetables. Personally, I like to eat it with ponzu sauce. I dip it in a bowl with ponzu sauce in a dipping noodle system. It's refreshing.
In some regions, it is also called Gibasa. It looks like tea leaves. Well, you can imagine the stickiness of seaweed. There are various nutrients, but just eating it once won't have any effect.
Whether it's cabbage or asparagus, it's more expensive compared to supermarkets, but the shelf life is different. Seafood is bought by tourists, but the vegetable shop needs support from local restaurants to survive.
Vegetables are served alongside skewers and beef steak. They are bought from the market, and mom is chopping them up. I think it would be better if I used a shredder. If I peeled them, it would be easy to prepare. I believe the dedication of a restaurant shows in the details that everyone might not notice. Fresh vegetables are standing. I would be happy if you eat the uchiyasai more than the main dish.
The way I take photos is not great, but this is a size that won't fit in one bite. This must be about 3L. It's a once-in-a-few-years level. King of Scallops. It might be a waste to eat it little by little, but it's tastier to just dive in.
It is slimy when raw, but has a good texture when cooked.
My mother often eats this at home.
It's extremely large compared to a 1-sho bottle and a 4-go bottle. It's a type called Nagakombu. This is a photo I took in excitement. I like the picture book called Kelp Boo.
This uses all real ingredients, so it costs about 1000 yen just for the raw materials, and it's a one-time deal (laughs)
Gyoja garlic. Ainu leek. It's spring, isn't it? You can soak it in soy sauce, or use it in egg dishes or tempura. However, when making tempura, the whole shop becomes filled with Gyoja garlic, and the oil gets used up quickly, so I don't want to do it too much (laughs). During this season, it's tempura with cod buds and udo.
Toxic Shirazu. Tokishirazu, written in Chinese characters, is tokishirazu. Usually salmon are landed in September or so, and caught around May, so tokishirazu. No, no, no, no! No, no, no, no! It looks like you came home early by mistake. Toxic raz is from the Amur River in Russia. That's why they migrate. Even Japanese salmon go far away for about 4 years, right? You catch a migrating salmon, and when you catch it, you are wrong. Tokishinazu-san reported that nothing is wrong. He reported that he had done nothing wrong. I told him of my regret that I have been saying for years. From Satoru.
It's a silver collar. It's the collar of a gindara. In photos, the excitement doesn't come across, like the last firework, the night view of Mount Hakodate, the back of the center taken from the left stand, the smell when you arrive at a hot spring area. Is there a difference between the silver collar of a stray and gindara? Where does the body under the collar go? Before grilling, it really makes me laugh every time, showing it off to customers (laughs). I wonder if it won't fit in a home grill? It probably takes about an hour to cook because it's too big, so we only have two in the store every day (laughs). Actually, it's delicious when put in a hot pot—though we don't do hot pots at home (laughs). As of February 2019, we have run out of stock. It seems it won't come to auction, but I am asking for it to be bought if available.
People in Hokkaido are always able to eat ikura, sea urchin, and crab, which is nice. The food is delicious, right? No, no, I don't eat it. Why? Because it's too expensive. Huh? Isn't it cheap since it's Hokkaido? Well, maybe in the Showa era, but that's not the case now in the Heisei era. So what do you eat? Natto and tofu. What! Even though it's Hokkaido? The image of Hokkaido is so big. Do you see bears? No, no, I don't see them. If you suddenly go there, the people of Hokkaido will warmly let you stay, right? No, no, they wouldn't let a stranger stay. Ninety percent of Hokkaido is just an image. I don't eat the bento from the Hokkaido product exhibition. It's ikura. In recent years, there has been a salmon shortage, and it was sold for 1000 yen per 100 grams in the market. The sad part is the elderly. They can no longer enjoy sending ikura to their grandchildren.
Tarako is the eggs of the walleye pollock. This is Madarako Kokkō. The shape of tarako is not the shape of tarako, right? Madarako is about the size of a small-faced person. It's bouncy. It is flaked and soaked in soy sauce. In this photo, scallops are placed underneath, but it can also be served with grains. It's a winter limited item. This is an appetizer. My mother is particular about appetizers. When I tell customers that tarako is a dialect from Hokkaido, they are surprised. So what do they call it in Honshu? Tarako. I wonder why it has that name. Tobikko is called tobiko in Honshu. Referring to this as kokkō is also a dialect. Well, the best way to eat it is on top of rice. The item asserting itself on the right is a carrot. Sometimes there is cabbage. For viewing purposes.
For now, only on 2019.2.25. Herring has a lot of very small bones. Even when eaten as sashimi, it definitely leaves something in your mouth. It's concerning. My mother used to remove the small bones. I think the most important thing when eating fish is the sense of security. If you think there are bones, you can't help but be cautious. More than the taste, it's about whether there are bones. Sardines also have many small bones. They don't get stuck, but it's still concerning. So why does herring have so many small bones? Why do the scales come off so easily? What is the role of the bones? Humans have many ribs, but herring is almost all bone. What happened during the process of evolution? Did they get severely bruised or injured? Why are they small bones instead of large ones? The scales, which are supposed to protect them, why do they fall off so easily? The flesh near the center is protected, but is the outside not important? Or is it that the outside is strong, so the effort for the scales went into the bones? I'm curious. The eyes also turn red quickly. They turn red right after being caught. It's falling apart. One thing I understand is that my mother probably won't make it anymore. I wonder if she can make marinated mackerel instead. Negotiating.
So cute. It's looking this way. I was thinking of taking individual photos later, but my mom ate it.
Meme no nabe. When I said I did menme no nabe, he said he wanted to eat it too, so we do it a few times a year. I usually don't do it, lol. That's why I take pictures of it, lol. Memme seems to be the way we call it around here. Kinki is more famous. It's not kinme, bubu. The taste is totally different. The price is totally different, too. Kichiji is written in Chinese characters. Kushiro has the largest catch of kichiji in Hokkaido. I learned that when I was a Hokkaido Food Meister (lol). It's like a riddle now.
The food at the restaurant, I usually don't take pictures, so there weren't any. I searched through 20,000 images. However, I realized that taking pictures is unusual for items that are not on the regular menu. And I realized that I can only post up to 100 images in total. There are probably more than 100 items that I couldn't post here. As for the regular menu, there are pictures of squid dried overnight and grilled pork belly, but they are not included this time. Other items include beef steak, grilled flounder, and fried rice noodles. Currently, after negotiating with my mother for a year, it seems that Akamoku will be added to the menu. I want to post it, but I can't. Since Tantaika is gone, it has become Engawa. March 2019, it looks pinkish, but isn't what everyone usually sees pure white? That's the color of bleach (laughs). It looks beautiful, though. The Engawa from Nora is only used when fresh is in stock. It's so different from what I imagined Engawa to be that if I didn't say anything, you wouldn't know what you're eating (laughs). The reason we can handle such ingredients is because of my mother's hard work in the past. My mother has a craftsman's spirit, so there's no need to say anything; if she starts explaining, it becomes a hassle. But if I don't explain, it looks pink and dirty, and you might wonder if this is really Engawa. The same goes for soy sauce. If I don't communicate, it just tastes salty and you might think, 'Why is this so strong?' When I'm at the restaurant, I can convey that, but what happens when I'm not there? I gradually changed the importance of communication within the restaurant. I pasted photos on black paper using crayons I used in kindergarten. I made seven of the same ones without knowing the technique of copying, and created six patterns. With all that, I started working on Tabelog. Surely Tabelog isn't like this; other restaurants hardly have any pictures on their menus, and there are no comments. The boiled shirasu ended up with 39 lines (laughs). I write in detail on Facebook about how to leave my footprints. I write casually about one thing on Instagram, but Facebook tends to get buried. I guess I left traces of Satoru on Tabelog. Since it's a small restaurant, one menu item is only enough for about three servings. I hope people can see that there are such menu items.
Now I am studying Japanese sake, but what I have always cherished is beer. Beer is something that 90% of the time is consumed out of habit, and I want beer lovers who work hard to make beer for that 10% to be moved. For those who drink beer casually, I hope they realize how delicious it is. The more I think about wanting them to enjoy such delicious beer, the more losses I incur, and surely my self-satisfaction and commitment, which are considerably higher than the cost at other places, are a fine line. However, when I want to drink a beer that I don't want to compromise on, I hope they will make a reservation because they want to drink the beer that Satoru made. It makes me happy when people praise it, even if it's the same beer I can drink anywhere. If someone says it's not good, I can only think that I've done enough work. My mother is particular about the appetizers, and I am particular about the beer. Customers usually order beer and sashimi first. It's scary to enter a new restaurant, but if the beer is delicious, the appetizers are delicious, and the soy sauce is delicious, they will be drawn in immediately. What does this person desire? What would make them happy? From the start of a tense situation, how much can I bring their feelings over here? They came to the store with courage, feeling nervous, and I want them to think it was worth coming.
As I studied management, I thought that perhaps in 10 years, or rather in 5 years, the entertainment district in Kushiro would be completely different. In a car-centric Kushiro, the generation that spends 2000 yen one way to come here will disappear. Particularly, many of the customers are in their 50s, having retired, become grandparents, developed gout, and diabetes (laughs). We must also bring in a younger crowd. Even if you don't like beer, there's a kind of atmosphere that makes you feel like you have to order it, right? It's categorized as beer, but draft Heineken is completely different. I say that, but if Heineken is available, isn't it stylish? So why Heineken? Because it's available at summer festivals. It gets you excited. There was once a heavy rain, and I thought, 'Oh, this beer might never run out,' but of course, rain doesn't get into the cup (laughs). That's Heineken.
In Asakusa, it is called Kaminari Highball. I copied that (laughs). However, even though it has such a strong character when drunk alone, it becomes no different from a Kaku Highball when mixed. I think it's a waste. When I feel like, 'Ah, what a waste,' I end up serving the original Electric Bran (laughs). Oh, it's strong. After that, the Electric Bran Highball is thin. It's not that it's thin, it's that it's easy to drink.
Originally, it was bought in a bottle. It was served in a glass. But that was no different from pouring it from a plastic bottle, right? After 10 years, I wanted to change the name from cola to evoke that nostalgic feeling of drinking it at a public bath.
The same as below.
This adult plum wine is made from old barrels that have been used for whiskey for over 30 years and roasted. I think the first drink people remember is usually plum wine. It's definitely on all-you-can-drink menus. But the plum wine in paper packs is usually around 8 degrees. This one is the same as sake at 14 degrees, so even plum wine lovers will be satisfied. It's rich.
Please enjoy it in a special glass sourced from Kamiyabar in Asakusa. Drinking more than three glasses is dangerous. It's a scary drink that makes you wonder how your mother, when she was young, managed to return to the hotel after drinking more than three glasses in Asakusa. What does it taste like? Even if you ask, it contains whiskey, wine, herbs, and curaçao, and it's sweet. After midnight, you might drink it down quickly and find yourself in hell by 3 AM. I was taught to chill it and drink it straight at Kamiyabar, so I will do it that way. This photo has the Kamiyabar sticker on it, right? I go all the way to Asakusa just to get this sticker. I used to think alcohol was something that made you happy. But I saw a man in his 50s drinking Electric Bran and getting emotional. He disliked his father and didn't want to drink what his deceased father used to drink. But after 30 years, he tried it again. Now, I can somewhat understand my father's feelings, and thinking that Electric Bran might have dissolved the rift between him and his father made me emotional too (laughs). It's a mutual exchange of thank yous.
Since only 800 bottles are produced each month, it is a phantom aged awamori that does not appear in magazines, and it has a unique sweetness. The star sand that darkens shines in a special Ryukyu glass. Mr. Goto from Helios Shuzo, an Okinawan store called Washita Shop in Ginza. Ms. Yoshiko. We met quite a while ago. That day, they happened to be selling it in 180 milliliters, and I was told I should definitely buy it, so I did. Honestly, until then, I thought awamori smelled bad and I didn't like it, but it turned out to be sweet. The problem started from there. Mon mo mon, mon mo mon. At Kushiro Airport, while the luggage was spinning around, Satoru's bag was not coming at all. And everyone thought it smelled bad. I was called over the microphone. The main bottle I had in my bag was broken. There was a bag wrapped in multiple layers of plastic. Wow, it took two washes to finally get rid of the smell. The remaining amount was about a tablespoon. From there, every time I go to Tokyo, I visit and they worry about me, saying, 'Are you okay? You’re not strong, so don’t overdo it.' When I obtained my sake sommelier certification in April 2017, they were very happy. The certificate is shiny and not visible (laughs) but still. In the 2018 season, Yoshiko broke a bone. Long-term absence. I couldn't meet them even once last year. I wonder if they have recovered.
A brewery that originated from Yeast No. 7. The son, Katsuhiko, is still young and has a global perspective for the sake brewery. It is an important brewery where I could talk with my mother and the three of us. Depending on the time, it feels fruity or refreshing, and it's an interesting sake.
Miyasaka Brewery is a sake brewery that has been around for 300 years. Masumi's executive, Katsuhiko. Even though it's Miyasaka, it's Masumi. I think there was a big conflict here. And the MIYASAKA that was created. After talking with him, I had been placing Masumi for a while, but I wanted to place this sake. However, it was nowhere to be found. The excitement when I found it at the Imadeya in Ginza Six. But, it wasn't in the store. Because it was hidden (laughs). It doesn't come out when Satoru is not around. Someone said, 'Mother has a nice smile.' A precious person who guided me into the world of sake. Since the summer of 2018. Miraculous encounters continue. I went because it happened to be that day of the week, or even though there were dozens of people, I happened to get into the same taxi, or despite the difficulties caused by the earthquake, he taught me that a crisis is an opportunity. I had no plans to go to the store that day, but by chance, I met someone who would lead to today. The miracles of coincidence are countless. A gift from heaven.
So far, I don't think there's anything better than this crisp and dry sake. It's my mother's favorite sake in the world. President Takemura of Tsuji Bonten Brewery once said, 'Don't try to sell sake! No one wants just something called sake.' Of course, the burdens and jobs are different, but I was happy to know that there are people who think the same way I do. Customers are happier with the sake that Satoru likes rather than the sake that the liquor store says is delicious. I went to Tokyo to take the sake sommelier exam, met President Takemura at a sake event, and from there I started studying Kochi. Originally, people from Kushiro like Kochi sake. I wonder if Kochi's whale culture makes the sake similar. In Kushiro, whaling is still practiced, and there is a whale festival in September, where there are also performances. Before that, I actually went to Kochi in 2017. I hope to be a bridge between Kushiro and Kochi, even just a little. I had a one-on-one tour of the brewery for four hours with the president, and he took me to a reserved eel restaurant the day before. I also visited the oldest brewery in the prefecture, Kure, and Suigei, among others. It was an important, important time for studying sake and whales. This photo is from when I went to Tsuji Bonten. What the president is holding is a sake called Pon Epelet from the local sake Fukutsukasa, which is a bear cub sake.
As a pure rice sake, it has a strong flavor of rice. It is a 'strong' sake that Satoru fell in love with at first sight, but it is only available once a month, so my mother always said it was unnecessary and treated me like a nuisance. I lacked confidence in the local sake of Kanagawa, but after talking for 10 hours over three days, I gained confidence, and people who liked it came back about 15 weeks in a row. This photo was taken in the middle of summer when we both almost suffered from heatstroke after talking for five hours while standing. Without thinking about name value, I fell in love at first sight, and during a time when I was losing confidence, I received a recommendation at a sake shop called Kimishimaya in Ginza, which made me think, 'Alright, let's do our best.' My Japanese is strange (laughs). So far, there is no warm sake that surpasses this. I feel that warming it to 70°C is the best way to bring out its brilliance.
To enjoy the fragrant aroma, it is served in a special wine glass. A representative of fruity flavors. In November 2016, when Nora celebrated its 10th anniversary, we completely changed the sake menu. I was desperate at that time. I still lacked confidence in sake and was afraid of Japanese sake. I liked this sake, but I was unsure. Huh? You don't know? At that time, I bought a Dassai wine glass relying on the brand value of Dassai, bought a banner, and bought Dassai rice crackers. It wasn't the sake I struggled with. From there, people started to say, 'Wow, you have Dassai, that's amazing,' and I wondered why it was served in a wine glass. The origin of the name. This sake allowed me to study and become someone worthy of serving it. It is a benefactor to me. This photo shows Yamada Nishiki, the ingredient of Dassai. I received it from Mr. Imada. If we consider brown rice as 100, this sake is made using 50% of the inner part. So where does the outer 50% go? In many sake breweries, it becomes feed for pigs and cows or compost. This is the rice cracker made from that part. Therefore, it doesn't taste like sake and won't get you drunk (laughs). This set of three is perfect. This sake has helped me grow as a trendy person.
Imada is the director of the Japanese Sake Information Center located in Toranomon, which is the headquarters of about 1300 sake breweries nationwide. He is my sake mentor. In 2016, when I started studying sake, I happened to meet him, and that led to who I am today. The people I met before and after obtaining my sake tasting certification, and those I met when I started studying sake, are special to me. For instance, Daiginjo, Honjozo, Murokanamagenshu, Gohyakumangoku, Aizan to Aiyama, Bizannishiki to Miyamanishiki, and Dassai are names I have heard of. Juyondai seems to be a famous sake. How much does a 720ml bottle hold? Why is 1800ml referred to as 'gongo'? I have come this far in two years. The people who have been kind to someone with such limited knowledge are special, and at the top of that list is Imada. Even though I said I was studying sake, he patiently taught me everything, despite my confusion. Yet, he would demand rice and ask for more rice, and when drunk, he would say, 'What a boring man you are.' He would make such harsh comments, saying that no one would follow a person like that. Oh, the rice set in Nara was a gift from Imada. Now, I find myself in the information center, endlessly washing and drying glasses in a situation I don't quite understand (laughs). He has been watching my growth from scratch. I am who I am today because of him. I may have praised him too much; I have to compliment him sometimes, or he gets sulky (laughs). No, he is an amazing guy. When we drink together, important people come to greet him one after another, and when I said, 'You are important,' he replied, 'Yes, I am important. Didn't you know?' and then I ended up treating him to expensive prosciutto. He is my sake mentor. On the first day we met, he recommended Shizuo sake to me, saying it was good. Shizuoka yeast? I had no idea what that was, but it brings back memories. This photo was taken in September 2018 in Aoyama during an event exploring the roots of Sanzo Miura, the birthplace of Ginjo brewing in Hiroshima. I was asked to help, and when I went, it turned out to be the most amazing day of my sake life. I was wearing a happi coat from Kamotsuru while checking people in, hence this outfit. I said I wanted to take a picture together, but it was just five minutes before the start. He was the host, so this picture was taken while about 100 people were watching. I wore this bandana only once in the store, but my mother kept giggling and saying, 'You don't look good in that,' so I sealed it away.
This is a storage facility located upstream of the Shimanto River, where it has been aged for over a year. It uses a generous 50% chestnut, which concentrates the sweetness and aroma. Originally, there was Sato's barley in this frame, but it didn't come out much, so there was a player change. I was really not good with barley shochu, but Sato was different, like eating a sweet puffed rice, like sweet chocolate, but it's no longer there (laughs). The Mukai Mukan of Dabada Hiburi was too far away, so I gave up going. Hokkaido is wider than the combined area of Kyushu and Shikoku, so I thought Kochi was close, but 90% of the area is forest, making it the largest in Japan. Basically, it's all forest, so it takes 4 hours to get to the Shimanto River. I buy it at the Kochi antenna shop in Ginza, Marugoto Kochi. The shop hides various Kochi sake, but Mr. Fujiwara is a sake taster and often goes to Kochi to study, so I buy whatever he recommends. I usually go on the last day, but I cram in Asakusa, Sendagi, Toranomon, Ginza, Ginza, Ginza, and with a flight from Yurakucho to Haneda at 2:30 PM, it's quite hectic.
This is original sake that does not dilute with water, showcasing the 'depth' of the sweet potato itself and its 'purity'. I was able to negotiate directly with Kirishima Sake Brewery to have this available. This was long before I even started studying about sake. I went to the Kirin Beer factory in Chitose for a tour. It was clearly a group tour. I was asking about the brewing methods. I wasn't a beginner anymore, and after it was over, I could drink up to three glasses of beer and get some snacks. Over there, it was a full-blown party. Here, I was all alone. While I was looking at the souvenir corner, someone asked, 'Hey, what are you buying?' I replied, 'I'm not part of your group, sir (laughs).' That was the kind of encounter it was. The two of us were quite tipsy, and from there, we sent Fukuji and this sake was sent to me. He was the section chief of the brewing department at Kirishima Sake Brewery, which makes Kuro Kirishima. When I consulted him about wanting to have this in my store for the 10th anniversary, the conversation connected from Miyazaki to Tokyo to Sapporo to Kushiro to the liquor store, leading to the present. Since it would be a waste to dilute it, shall we have it on the rocks?
I searched over 100 stores before finally being able to purchase it. The ginjo aroma rises sharply, and to feel it in the throat, I used a Dassai wine glass. *Dassai Shochu is limited to 2 cups per person. This was a highlight product during the 10th anniversary. I heard rumors that there was Dassai Shochu, but I couldn't find it anywhere. Even when I asked at the well-organized Japanese and Western liquor corner in the basement of a department store, they said they had never heard of it. Was it just a rumor? I went around to every sake shop in Tokyo. At that time, I didn't even know the term 'specialty store.' I was in a very poor state of health and was visiting a university hospital in Honshu. It was there that I happened to learn about the Sake Certification and the Sake Navigator, which sparked my interest in alcohol, but I would get drunk even after just one station. Walking, sleeping, or sitting was hell. After throwing up in the station restroom, I went to the store, visited many times, and as a result, I was able to encounter Dassai Shochu. This alcohol elevated the value of the store called Nora to a higher level.
September 1st and 2nd were the most amazing days of my drinking life. Hiroshima is the birthplace of ginjo sake, and there was a person named Miura Senzaburo, and there were historical events about Hiroshima's sake. The SAKE Project 2020, the sake history was a difficult topic, probably because I was too desperate to have the leisure to listen to the talk or drink sake (laughs). Mr. Imada asked me to help tomorrow, and the next day I went to the United Nations University in Aoyama. At this point, I thought it was just about bringing in chairs, but unexpectedly, there were people like the former deputy editor of Dancyu, the president of a prestigious sake association, the president of the Japan Sake Export Association, and superstars like Taketsuru from Hiroshima, Fukuchou, and Kamotsuru. There might be people I shouldn't mention here (laughs). At first, there was a lecture, then a sake tasting, and finally, I was supposed to help with the buffet cooking, not knowing what was going on (laughs). In the latter half, I was in charge of oysters, thinking I would move more than anyone else in the venue. I tried to lift heavy things and was allowed to participate in the after-party. Was it a dream or heaven? I felt completely out of place in the kitchen team. Cheers, I was very happy to distribute the Tsukasa Cup, and suddenly the toji Ishikawa from Taketsuru started passing around the sake, which was surprising. Where did the empty bottles of Fukutsukasa go? (laughs) It was the most amazing day in the history of sake. The next day, I studied sake with someone I met, and I had always wanted to visit Gembaimoto. I met Marie Chiba a little at the Aoyama Sake Free in April, and when I talked to her, she had gone to Tenmei in Fukushima. I had wanted to go there for a long time but was too scared, so I was taken there, and at Kimishimaya, I ordered a sake tasting set for the Sake Diploma preparation and talked about what dish would go well with Nora's cooking. It was a very happy time. When I go to Tokyo, I completely switch to work mode, so I rarely drink sake while being so carefree. I was talking with President Takemura of Shikibu, and I heard about the history of the company founded in 1603. There, I learned that the toji from Hiroshima had settled there. So, it connected from Kochi to Hiroshima after a year. I can't fully express such a dreamlike time here (laughs). Satoru's treasure.
I started studying alcohol around the autumn of 2016. At that time, I also began studying management, but my health deteriorated, and I was going to a university hospital in Tokyo. By chance, I encountered sake. I was thinking about what to do when I celebrate my 10th anniversary in November. Rather than changing in the future, I was considering how to survive in this declining entertainment district for 3 or 5 years. Before sake, I first encountered true mackerel, red snapper, and whitebait, and then it was alcohol. Until then, I had avoided alcohol because I was scared of it. I like this kind of alcohol, but do I not know? Or, junmai sake is the true sake connoisseur. Having been in Tokyo, I went around various sake shops to learn, keeping my antenna up. I wondered how many people in a izakaya in Kushiro are connected to people in Tokyo or breweries. Having the latest trends and live information is of great value, I think. What I felt in the store was that here, it was an image of dry sake for older men and for those who smoke. I talked to many people, including brewers, brewery staff, salespeople, and liquor store owners, about their feelings towards a single product, how to connect their sake to the future, the fulfillment of their work, and how to increase sales. I wanted to convey the feelings of everyone involved, from farmers to drivers to labelers, which are usually unnoticed, packed into a single bottle of alcohol. The ones who cut through that are us, the restaurants or supermarkets. Since it's management, I think it's normal to say that a liquor store said it's delicious or that it's trending in a magazine, but I want to be a bridge between the producers and those involved in alcohol and the customers. Because I study, have a story, and love it, it resonates, and I think it's something I can do because it's me. If something is famous, it’s delicious, and if it’s expensive, it’s delicious, and if it’s featured in a magazine, it’s delicious. When I gain confidence, I can change. For example, on my last day in Tokyo, I visited Kappabashi, Ise Gohonten in Sendagi, the Japanese Sake Information Center in Toranomon, Imadeya in Ginza Six, Marugoto Kochi in Ginza, Wasyata Shop in Ginza, Kimijimaya in Ginza, and even Haneda Airport at 2:30 PM in Yurakucho. So I couldn't write everything here (laughs). There are also sake breweries run only by families. I want to convey love and stories to customers and be a bridge.

