By Emi Kagawa
The Matsutake Mushroom is not so much about taste as it is fragrance, it has a very faint, in some cases, almost indistinguishable earthy, pine scent. They are hard to find and are usually hidden under leaves at the foot of a pine tree. Each year it is becoming harder to find enough of them in Japan to meet demand, to supplement the supply they are also gathered in Korea, China and the Pacific Northwest coast of North America.
In Japan large manufacturers have tied up most of the beer market. Recently, there has been a resurgence in boutique breweries as in the rest of the world. An example of which, is the dry-hopped ale mixed with green tea made by Baird in conjunction with Stone & Ishii. All proceeds will go to the Japanese Red Cross. Next Wednesday there will be a tasting of more than 24 beers ” (3 to 4 oz. pours of hard-to-find beer from small breweries. For more information click the following link Japan Society.
Tel. 024-935-5330
1-5-8 Ekimae,
Koriyama, Fukushima, Japan
Prices: Moderate
Bar Mobo is a small, attractive and cozy place owned by Mr. Sanbongi, (pictured behind the bar above) who was the former head bartender at the Yubuki Country Club, created by Mr. Yutaka Oyamada, Chairman of Clarion Corporation (Car Audio Manufacturers). Unfortunately, now that the Yubuki C.C. and Mr. Oyamada are both gone, Mr. Sanbongi created his own bar with an amazing collection of Scotch whiskies, Irish whiskeys, Japanese whiskeys, vodkas, gins and a special expanded collection of his own particular favorite, rare American P1260094 whiskies with all the well-known and hard-to-find Kentucky Bourbon and Sour Mash labels. In addition, he stocks some excellent aperitifs and after dinner liqueurs, Cognacs and eaux de vie.
It seems as if he is doing a thriving business mixing and shaking his cocktails with loving care, and serving whiskey and other spirits with crystal-clear, hand-carved ice, which is his specialty, along with a few well-chosen hors d’ouvres.
I know that if O-san was still with us, he would be the first one to raise his glass.
Kita 7-jo, Higaashi 9-chome, Higashi-ku,
Sapporo-shi, 065-8633
Tel. 011(731)4368
http://www.sapporobeer.jp
Prices: Inexpensive-Moderate
We took a look at the beer museum, briefly studying the model of the various stages of beer production, and spending a great deal of time perusing the colorful posters of women holding beer glasses from the turn of the century to the present at the beer bar, where a wide selection of their brews are available to sample in small or medium sized glasses. I always prefer to drink beer from a small glass, as provided in most Japanese restaurants, one glass, and then on to sake or shochu. Nothing is more unappealing to me than drinking beer from a big, thick mug; but then I am not really a beer drinker, and realize that I probably am in the minority.
We then walked upstairs to the cavernous dining room, which looked and felt very Germanic. Each table has a permanently seated gas-grill in mid-table. Sausages and various meats were listed on the menu with sauerkraut and Hokkaido potatoes available as side dishes. The toilets, at least the mens, are fitted with puking urinals with stout handles reminiscent of the ones I have seen in the great beer halls of Munich.
1-71 Kakubancho
Yonago-C, Tottori 68.3
Tel. 0859-22-3386
Credit Cards Accepted
Prices: Moderate
One of the highlights of a springtime visit to Southern Japan is the opportunity to taste tiny, transparent, freshwater whitefish and eat them while still alive as they squirm in a mixture of beaten egg and soy sauce. Quite curiously, while they put up a tremendous fight to resist being eaten, once into the mouth they stop movement immediately. They were able to survive swimming in the sauce for over ten minutes, slowly turning from transparent to a light red color as they absorbed the color of the liquid. The chance to indulge in this delight comes but once a year for a two week period as the fish spawn. I realize that this is not for everyone, as even some of the Japanese nationals in our party were repelled at the sight of the writhing mass.
Raw prawns were in the pink of condition and sweet to the taste and in the many tanks were turtles and Fugu (Balloon fish) along with a really unattractive shell called Akabe.
The thick and crispy Nori (dried seaweed) had a praiseworthy flavor and when wrapped around crab tomalley and sushi rice there could not have been a more admirable finish to this gastronomic dinner.
