Thought Kenka’s jumbo curry was hard to stomach? Depending on your level of squeamishness, these izakaya specials may well be harder. Zenkichi, where the menu warns non-adventurous eaters about the fish guts, kindly informs us that shirako season is winding down, so go there in the next few weeks if you’re hankerin’ for cod milt. It’s available in sashimi form as a special (call ahead), and also in tempura form on the à la carte menu as well as the new omakase menu below.
Also, Joe DiStefano points out a curiosity on Hagi’s specials menu. Hotaru ika okizuke, or “pickled baby squid,” has a “pleasantly fishy, salty flavor with an undertone of mellow sweetness from the pickling liquid, which is composed of soy sauce and sake, among other things.”
Early Spring Omakase
8-course tasting menu: $48 per guest (for 2 or more)
($60 per guest for individual tasting)
-Items marked with * are not available a la carte-
Miso Soup
Chilled Plate of Hamachi Tartar*
Yellowtail belly & scallion tartar
Fresh Uni Tofu
Homemade creamy tofu topped by uni sea urchin from Aomori
Sashimi of the Day*
Jidori & Kinoko Salad*
Gilled free-range chicken & mushrooms from Shizuoka, Japan on bed of greens, onion-ginger dressing
Shirako & Nagaimo Tempura*
Creamy cod milt, Japanese yam, shiso leaf in cod fish cake wrapped by nori seaweed
Saikyo Miso Cod
Grilled black cod in Kyoto miso marinade
Agedashi Goma Tofu
Deep fried sesame tofu made by kudzu powder in light broth
Mini Madai Don*
Red snapper from Japan, soy-marinated and served over rice
Choice of Homemade Dessert
Choose one item per person
Rice Flour Trifle (wheat-free)
Baked Japanese rice flour cake with Okinawan brown sugar cream, cashew nuts, whipped cream
and sweet azuki beans
Frozen Black Sesame Mousse
Silky frozen chocolate sesame mousse
Pear Cream Cheesecake
Japanese-style creamy cheesecake
Kabocha Chocolate Pudding
Rich dark chocolate pudding with kabocha pumpkin and roasted walnuts
Izakaya Hagi’s Pickled Curiosity Horrifies Small Children, Tourists [Fork in the Road/VV]
Related: Shirako Season [NYM]