We were served a Kaiseki Japanese course dinner while staying at OkutsuSo (奥津荘), an intimate, family-owned Onsen (natural hot springs) luxury ryokan with just 8 rooms and located in the Okutsu Onsen (奥津温泉) area of Okayama Prefecture, Japan (岡山県奥津温泉.) OkutsuSo is known for having some of the best food in all of Japan, but on this night at least, we were very underwhelmed. Was there a new executive chef, perhaps? Or was he/she away during the low season? In any case, the meal was disappointing, to say the least. The menu as well as explanations of each course were in Japanese, but I’ve tried to do my best in summarizing everything in both English and Japanese. They are:
COURSE 1 – Sakizuke (先付 – Appetizers):
* Hotaru Ika Tosa-zu Jule-gake (ホタルイカ土佐酢ジュレがけ – Firefly Squid with Tosa Vinegar Jelly)
COURSE 2 – Zensai (前菜 – Appetizer (#2)):
* Takenoko Kinome-ae (筍木の芽和え – Bamboo Shoots flavored with the Young leaves of a Sansho plant)
* Wasabi-no-ha Kasuzuke (山葵の葉粕漬け – Wasabi Leaves pickled in the lees of sake)
* Issunma Amani (一寸豆甘煮 – Simmered Broad Beans)
* Hanabira Yurine (花びらゆり根 – Lily Bulb Petals)
* Iidako Umani (イイダコ旨煮 – Simmered Webfoot Baby Octopus)
* Hinazushi (雛寿司 – Crab, Salmon Roe & Carrot Sushi)
COURSE 3 – Suimono (吸物 – Clear Soup):
* Kabura Domyoji Mushi (蕪道明寺蒸し – Japanese Turnip Soup with Glutonous Rice)
COURSE 4 – Tsukuri (造里 – Sashimi):
* Setouchi-san Tennen Tai (瀬戸内産 天然鯛 – Wild-caught Red Sea Bream)
* Hotate no Yakishimo (帆立の焼き霜 – Scallops grilled over an open flame and immediately cooled with cold water. This removes fishy odors and excess fat to increase flavor)
COURSE 5 – Meibutsu (名物 – Speciality Dishes):
Sogyo irai kawaranu, gensen de mushita oryori desu (創業以来変わらぬ、源泉で蒸したお料理です – It is a dish steamed at the hot springs source, which has not changed since the establishment of this ryokan)
* Joyomushi (薯用蒸し – Steamed Japanese Mountain Yam served custard-style)
* Kowamushi (強蒸し – Steamed glutinous rice with wild vegetables)
COURSE 6 – Yakimono (焼物 – Grilled Dish):
* Okutsu-san Hirame (Amago) Shioyaki (奥津産ひらめ(あまご)塩焼き – Salt-grilled wild-caught Red-spotted Amago Masu Salmon Trout from Yoshii River in Okutsu)
COURSE 7 – Daimono (台物 – Main Dish):
* Kaisen Nabe (海鮮鍋 – Seafood Hot Pot)
– Tai (鯛 – Red Sea Bream)
– Hotate (帆立 – Scallops)
– Ebi (海老 – Shrimp)
– Anago (穴子 – Conger Eel)
– Kinira (黄ニラ – Kinira Garlic Chives from Okayama)
– Ebi-imo Mochi (海老芋 – Mochi made with “Shrimp” Taro Root)
– Tofu (豆腐)
– Shiitake (椎茸 – Shiitake Mushrooms)
– Negi (葱 – Green Onions)
– Nishurui Kinoko (二種類キノコ – Two kinds of Fungus)
COURSE 8 – Oshokuji (御食事 – Rice Dish):
* Jako Gohan (じゃこ御飯 – Rice steamed at the hot springs source with boiled then completely drived Baby Sardines)
Okutsuso Keiyaku Nouka no “Kinumusume” (奥津荘契約農家のきぬむすめ – Rice is from a contracted farm from Okutsuso, and is called “Kinumusume”)
* Akadashi (赤出汁 – Red Miso Soup)
* Kounomono (香の物 – Pickled Vegetables)
– Konbu (昆布 – Konbu Sea Kelp)
– Kiku-imo (菊芋 – Chrysanthemum Potato / Jerusalem Artichoke)
COURSE 9 – Mizugashi (水菓子 – Fruit-based Dessert):
* Amazake Panna Cotta (甘酒パンナコッタ – Panna Cotta made from fermented Japanese rice)
* Ichigo (苺 – Strawberries)
* Giyuzu no Orange-ni (黄柚子のオレンジ – Ripe Yellow Yuzu Citrus with Orange Sauce)
AloJapan.com