中野 祐治
This time, I visited a seafood specialty izakaya called "Uo no Susume" in Fukushima Ward, Osaka City. I heard from my friends that you can enjoy various seafood dishes at this place, so I was looking forward to it. The restaurant is located about a 10-minute walk from JR Fukushima Station on the Osaka Loop Line, and also about a 10-minute walk from the Hanshin Line and JR Tozai Line Shin-Fukushima Station. It's a bit hidden from the main street, so I recommend using Google Maps for first-time visitors. When you order a drink and enter the restaurant, they first serve you a complimentary dish. I was surprised to see a shichirin (charcoal grill) placed on the table, where you can grill and eat right in front of you! The aroma of the grilled sardines, stingray fin, and firefly squid was amazing. It was a high point to be able to eat them freshly cooked. Looking at the menu, it lived up to its reputation as a "seafood specialty," with a wide variety of seafood dishes. There were no meat dishes, but instead, a rich variety of seafood-related dishes such as sashimi platter, grilled fish, hot pot, seafood pancake, clay pot rice, etc. The variety of menu items and the abundance of fish types such as tuna collar, blackthroat seaperch, golden threadfin bream, and Spanish mackerel were also attractive. The owner has connections with a seafood company (the son of the president?), so you can enjoy various high-quality fish from around the country depending on the timing. The owner jokingly mentioned having a "national network of seafood!" which seemed fitting given the wide variety of menu items. The drinks also featured recommended products from various regions across Japan, including sake and shochu, which were delicious. What was particularly unusual was the variety of plum wine and fruit liqueurs, which were well-received by the female guests. There were about 5 types of plum wine alone, and about 6 types of cloudy fruit liqueurs, with peach, yuzu fruit liqueur, and Kakutama plum wine being popular at the time. They were all delicious, but the highlight was the salmon and salmon roe clay pot rice that I ordered as a finale! Served in a small clay pot, it had a striking appearance. The owner personally cooked it after receiving the order, so it was very carefully prepared. The price range is expected to be around 4000-5000 yen. It's not very cheap, but the cost performance is good. Also, despite the restaurant being almost full, they came to see us off at the entrance when we left. It's probably because of this kind of thoughtfulness that they can run the restaurant with just their skills as a self-employed business. They also have private rooms, so it seems like a place where you can enjoy various occasions such as dates, family outings, and drinking with friends. Thank you for the delicious meal! ♬