Moromi-dofu
Tofu marinated in shoyu moromi, the unpressed mash from the soy sauce making process.
Crab Cake Soup
Crab sake soup in the shell. Some casual restaurants in Japan (like izakaya) will cook a crab shell over a charcoal grill with the meat still in it and pour sake in as a kind of broth. The flavor is sharp; some love it, some hate it, and it is certainly considered down-and-dirty dining.
Daitokuji Beans
Daitokuji fermented black beans. Named after the Kyoto temple nearby which you can purchase these incredibly pungent delicacies, these dried beans generally only pair well with unfiltered or unpasteurized sake. Their powerful flavor (which some people find offensive) would probably overpower a nice, delicate ginjo.
Kyoto Fries
French fries? More like Kyoto fries. A restaurant in Japan’s ancient capital city used baby potato sprouts to bread and fry. Soft but savory, they paired wonderfully with sake.
Fishloaf
This is a kind of fishloaf (like meatloaf) with spring onions. (more detailed description coming soon, and perhaps a recipe if the chef relents!)
Natto, Potato Salad & Kamaboko Carpaccio
The foreground is just natto (fermented soybeans) and some generic potato salad. But in the background is Kamaboko carpaccio. Kamaboko is basically white fish meat that has been pureed and processed into loaves. Suzuhiro, in the beautiful hot springs resort town of Hakone, makes some all-natural Kamaboko (as well as Hakone craft beer).
Marinated Tomatoes and Sashimi
Marinated tomato slices and sashimi in red-peppered olive oil with light garnish. Recipe coming soon.
Breaded and Fried Beans
Seasonal dish of lightly breaded and fried beans from Gastropub Ales in Fukuoka. Recipe coming soon.
Delicate Dish
The all-important chef-proprietor of the small Kyoto restaurant where we had this delicate dish declined to tell us what was in it. Then he said just shut up and drink your sake!
Raw Oysters
This dish comes is garnished with some extras (cucumber, sliced spring onions, etc), the meaty oyster with all its protein goes really well with full-bodied junmai.