Our first night’s dinner at Iki Retreat Kairi Murakami, a luxury hot springs ryokan located on Iki Island, which is in the Sea of Japan off the West coast of Kyushu. The menu and explanation of each course was in Japanese, but I’ve tried my best to summarize everything below, in both Japanese and English. They are:
COURSE 1 – Zensai (前菜 – Appetizers):
* “Mama Nakase” Tomato Mitsuzuke (ママ泣かせ蜜漬け – Honey-glazed “Mama Nakase” Tomato)
* Mozuku-su (水雲酢 – Vinegared Mozuku Brown Algae Seaweed)
* Bafun Uni “Gaze Miso” to Kyuri (バフンウニかぜ味噌と胡瓜 – “Gaze Miso” with Cucumber. Gaze Miso is Bafun Uni Sea Urchin mixed with Miso Soybean paste)
* Onsen Tamago Kimi Misozuke (温泉玉子黄身味噌漬け – Miso-marinated Egg Yolk)
* Jikasei Karasumi Daikon (自家製唐寿美大根 – Homemade Salted Mullet Roe sandwiched between thin slices of Daikon Radish)
COURSE 2 – Yakimono (焼物 – Grilled Dish):
* Sazae Tsuboyaki (栄螺壺焼き – Grilled Horned Turban / Turban Shell)
COURSE 3 – Otsukuri (御造り – Sashimi):
* Karatsuki Aka Uni (殻付き赤ウニ – Aka Uni Sea Urchin in the shell)
* Hon Maguro (本鮪 – Bluefin Tuna)
* Kue (九絵 – Longtooth Grouper)
* Kensaki Ika (剣先烏賊 – Swordtip Squid)
COURSE 4 – Hashi Yasume (箸休め – “Rest the chopstick,” aka. Palate Cleanser):
* Umeshiso Daikon (梅紫蘇大根 – Pickled Plum and Shisho sandwiched between thin slices of Daikon Radish)
COURSE 5 – Shiizakana (強肴 – Large, Hot Dish):
* Kue no Kome Koji-yaki (九絵の米麹焼き – Longtooth Grouper pan fried with Fermented Rice Mould)
– Asparagus
COURSE 6 – Onmono (温物 – Hot Dish):
* Kuro Awabi to Aka Uni no Kairi-yaki (黒鮑と赤ウニの海里焼き – Grilled Abalone topped with Aka Uni Sea Urchin)
COURSE 7 (FOR HIM) – Niku Ryori (肉料理 – Meat Dish):
* Iki Gyu Sukiyaki (壱岐牛すき焼き – Iki Beef Sukiyaki)
COURSE 7 (FOR HER) – Mushimono (蒸物 – Steamed Dish):
* Nodoguro Matsu Mae Mushi (のどぐろ松前蒸し – Line-caught Blackthroat Seaperch aka. Rosy Seabass)
COURSE 8 – Gohanmono (御飯物 – Rice Dish):
* Aka Uni Gohan (赤ウニご飯 – Rice with Aka Uni Sea Urchin)
COURSE 9 – Shirumono (汁物 – Soup Dish):
* Aka Uni Aosa Ushio Jiru (赤ウニと石蓴潮汁 – Soup made by seasoning seafood stock with salt. With Aka Uni Sea Urchin and Aosa Seaweed)
COURSE 10 – Kounomono (香の物 – Pickled Vegetables):
* Asazuke (浅漬け – Asazuke is a Japanese pickling method characterized by its short preparation time, and implies a food pickled in the morning and ready by the evening)
COURSE 11 – Mizumono (水物 – Fruit-based Dessert):
* Iki Melon (壱岐メロン)