Kouri-jima, Okinawa (沖縄県古宇利島) – One Suite The Grand dinner at La Bombance (ラ・ボンバンス古宇利島) 2025 Dec. 23
This was our second consecutive dinner at La Bombance Kourijima (ラ・ボンバンス古宇利島), a fine dining restaurant located within One Suite The Grand (ワンスイート ザ・グランド), a 22-room boutique luxury property in Kouri-jima Island in Kouri, Nakajin, Kunigami, Okinawa (沖縄県国頭郡今帰仁村古宇利). This time, however, we opted for the chef’s counter experience (シェフズカウンター), where executive chef Mr. Shota Odaka personally prepared each serving. Mr. Odaka focused on local ingredients as much as he could, which was admirable and desirable to us. Below is a summary of each serving in both languages:
COURSE 1 – ZENSAI (前菜 – Appetizers):
* Seiko-gani to Tara Shirako (香箱ガニと鱈の白子 – Snow crab and Cod Milt)
– Age & Taita Mizunasu (揚げと炊いた水茄子 – Simmered and fried Mizunasu eggplant)
– Ginnan (銀杏 – Gingko nuts)
– Agegome (揚げ米 – Deep-fried crispy rice)
COURSE 2 – SPECIALTY (スペシャルティー):
* Oita Ken-san Kabosu Buri Warayaki (大分県産香母酢(カボス)鰤藁焼き – Straw-grilled Farmed Japanese Amberjack/Yellowtail raised on feed containing Kabosu, a type of citrus fruit)
– Ninniku Happa Shoyu-zuke (ニンニク葉っぱ醬油漬け – Garlic leaves simmered with soy sauce)
– Hananira no hana (花韮 (ハナニラ)の花 – Spring starflower)
COURSE 3 – OWAN (御椀 – JAPANESE SOUP):
* Awabi to Yakkougai (鮑, 夜光貝 (ヤコウガイ) Abalone & Great green turban)
– Tougan (冬瓜 – Wax gourd, aka. winter melon)
– Okinawa Hasuimo (沖縄蓮芋 – Okinawa Satoimo Taro stems)
– Yuzu (柚子 – Yuzu citrus)
COURSE 4 – CHARCOALED (炭火焼き):
FOR HER:
* Agu Buta Sumibi-yaki
– Dashi sauce (出汁ソース)
– Sliced truffle (スライストリュフ)
– Eringi (エリンギ – Eringi mushrooms)
– Shio konbu (塩昆布 – Salted konbu sea kelp)
– Wasabi (山葵)
FOR HIM:
* A5 Rank Motobu gyu filet sumibi-yaki (A5ランク本部牛フィレ炭火焼き – Charcoal-grilled A5 Motobu beef filet)
– Dashi sauce (出汁ソース)
– Sliced truffle (スライストリュフ)
– Eringi (エリンギ – Eringi mushrooms)
COURSE 5 – MAIN DISH (メインディッシュ):
* Sushi:
– Aka Ika (aka. Sode Ika / Seika) (袖烏賊 (セーイカ) – Diamondback squid)
– Hango Mibai (aka. Akahata) (ハンゴーミーバイ (赤羽太) – Blacktip Grouper)
– Chutoro (中トロ – Medium-fatty Tuna)
– Ishigakidai (石垣鯛 – Spotted Knifejaw)
– Kamasu (カマス – Barracuda)
– Maguro Akami (鮪赤身 – Tuna (red meat)
– Mimija (Himefuedai) (ミミジャー (ヒメフエダイ) – Humpback red snapper)
– Okinawa Kinmedai (沖縄金目鯛 – Splendid Alfonso)
– Kuruma Ebi (車海老 – Japanese Tiger Prawn)
– Atsuyaki Tamago (厚焼き玉子 – Sweet rolled egg omelete with dashi and mixed with Japanese Tiger Prawn)
– Ni-anago Kokuto-ae (煮穴子黒糖和え – Conger Eel simmered in a sweet sauce containing brown sugar)
COURSE 6:
* Akajin Mibai (aka Sujiara) Ni-oroshi (赤仁羽鯛 (アカジンミーバイ) (aka スジアラ)荷卸し – Simmered and deep-fried Leopard Coral Grouper)
COURSE 7:
* Shimadako Tansan Tsuyu-ni (島ダコ炭酸汁煮 – Ornate Octopus simmered with carbonated tsuyu. Tsuyu is a savory Japanese sauce and soup base made from dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake and a little bit of sugar)
COURSE 8:
* Handama (aka. Kinjiso) Ohitashi (ハンダマ（aka. 金時草) お浸し – Okinawan Spinach (Gynura bicolor) seasoned in cold dashi broth)
COURSE 9:
* Misoshiru (味噌汁 – Miso Soybean Paste soup)
COURSE 10 – HONJITSU NO DESSERT (本日のデザート – Today’s Desserts):
* Monaka, Kogane Imo an, daizu an, Gyuhi Mochi (最中, 黄金芋餡, 大豆餡, 求肥 – Monaka with Gyuhi, Kogane-imo (a Japanese sweet potato variety) paste and red bean paste. Monaka is a Japanese sweet made from two slim fresh crispy wafers produced using mochi and filled with sweet things inside (usually Anko (Azuki) sweet red beans). Gyuhi is made by kneading shiratama or mochi flour with sugar and starch syrup)
* Okinawa Kokuto Pudding, Caramel sauce (沖縄黒糖プリン, キャラメルソース – Okinawa brown sugar pudding, caramel sauce)