My overall score: 4.6/5
Lisa’s overall score: 4.7/5
Ordered:
- Mabushi (2100 yen)
- Don (2400 yen)
This is the first side trip we went from Nagoya! (Gujo-Hachiman: they apparently make 80% of Japan’s plastic food replicas~) This was one of the places I searched up prior to going and BOY are we glad we stuck with this! BEST EEL meal! I don’t usually like eel but…the flavours! The crispiness of the skin next to the tender meat! I haven’t been able to find another place that makes it like they do yet.
This is the Mabushi. Look at all the pieces! I was very unsure on how to properly eat this at first!
How to Eat:
1. Use the paddle to scoop 1/4 of the bowl and the grilled eel into the smaller bowl and eat it.
2. Eat the next 1/4 of the bowl by adding seasoning (the pickled vegetables, nori and scallions).
3. Eat the third 1/4 of the bowl by adding in seasoning and the dashi (in the sake bottle).
4. Eat the last 1/4 of the bowl any way you like.
Presentation: 4.5/5
Not bad compared to the other Japanese styled meals I had. I’m a big fan of the type of bowls and containers used and how the different styles are used together to create that mood (like how you’re decorating the interior of your home). Obviously that may be personal opinion but I think the presentation here is not bad! I like how they used a tokkuri (sake bottle) to put the dashi in.
Lisa gave a 5 here!
The higher score here comes from the complexity of the set, but also… look at that eel, one look and it made me want to dig in!
This is the best eel dish I’ve ever had in my life!
Health: 4/5
Unfortunately it’s not the ideal place if you are vegetarian. Its dishes revolve around beef and eel mostly. However, the higher rating comes from the locally-sourced ingredients like their eel! Lisa had the same rating and would’ve liked a few veggies.
Atmosphere/location: 4.5/5
This place is convenient when you’re in Gujo-Hachiman! (Otherwise it’s around an hour and a half from Nagoya station). The restaurant is located in Shinmachi, the big street not far from the tourist information centre.
Lisa put a solid 5/5!
Cost: 5/5
Taking into account the taste and how filling it was, we think the price is good! Comparing it to the Hitsumabushi restaurant in Nagoya, this tasted better with a much lower cost!
Taste: 5/5
This is the don that Lisa ordered! The unagi.. look at it!!
Lisa and I were blown away, truly. The boneless eel had that sweet grilled teriyaki flavour. They must have grilled it further or steamed it so the excess fat is gone, leaving behind a crispy skin with succulent, tender meat (this must be the reason why I usually do not like to eat eel in other places).
The wasabi root along with the pickled vegetables really opened up the appetite by cutting through the lingering sweetness.
Service: 4.7/5
Lisa gave a 5 for service, but I felt they could have tried to help us more when we asked how do we eat the meal. And it was quite a long wait for the food-but I guess it was worth it in the end!
mishinnoms 