（日本語は下の方にあります）
【English】
Happy New Year to everyone at Foodies Bee Hive!
This is my first post to this community. I had a wonderful Japanese New Year's lunch. I would like to introduce it here to let everyone know about Japanese food culture!
Yesterday, my wife and I had the opportunity to go out for lunch alone. With our son, who cannot sit still, we are too busy taking care of him to have a quiet meal, so this is a precious time for us. I feel that sometimes it is necessary to have an atmosphere and time for communication just for the couple.
Well, this time I visited a sushi restaurant near my house for lunch. Since the birth of my child, I have only been going to take out sushi from conveyor belt sushi restaurants, but I used to go to this sushi restaurant from time to time. The atmosphere inside the restaurant and the staff are very friendly and helpful, and it is my favorite restaurant.
We usually order a cheap sushi lunch, but this time, since it was New Year's and we were a precious couple alone, we ordered a set menu that included the main course of sushi and several seasonal dishes. This was the first time for me to try the set menu and I was very satisfied with it.
The first surprise was the free sake that the staff told us about when we placed our order. He told us to go to the first floor and check it out, where we found a large sake barrel. I have only seen it once at a wedding of one of my seniors who is a sake lover. I also like sake, so at this point I was more than satisfied.
This lacquered Masu was prepared as the sake cup. Salt is also carefully prepared, although I did not use it. There are five tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, umami, and salty. The only taste that sake does not have is salty, so it is sometimes served with salt.
I got two of these for my wife and we enjoyed them before our meal arrived. I was planning to drink a small glass of beer or wine for lunch, but sake seemed to have a better New Year's flavor!
It had been a long time since I drank Masu sake. This Masu was originally used as a vessel for measuring rice, soy sauce, and sake. In Japan, it was also used as a vessel to hold offerings to the gods, which was considered a good omen, and so it came to be used as a sake vessel as well. The first dish arrives as soon as my wife and I are talking.
Grilled scallops with sea urchin sauce
Sashimi of sea bream with ponzu jelly
And stewed pork cubes. Together they are three dishes.
I am glad that the dishes are served a little at a time like this on a beautiful plate. All the dishes are delicious and go well with sake.
Next is chawanmushi. Chawanmushi is a custard-like dish steamed in a cup. The cup is cute. I love to open the hot chawanmushi and smell the delicious aroma. The smooth texture of the egg and dashi broth is very delicious.
Next is tempura of enoki, young corn, and zucchini.
Tempura is a dish that is not easy to make at home. I don't feel like frying it at home because I use too much oil for the amount of food I eat. Crispy tempura is very delicious. I haven't had it in a long time.
And here is the main dish of sushi.
From left to right: tuna, squid, salmon, shrimp, horse mackerel, salmon roe, and egg. Although these are standard sushi, they are all fresh and delicious.
Dessert is Almond Jelly.
I ended up drinking sake for my wife and got a little drunk. At the end of the day, we had a leisurely cup of tea. These teacups are often seen at sushi restaurants in Japan. I wonder if they are becoming less common these days. I have not seen them for a long time. I found that there are many kanji that I cannot read.
My wife and I had a lot to talk about, the food was hearty and filling, and I felt energized. We had a great time talking about childcare and what we want to do this year. I would like to visit again.
May this year be a good one for all of you!
【日本語】
昨日は久しぶりに妻と二人きりで食事に出かける機会を作ることができました。じっと席に座っていられない息子と一緒となると、相手をするのに忙しく落ち着いて食事を取ることなどできないため貴重な時間です。かなり言葉を理解し始めている息子の前では話さない方が良さそうな話題もありますし、夫婦二人だけの雰囲気やコミュニケーションの時間も時には必要だなと感じています。
さて今回ランチに訪れたのは家の近くにあるお寿司屋さんです。子供が生まれてからは回転寿司のテイクアウトばかりでしたが、昔はたまに通っていたお寿司屋さん。店内の雰囲気やスタッフの対応も心地よく、お気に入りのお店です。
いつもは安めのランチにぎり寿司を頼んでいましたが、今回は正月であることと、貴重な夫婦だけの時間ということもあり、メインのお寿司といくつかの季節の料理がセットになったメニューを注文しました。セットメニューは初めてでしたが大満足の内容だったので紹介したいと思います。
まず最初に驚いたのは注文時にスタッフの方が教えてくれた振る舞い酒です。お正月なので特別に日本酒を無料で出しているとのこと。1階で提供しているので行ってみてくださいとのことで向かってみると、どっしりと大きな酒樽があるのです。酒好きの先輩の結婚式で一度飲んだ事があるくらいであまり見る機会ないですよね。私もお酒は好きなのでこの時点で満足度が上がります。
酒器として用意されていたのはこちらの塗枡。使いませんでしたが丁寧に塩まで用意されています。妻の分も合わせて2つもらい食事の到着前から美味しく頂きます。ランチ用の小グラスのビールかワインを飲もうと思っていましたが、日本酒の方がお正月の風情があっていい感じです。
升酒を飲むなんて久しぶりでした。この枡とは元々お米や醤油、お酒などを計量するためのするための容器として使われていました。日本では神様へのお供え物を入れる容器としても使われてきたことから縁起物とされ、酒器としても使われるようになったそうです。お酒も入って妻と会話をしていると早速最初の料理がやってきます。
ホタテのウニソース焼き
鯛のお刺身 ポン酢のジュレ載せ
豚の角煮とまずは３品です。
こうやって料理が少しづつ綺麗なお皿に盛られて提供されるのが久々なのでそれだけでも嬉しいですね。どれも美味しく日本酒に合います。
続いて茶碗蒸し。器がかわいいですね。熱々の茶碗蒸しを開けて美味しそうな香りが立つのが大好きです。卵と出汁の旨みになめらかな食感がとても美味しいです。
次に榎、ヤングコーン、ズッキーニの天麩羅です。
天麩羅はなかなか家ではできない料理の一つです。食べる量に対して使う油が多すぎて家では揚げる気になりません。サクサクの天ぷらはやはり美味しいですね。久しぶりに食べました。
そしてメインのお寿司です。
左からマグロ、イカ、サーモン、エビ、鯵、イクラ、卵です。
定番の寿司ネタですが、どれも新鮮で美味しく頂きました。
デザートは杏仁豆腐です。
結局妻の分の日本酒も飲んで少し酔いが回りましたので、最後はゆっくりお茶を頂きます。この湯呑みは全て魚を表す漢字が描かれていて日本の寿司屋でよく見かけるイメージがありますね。最近は少なくなっているんでしょうか。久しぶりに見ました。改めてみると読めない漢字が多いです。
妻と色々と話もできたし料理もボリュームがあってお腹も一杯、元気が出ました。育児や今年やりたいことの話をしたり、大切な時間を過ごす事ができました。2024年、いいスタートを切る事ができました。また訪れたいと思います。
wow looks delicious
Thank you for your comment!
you're welcome and nice runi :)
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