With the season of Zuwai-gani 松葉蟹 starting, many local Japanese restaurants started to offer this delicacy, including Sushi Kumogaku, which has organized 3-day special crab dinner ($3,000) in Nov. Fortunately, I was able to secure my booking, and on the day we arrive at H Code, with much anticipation to see what magic Chef Kin has prepared for us on this seasonal delicacy.
To start, Chef Kin has prepared a special craft sake for all of us. 稲とアガベ 交酒 花風 from Akita has the philosophy of combining Japanese sake with other cultures, in this case it is using beer hops, producing a sake with good acidity, fresh and fragrant, while also exhibiting the touch of beer hops aromas with hints of lychee, finishing with a crisp mouthfeel. A really nice welcome drink.
Before the food is served, Chef Kin shows us the two Zuwai-gani on the day. The male snow crabs are quite big in size, around 1.2kg, with plenty of crab leech eggs on the shell, showing the crabs are very active. According to Japan local wisdom, the more leech eggs on the shell, the better quality is the crab, and we are eager to taste these prized beauties.
As my usual routine, I ask Chef Kin to recommend sakes to pair. We start with 天明 秋あがり生純吟 from 曙酒造 in Fukushima ($220). This seasonal sake is made from two different sake rice, has rich and umami flavours, but at the same time showing good acidity. The mellow and round palate is a perfect match with many of the seafood with their richer fat contents.
The first course is Kawahagi 皮剥ぎ 肝和え. After cutting the seasonal Thread-Sail Filefish into shreds it is mixed with a paste made from the liver of the fish. On top are some shiso flowers and caviar-like Tonburi とんぶり, a type of seeds with a nice crunchy texture but without taste, making it a perfect garnish not to mask the delicate taste of the filefish. Very good.
The second course is Katsuo カツオ 藁焼. Probably the last time we will enjoy Skipjack Tuna this year as it is reaching the end of season, Chef Kin skewers the fillet of the fish before taking it to the kitchen to grill over hay fire, infusing it with aromatic smoky fragrance. Cutting into slices, it is served with a homemade onion soy sauce, with all the flavours amazingly harmonized. Excellent.
The third course is Iwashi 鰯 磯辺巻. The Sardines are very fresh, with Chef Kin using a nori sheet to wrap them together with shiso leaf, menegi, cucumber, and ginger, to make a maki before cutting into pieces to serve. With a bit more wasabi as condiment, the fatty sardines are very flavourful and without any unpleasant fishy note. Truly delicious and wonderful.
The fourth course is Ankimo 鮟肝 煮付げ. Traditionally a winter delicacy but increasingly available all-year, the Monkfish Liver has been cooked in sauce to perfect timing, still retaining a creamy soft texture, and truly melting in the mouth. With the same richness and fantastic flavours but without the greasiness, it is in my opinion a much better ingredient than foie gras. Amazing.
Finishing the first sake, next we have 澤乃井 大吟醸 凰 from 小澤酒造 in Tokyo ($320). Made with Yamada Nishiki rice with polishing ratio of 35%, the sake has nice, elegant flavours with a smooth palate. A more delicate sake than the last one, which is a better match with the lighter and refined taste of crab meat.
The fifth course is Zuwai-gani 松葉カニ しゃぶ. The crab got its named because the leg meat will poke out and look like pine needles when slightly blanched using the shabu technique. Dipped with the flavourful crab miso, it has exhibited a delicate sweetness, with another layer of umami from the crab miso enhancing the overall taste in perfect harmony. Best in its authentic, original taste.
The sixth course is Aori-Ika 障泥烏賊 Sushi. A signature of Chef Kin, he meticulously cut on the Bigfin Reef Squid surface while not breaking it, making the squid very soft and tender, without any difficulty on the bite. The temperature and acidity of shari are also of my preference. Very good.
The seventh course is Buri 鰤 Sushi. The Japanese Yellowtail is approaching the best season, getting fattier as winter comes. While not exactly the most fatty, this piece is of good quality, with deep flavours. Very delicious.
The eighth course is Mirugai 海松貝 Sushi. Unlike the common Pacific Geoduck we have in local hotpot, this Japanese variety is black in colour, and has a firm, crunchy texture, with good umami flavours and also sweeter in taste. Very good.
Coming to the third sake serving, we have 榮光富士 熟成藏隠し ($170) from 富士酒造 in Yamagata. Using Gohyakumangoku sake rice as ingredient, this seasonal sake has a rich fruity note, nice umami taste and smooth, while retaining a crisp finish. Good to match with the upcoming food which has stronger flavours.
The ninth course is Sanma 秋刀魚 Sushi. Suppose to be already after the season, it is a treat that we can still enjoy good quality Pacific Saury today. On top of the shiny silvery fish Chef Kin has added a special paste made from fish liver, ginger, and spring onion, enriching the flavours tremendously, and one of the best I have tasted. Excellent.
The tenth course is Karasumi 自家製 唐墨. The homemade Salted Mullet Roes has been aged for one year, and after grilling it over charcoal, Chef Kin cuts out a thin sheet of Daikon to wrap it, with the radish helping to balance the saltiness of the mullet roes. A perfect complement with alcohol and it is one of the big three Japanese delicacies, or ‘chinmi’.
The eleventh course is Zuwai-gani 松葉カニ 磯揚げ. Using the remaining of the crab meat, Chef Kin has prepared this ‘Japanese crab cake’, deep-fried in tempura style and then brushing with some seaweed shavings on top. After trying the original taste, there is also the lime on the side to add a bit of citrus to give acidity and refreshing palate. Excellent.
The twelfth course is Akami 鮪 赤身 Sushi. The Maguro is caught in Oma, and this slab of tuna meat weights about 4kg. The lean tuna is very tender and soft in texture, with a deep flavour that in my opinion is even better than the more fatty belly part of the tuna. Excellent.
The thirteenth course is Otoro 鮪 大腹 Sushi. Continuing with the same Maguro and this time it is the fatty belly of the tuna. What I like for this piece is that it is not the most fatty part which to me is too oily and unbearable, with sufficient combination of protein to strike a good balance. Very good.
The fourteenth course is Kobako-gani 香箱カニ 越前 Sushi. Apart from the male snow crab Chef Kin has also prepared the even more prized female crab, renowned for the crab roes and creamy innards. Mixing them together with shari, Chef Kin makes the sushi and put directly on our hand to enjoy. It is pure joy and wonders on the fantastic taste and is simply unstoppable. Excellent.
The fifteenth course is Shirako 姜葱炒白子. A special dish where Chef Kin deep-fries the Cod Milt to firm up the shape, before stir-frying together with leek, spring onion and ginger, with amazing fragrance and a bit of spiciness. It also helps to ‘mask’ the appearance of the cod milt so even for those who normally will not take it I believe this version can help to overcome their mental barrier to try. Very good.
The sixteenth course is Kuruma-Ebi 車海老 Sushi. After blanching the Tiger Prawn for a short while, it is taken out from the kitchen to immediately remove the shell and knead into a sushi. The prawn is very sweet in taste, with a firm and good texture which is highly appealing. Very good.
The last sake we have is 綿屋 川口納豆 ひやおろし 特別純米酒 原酒 ($280) from 金の井酒造 in Miyagi. Having a very rounded and smooth palate, intense fragrance of rice, it is produced using Miyama Nishiki that is grown by the famous natto company Kawaguchi in the same prefecture. The stronger taste is a good match with the final few pieces of the sushi as a wrap up.
The seventeenth course is Uni ウニ Sushi. Chef Kin uses the nori sheet to prepare a gunkan-maki, with the farmed Bafun Sea Urchin has a sweet and creamy texture, without any weird taste, testimony to the quality and freshness of the ingredients. Very good.
The eighteenth course is Anago 穴子 Sushi. The grilled Conger Eel is just steaming from the kitchen, and we are amazed on how Chef Kin can knead the sushi when it is still so hot. Delicious with the thick sauce, the wonderfully soft, melting in the mouth texture is phenomenal. Excellent.
I request to add a few of the sushi I enjoyed particularly on the night for a repeat, including Sanma ($120) and Akami ($180). And as our routine we also have the Kanpyo-Maki ($120). There are fewer and fewer restaurants which offer this one, as it takes lot of effort to make while not able to fetch high prices and also not many customers would order. Thankfully it is still available here.
Finishing with the Miso Soup to warm our stomach, along with Tamago, which is made with Egg mixed with the seafood paste. Very rich in the flavours with the umami seeping out as an extra layer of enjoyment. A satisfying dinner by all means. Very good.
There are two choices for dessert, and I have picked the Milk Pudding, which is rich, creamy but not too sweet. The other option is the seasonal Persimmon, and Chef Kin jokingly say that many people may not take the latter because of the traditional wisdom of not having the fruit with crab. But that is not an issue for us, and my wife did enjoy the persimmon very much.
Service is very good, with Chef Kin and his team having good conversations with all of us, as essentially all customers on the night are regular ones, again illustrating the strong bond Chef Kin and his team has built with the customers. The bill on the night is $8,283. And once again, a pleasant omakase experience that prompts us to return regularly.
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