白杖ペンギン
This time, my partner and I visited the restaurant called Sanyoshi for their rare tendon. It was in the evening after visiting the Koami Shrine in Ningyocho. We arrived shortly after the night session started, and besides us, there was only one other person in the restaurant. The place had a clean counter seat layout, with a quiet and calm atmosphere. The menu had two options: regular and special. There were also drinks available. Since it was our first visit, both of us ordered the regular tendon. The tendon ingredients included bachi maguro red meat, squid, cherry tomatoes, carrots, daikon radish, and moroheiya. We were intrigued by the rare seafood, as well as vegetables like cherry tomatoes and moroheiya, which we had never tried in tempura before. While waiting for our order, we looked around the table and found that chopsticks and other essentials were stored in the drawer at each seat. Chopsticks, spoons, wet towels, toothpicks, and roasted shichimi were available. Roasted shichimi was a new discovery for us! We wondered what it would taste like. From the counter seats, we could see the kitchen, and we could hear the satisfying sound of tempura frying. After a while, the tendon arrived. It was accompanied by wasabi, salt, and soy sauce on small plates. The maguro had been marinated, but we were told that using wasabi and such to eat it would be good too. We were also served a pot of dashi broth, and we were informed that we could enjoy a refreshing ochazuke before finishing the tendon. We started eating right away. The first bite was the maguro, with a seared texture and a rich flavor that made it delicious as it is. The second bite was the squid, with a tender texture, and it didn't have as much of a rare quality. The third bite was a sweet leafy vegetable, probably moroheiya, and it was very tasty. The fourth bite was the cherry tomato, which burst in the mouth, spreading the acidity of the tomato. The fifth bite was the carrot, finely sliced and adding an accent to the dish. The tendon sauce was rich and very much to our liking. When we were halfway through, we added the dashi broth to make ochazuke. We prepared the roasted shichimi and a spoon as if they were a part of the ritual. When we tasted it, the roasted shichimi had a wonderful aroma that made us exclaim involuntarily. The owner mentioned that it had a good scent of sansho pepper. We also encountered the daikon tempura in the ochazuke. It paired well with the broth and was very comforting. We finished it in no time. While waiting for me, a slow eater, my partner enjoyed the pickled ginger on the table to refresh the palate. He seemed very impressed. It was a unique experience enjoying both the tendon and the ochazuke, and the atmosphere of the restaurant and the owner were very pleasant. I would love to go back next time to try the special tendon. Thank you for the meal.
