Many thanks for choosing SAKANA - from Italy
This lovely couple from Italy chose Omakase course that designed to enjoy best seasonal ingredients of Hida - Wild Vegs at this time of the year.
Starting with numbers of small delicacies as usual, and Hoba miso grill to finish the course.
Hoba-miso grill is one of the most famous local dish in Hida area that is to grill miso and vegetables on a huge Hoba leaf (a magnolia leaf). A hint of Hoba scent comes up as it's heated, then mixed with our original miso and fresh wild vegetables cooked on the leaf. Savory fragrance will make your mouth watering.
Omakase course includes variaty of wild veg as well as mini steak of Hida beef and seafood from Japan-sea. They seemed enjoyed all through the course.
by Kay
Another day in the Mountain
We went to the mountain looking for more eadible plants. it was very sunny, summerly-day, and we found lots of good ones.
Udo
Yomogi (Japanese wormwood)
Itadori
Momiji-kasa
It's not always easy to pick up wild plants as you may think.....
I needed to climb up steep side of the mountian fully covered by the soil. Well, it's worth it for our menu.
Customers enjoyed freshly prepared numbers of wild-veg dishes.
by Kay
Hida mountains in Spring
White snow turned into green as getting wamer, the snow melting water is yet too cold to jump in.
Mountains are covered with young and fresh greens.
Along the stream
Many eadible plants are found along the clear stream in the mountains.
Itadori (Japanese knotweed) good for stew, tempura
Udo (English name not known). One of popular Spring vegetable, but truly wild Udo has much stronger fragrance and harshness compare to farmed ones.
Momiji-kasa which called 'Queen of wild plants', good for light boil and miso-soup.
Tara-no-me sprout. Delicious with miso stir fry and tempura
Niwatoko (Japanese elder flower) for tempura.
Azami (mountain thistle)'s young shoot is also good for tempura.
Wild garlic
Variety of wild plants on our memu!
by Kay
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Wild Wasabi
We went into deep in a mountain for more wild plants. Wild wasabi flower was blooming along the clear stream of water.
The master said that Spring is not the best season for wasabi roots. Winter is the best season for wasabi that has rich aroma, but it will be very difficult to climb up the mountain this far because of the snow.
Wasabi stem, leaves and flowers are used for appetizers and salads on our menu.
by Kay
Taste of Spring
Having peak season of wild veg, we put these on our Omakase-tasting menu. (subject to availability of stock)
Appetizer - various spring plants delicacies
Tempura - five to six different kind of Spring plants, Koshiabura is the most popular for tempura.
Dumpling in soup - 7 Spring plants including bamboo shoots, wild garlic mixed with pork mince.
Grilled Iwana - we grill the river fish about an hour with very low heat so that the fish surface become very crispy, you can eat head to tail with bone. We start grilling the fish before your arrival.
Please call us if you wish to try our taste of Spring, we can arrange the menu for you (booking needs to be made few days in advance).
by Kay
Sprouts sprouts sprouts!
We went to wild plants picking to the fields and mountains.
Koshiabura-shoot
Warabi (bracken) shoots
Kogomi (fern) shoots
We love these soft shoots and sprouts flavours and textures in different way of cooking.
Eating these wild vegs, just picked up from the Spring mountains feels really fresh and healthy.
Come to SAKANA and try those nature gems.
by Kay
