We enjoyed an excellent Kaiseki dinner course at Yamanoo Bettei Ryokusone (山乃尾別邸 緑草音), a 7-room luxury ryokan in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan (石川県金沢市.) The menu as well as explanations of each dish were all in Japanese, but I’ve tried my best to summarize everything in both languages. They are:
COURSE 1 – SAKI (先 – Appetizer):
* Mushi Nodoguro Sushi (蒸しのどぐろ寿司 – Steamed Blackthroat Seaperch aka. Rosy Seabass Sushi)
* Katsuo Kunsei Sushi (鰹燻製寿司 – Smoked Bonito Sushi)
– Shirouri (白瓜 – Oriental Pickling Melon)
COURSE 2 – WAN (椀 – Clear Soup):
Minazuki (水無月 – “June offering” that resembles a long sheet of ice):
* Nagaimo Tofu (長芋豆腐 – Chinese Yam / Japanese Mountain Yam Tofu)
COURSE 3 – TSUKURI (造 – Sashimi):
Kisetsu no Mono (季節のもの – Seasonal offerings):
* Kinmedai (金目鯛 – Splendid Alfonso)
* Mizudako (ミズダコ – Giant Pacific Octopus)
* Baigai (バイ貝 – Japanese Ivory Shell / Babylon Shell)
COURSE 4 – AGE (揚 – Fried Dish):
* Age Noto Iwagaki (揚げ能登岩牡蠣 – Deep-fried Giant Iwagaki Oysters from the Noto Peninsula)
– Fushimi Togarashi (伏見唐辛子 – Fushimi Sweet Pepper)
COURSE 5 – HIYASHI (冷 – Cold Dish):
* Banka Somen (蕃茄 素麺 – Cold Somen noodles with Tomato and Tosa Vinegar-based dashi broth)
– Nodoguro (のど黒 – Blackthroat Seaperch aka. Rosy Seabass)
– Snap Endo (スナップエンドウ – Snap Peas)
COURSE 6 – YAKI (焼 – Grilled Dish):
* Ayu no Shioyaki (鮎の塩焼き – Grilled and Salted Sweetfish)
– Kaga-fu to Kyuri (加賀麩と胡瓜 – Wheat Gluten from Kaga and Cucumbers)
COURSE 7 – NABE (鍋 – Hot Pot):
* Nodoguro (のどぐろ – Blackthroat Seaperch aka. Rosy Seabass)
– Myoga (茗荷 – Japanese Ginger)
COURSE 8 – MESHI (飯 – Rice Dish):
* Kamadaki Tomorokoshi Gohan (釜炊きトウモロコシご飯 – White rice and Corn cooked in a clay pot)
* Tsukemono: Mizunasu, Daikon, Kyuri, Myoga, Su-renkon (香の物: 水茄子, 大根, 胡瓜, 酢茗荷 – Pickled vegetables: Water Eggplant, Daikon Radish, Cucumber, Japanese Ginger, Vinegared Lotus Root)
COURSE 9 – AMA (甘 – Sweet Dish):
* Kuzukiri (葛切り, 黒蜜と黄粉 – Kuzukiri with Japanese black sugar syrup and Dried, milled and roasted Sweet Soybean Flour. Kuzukiri is a transparent noodle made from water and kudzu / Japanese Arrowroot powder)
* Momo to Shine Muscat (桃とシャインマスカット – Peach and Shine Muscat Grape)