Oarai, Ibaraki (茨城県大洗町) – Japanese Dinner at Satoumitei Kinparo Hontei (里海邸 金波楼本邸)
We were served a Japanese dinner at Satoumitei Kinparo Hontei (里海邸 金波楼本邸), a (relatively) upscale 8-room property in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture (茨城県大洗町). The menu, as well as explanation of each serving, was in Japanese, but I’ve tried my best here to summarize everything in both languages. They are:
COURSE 1:
* Anago Gomoku Chawanmushi (穴子 五目茶碗蒸し – Savory egg custard with Conger Eel)
COURSE 2 – Honjitsu no Osashimi (本日のお刺身 – Today’s Sashimi):
* Suzuki (鱸 – Sea Bass)
* Maguro (鮪 – Tuna)
* Hotaru Ika (蛍烏賊 – Firefly Squid)
– Shira-ae, Shungiku, Ninjin, Yamakurage (白和え, 春菊, 人参, 山くらげ – White paste made of mashed Tofu with Crown Daisy, Carrots, Yamakurage. Yamakurage is a crunchy, dried stalk of the celtuce plant (stem lettuce) that is named for its crisp, crunchy texture, which resembles that of a jellyfish)
– Shiso (紫蘇 – Shiso leaves)
COURSE 3:
* Maehama Shirasu Mozzarella Cheese Pizza (前浜しらすモッツァレラチーズピザ – Mozzarella Cheese Pizza with Whitebait (fish) caught off the local coast)
COURSE 4:
FOR HIM:
* Hitashi Gyu Yaki Shabu (常陸牛 焼しゃぶ – Hitachi Beef Shabu Shabu that’s also been sauteed)
– Komi Ponzu (香味ポン酢 – Komi ponzu sauce)
FOR HER:
* Ham Yaki Shabu (ハム焼しゃぶ – Ham Shabu Shabu that’s also been sauteed)
COURSE 5 – Isohama Nabe (磯浜鍋 – Rocky Shore Hot Pot):
* Kashimanada Hamaguri (鹿島灘 蛤 – Common Hard Clam from Kashimanada, a stretch of the Pacific Ocean extending 70km along the coast spanning from Cape Oarai in Ibaraki Prefecture to Cape Inubo in Chiba Prefecture)
* Kinmedai (金目鯛 – Splendid Alfonso)
* Ishidai (石鯛 – Striped Beakfish)
– Shungiku (春菊 – Crown Daisy)
– Yawaraka Negi (柔甘葱 – Yawaraka Negi is a premium variety of blanched green onion cultivated by JA Mito in Ibaraki Prefecture)
– Tennen Wakame (天然若布 – Wild sea kelp)
COURSE 6:
* Kinmedai dashijiru (金目鯛出汁 – Splendid Alfonso dashi soup)
– Shimemen (〆麺 – Noodles)
– Shiraga Negi (白髪葱 – Thin, long Green Onion Strips)
* Konsai-zuke (根菜漬け – Pickled root vegetables)
COURSE 7 – Dessert (デザート):
* Tochiotome Ichigo compote (とちおとめ苺コンポート – Tochiotome Ichigo is a quintessential Japanese strawberry variety developed in Tochigi Prefecture, distinguished by its exceptional balance of sweetness and moderate acidity, along with its vivid red color, sweet aroma and firm flesh)
– Ichigo Arare (苺あられ – Frozen strawberry chunks)
– Milk gelato (ミルクジェラート)