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In February 2021, I was taken to "Tai-an" for a birthday celebration~♪ This restaurant in Osaka has been maintaining its Michelin ☆☆☆ status, and it was my first visit. We arrived at 5:30 pm and sat at the counter. We started with a toast with two glasses of sake and two glasses of wine for pairing. The dishes and drinks I enjoyed on this visit are as follows:
Chef's Omakase Course 19,360 yen (tax and service charge included)
- Appetizer: Mountain vegetables in vinegar, Mirugai with shungiku tofu, Uni with wasabi, Scallops with konbu, Fugu shirako with salted fish roe
- Soup: Bamboo shoots, crab, yuba, daikon, nanohana
- Sashimi: Grilled fugu with ponzu, White shrimp from Toyama with soy sauce, Fugu skin and Toto-umi miso pickles with sashimi soy sauce
- Grilled dish (you can choose from several options): Anago with Naruto sauce, Red pickled radish, cucumber, endive with meat miso
- Fried dish: Oyster rice crackers with pickled ginger
- Steamed dish: Clam and bamboo shoots with miso sauce
- Rice dish: Ice fish (young ayu) ochazuke with arare, nori, sesame, warm dashi, nagaimo pickles, salted kelp
- Dessert: Apricot jelly, strawberry, black beans, o-tafuku beans with Grand Marnier pairing 6,500 yen
Pairing:
- Toyobijin Junmai Ginjo Namazake (Aomori, Miura Shuzo)
- Kokuryu Shizuku (Fukui, Kokuryu Shuzo)
- Sucette 2018 An Approach To Relaxation (Australia) Grenache 100% Medium Dry
- Marcel Servin Chablis 1er Cru Vaucoupin 2017 (France) Chardonnay
Although the overall number of dishes seemed a bit small, the portion was quite satisfying (full stomach). Each dish had a delicate flavor and excellent ingredient pairing, despite not being visually flashy. Among the dishes I had, the sashimi, oyster rice crackers, and ice fish ochazuke left a lasting impression.
Toyama white shrimp: I didn't expect to have the opportunity to taste it this season, so it was lucky to enjoy it here. It had a strong sweetness and was delicious even without soy sauce.
Oyster rice crackers: The red pickled ginger paired well with it, which I thought was very Osaka-like. The homemade red pickled ginger, pickled in plum, was a perfect match with the dish. The oyster was delicious as expected, but I particularly loved the red pickled ginger.
Ice fish ochazuke: Probably the best ochazuke I've ever had. It was incredibly delicious. And to top it off, I didn't expect to have seconds, but when I found out it was possible, my excitement skyrocketed (so happy).
The grilled dish I chose, anago, was also exquisite and fluffy. The sake and wine pairings were excellent as well, making it a very satisfying experience. Thank you for the treat! (Grateful to my friend) I definitely want to revisit this restaurant in a different season.