raccostar
It's Monday night in Ginza. Tonight, after about three years, I visited Nifukazushi, a perfect hidden gem for solo drinking. However, tonight I am accompanied by a Shibainu-like fluffy smile, a follower girl. Since the beginning of the year, we have been to a sushi restaurant, Chinese, kaiseki, Italian, and now, for the fifth time, we meet. When asked for preferences, she passed on French and said in a Hakata dialect, "I like sushi." Oh well, no choice. Shall we show the killer move of the raccoon, I thought, so I revealed Nifukazushi, which I had kept hidden for a while. We met at Sanhara Bridge at six o'clock and entered through the curtain together. Already, four gentlemen are chatting. The two of us, the raccoon and the Shibainu, sit at the counter behind the opposing group and toast with a small bottle of Asahi beer. Photography is not allowed here, so I cannot post photos, but I will introduce it with a longer text than usual, so please read it leisurely. And thank you for the meal.
Summary: There are spirits lurking here since its founding in 1877. In the shadows of the pillars, on the black lacquered trays, even on the large round clock whose hands have been advanced for about ten minutes... in the exquisite wave of this air that only time has brewed, the raccoon and Shibainu drift. You can enjoy your favorite snacks and sushi at your own pace without a simultaneous start or revolving system, just the customer's pace. There are fewer of these old-fashioned sushi restaurants like this nowadays.
Snacks: Since it's so comfortable, I end up ordering too many snacks. It's like an izakaya, which I feel bad about, but looking at the dancers lined up in the refrigerated case tonight, I can't help but think, "Come here, all of you."
- Appetizer: Edamame with uncut pods, a classic sushi town style. Eat it with the skin on, perhaps?
- Mako flounder: A 25cm size carefully filleted. Freshly cut, with a chewy texture. I like it. The Shibainu girl from Kyushu is delighted.
- Medium fatty tuna: I think this is supposed to be minced tuna. It's frozen, but the handling is good, comparable to bluefin tuna.
- Ark shell: Wow, the more you chew, the more umami seeps out. I might as well have some sake later.
- Bonito: Seasonal ones are delicious. Enjoy it with homemade ponzu. This slightly sweet acidity is a perfect match with oranges, probably...
- Squid: Sticky and delicious. No need for salt. There's nothing that beats the combination of homemade wasabi and soy sauce.
- Live scallop: Dangerous! It continues to radiate a glossy shine in the refrigerated case. It's raw, so soft, tender, oh, erotic! The umami of this kelp that disappears when boiled. You can only taste it raw, right?
- Aoyagi clam: Looking at this ripe persimmon-colored glossy skin, there shouldn't be any man who doesn't react! Oh, where does it react? Oh, that childish question. Needless to say, it's the adult's reacting part. Yes, the cute stomach! Well, there may be individual differences, hehe.
- Striped shrimp: I've encountered Hokkaido striped shrimp a few times, but tonight it's the usual striped shrimp. Carefully peeled from the shell of a pregnant shrimp, it exudes a glistening red stripe. Thick, sweet, erotic.
- Ezo abalone: In summer, they offer it in a simmered style (soaking the sliced meat in ice water). Tonight, it's still early, so I had it in chunks. Like the clam and ark shell, I savor the umami of glutamic acid.
- Flat abalone: A splendid flat abalone the size of a raccoon's clenched fist. The Shibainu girl's favorite. Since my stomach is full, I requested it to be thinly sliced and served with seaweed.
