Top of my must-eat list in Nagoya was hitsumabushi, the Nagoya style of eating unagi (freshwater eel) on rice. With the help of a tourism officer, we booked a restaurant located near Nagoya station and this turned out to be a branch of Hitsumabushi Bincho, a chain of hitsumabushi restaurants in Nagoya and also Tokyo. Most of the hitsumabushi restaurants will only serve eel so do ensure that everyone in your party is happy to eat it!
This is the tray that is presented to you after you order. A bowl of rice and eel, an empty rice bowl, pickles, a bowl of a clear broth, wasabi and spring onions, shredded nori and more dashi broth.
Our kind waitress guided us through the process of consuming hitsumabushi. We first took our rice paddles and divided the bowl of rice and eel into four quadrants. We all scooped a quadrant into our rice bowls. This quarter was eaten as is, no toppings added, to really taste the eel. The method of cooking eel for hisumabushi in Nagoya does not include the usual steaming, thus leaving the eel with lots of crispy grilled edges. I loved it.
The second quarter was to be mixed with as much freshly grated wasabi and finely sliced spring onions as one desired. Delicious.
The third quarter was topped with shredded nori and a clear dashi broth, turning the eel and rice into a sort of congee. As tasty as this was, the broth destroyed all the crispy eel edges that I so loved.
The final quarter? We were to eat it in our favourite way of the three! A dab of wasabi and spring onions for me again then!
I loved the whole ritual involved with the meal and I absolutely loved the Nagoya style of straight up grilling the eel without the initial steaming. The meal wasn’t the cheapest in Nagoya but the price for a hitsumabushi meal was pretty consistent across all the restaurants in the guide I was given (about 3000 yen or £20 per person).
Hitsumabushi Bincho
The branch we visited was in the ESCA underground shopping avenue next to Nagoya station.
Sun, 27 Oct, 2013 at 19:30
Ahhh so THAT’S what they mean by having it three ways, now I understand, thanks! ^^
Sat, 9 Nov, 2013 at 21:03
Yup! It’s totally delicious and I wish I’d bought the bento box they offered too!
Sun, 27 Oct, 2013 at 20:36
What a lovely ritual that is. Oh those crispy edges do make my mouth water! 🙂
Sat, 9 Nov, 2013 at 21:03
Crispy edges!!!
Sun, 27 Oct, 2013 at 21:19
I am loving this trip of yours! SO many interesting things!
Sat, 9 Nov, 2013 at 21:04
Thank you! Still a few more posts to go!
Mon, 28 Oct, 2013 at 02:55
unagi never goes wrong! my favourite way is usually to mix the last bit of rice and unagi with hot green tea and mixing it all up together – it gets the rest of that delicious sauce off the sides of the bowl!
Sat, 9 Nov, 2013 at 21:19
Oh! That’s a very good idea – to use up the sauce!
Mon, 28 Oct, 2013 at 12:13
glad you got to try this!
Sat, 9 Nov, 2013 at 21:23
It was so delicious!!!
Tue, 29 Oct, 2013 at 17:31
DROOOOL. I love eel so much – loving the sound of all methods you’ve described. So envious of your trip! (Minus the work part.)
Sat, 9 Nov, 2013 at 21:23
Yeah, the work part wasn’t as much fun….but there was good eating even during work!
Wed, 30 Oct, 2013 at 19:01
I love the presentation of the dish.. not sure about eating freshwater eel though….
Sat, 9 Nov, 2013 at 21:26
Oh, believe me, it’s utterly delicious! Do try it if you can!