鯛 (Snapper)

日本料理 鯛 Ugata, Ise Prefecture

Client dinners can bring you to the most unexpected of places.  There are various reasons as to picking a particular venue for a client dinner: in our case, the host (my company) wanted our guest/client to experience a little bit of the local culture or traditional food in Ise prefecture.




I was hoping that since we were in Ugata, we'd be feasting on lobsters this evening.  Ise prefecture is more known for its lobsters than its snapper fish however this restaurant is known as an institution for fish rather than more popular crustacean. 

FIRST DISH:  Assorted Sashimi

Snapper, tuna, and squid.  All perfectly acceptable however I'd have to note that the sashimi could have been a bit cooler.  I think it was just below room temperature which it shouldn't have been.

SECOND DISH: Sazae (otherwise known as conch)

A speciality in certain parts of Asia however not one that I enjoy.  Beneath the prickly exterior of this shell lives/ (lived) a sea slug.  Indeed very meaty in texture however if I have to be blunt, it was a bit gross to look at it and it made me lose my appetite temporarily.

THIRD DISH: Ise Ebi Salad

The salad was great.  A wonderful array of vegetables were used in composing the salad but unfortunately, the famed lobster from Ise, dissapointed.  How could they get this wrong??? 

FOURTH DISH: Assorted Deep Fried Fish Bones

A truly underrated food snack which I haven't seen in too many countries fish-wise.  It's a great mix of different fish skins that have been deep fried and salted.

FIFTH DISH: Stewed Fish Head in Sweet Soy Sauce

Yes, it is a common dish throughout Japan and I won't say it wasn't good but picking meat off of a fish head is an interesting task.  Even more amusing is the client who sits next to you and plucks out the eyeball and sucks the gelatinous bits around it before slurping it down.  The taste was fine though and the sweet soy really gave a good contrast to the strong smells of the fish.

SIXTH DISH: Shrimp Tempura with Green Peas

I love, love, love tempura.  There is something very addicting to deep fried foods and so I thank my lucky stars one of Japan's specialities is tempura.  This particular arrangement of shrimp and pea worked great but the batter was still a bit doughy.

7TH DISH: Ochazuke of Red Snapper

Ochazuke is another sublime dish which is composed of tea, rice, and sometimes a topping.  In this case, yes you guessed correctly, more snapper fish. It also included seawood and spring onions. Ochazuke is a light dish where tea is poured on top of rice and is loved by many of Japan's citizens.  I would be sure that this dish actually wasn't served with tea however but hot water that might have been flavored with fish stock.   

AND FINALLY: Pickles

By the end of the meal, all of our group were bloated and lamented ordering too many dishes.  I really would have liked to say that it was a tasty meal however I think this is one restaurant that fell slightly short of a personal recommendation that I would offer to someone else.  The food was acceptable and for 5,250 Yen (equivalent of 52 Euro) per person we sure did eat quite a bit. 

Sadly, there are a multitude of restaurants throughout Japan that serve the same amount of dishes and perhaps better in quality than this one.  Should you be passing through the Ugata area in Ise prefecture, I would heartily recommend 'Te chan' (please see my post for that restaurant) as a much more suitable venue for Japanese classics in an Izakaya styled restaurant.

My Score:




日本料理 鯛 (Nihon Ryouri Tai) - Shima City, Mie Prefecture Ugata

http://shima-tai.com/

Da Nino, Rome

Da Nino - Rome

Recommended by a family member of mine, my wife and I eagerly awaited a lunch at the historic Da Nino restaurant located in a side street near the Spanish Steps.  Da Nino is considered an institution in the Roman culinary scene.  One interesting fact about this restaurant is the fact that when the originial ownership of Da Nino fizzled out, the waiters of the restaurant collectively joined forces and took over the management of the restaurant.

We were seated in old wooden rickety chairs and attended by an elderly Italian waiter.  He barely spoke any English and told us that everything on the menu was good to eat.

FIRST DISH: Boiled Asparagus with Butter and Parmesan Cheese

We selected the giant sized Asparagus on display in a showcase window and our waiter told us they only way to have them served properly would be with butter and Parmesan cheese, naturally!  They were simply delectable.  Firm stalks of green asparagus drenched with a heavy dose of butter and melted Parmesan.  An overwhelming 10/10.

SECOND DISH: Tagliatelle With Porcini

The porcini were uber tasty and meaty.  The tagliatelle was cooked to perfection.  I lapped up every bit of the sauce and wished that I had two portions of this outstanding pasta dish.  Again, a 10/10.

DESSERT: Fragole (Wild Berries)

At 7 euros for this dessert, I first questioned if it was going to be worth seven euros for mixed berries.  How I was wrong.  The berries were definitely wild with a hint of earthy sweetness.  If I'm not mistaken they were dressed with the slightest touch of a sweet alcohol.  I remarked to the waiter how delicious the berries were and he quietly nodded as if to say, ''I told you so''.

THE DINING ROOM

In my opinion, this was truly the best lunch that I had in Rome.  Everything went by without a hitch.  The food was outstanding, the prices reasonable (64 euros for two diners) and the ambiance was totally charming.

In a corner of a restaurant, two waiters were arguing what pasta would be better to use for one diner's dish.  In the center of the room sat the all powerful cashier.  A lady who oversaw every check and scoured the restaurant for regular guests to chat up.  She spoke to me in Italian when I went to pay although I had no idea what she said.  I deduced that she was claiming that the food at Da Nino was always excellent and it was my privilege to have been able to dine there - or so I guessed.

If you do visit Rome, you must visit this institution and book ahead in advance.  It's worth every penny.


Da Nino

Via Borgognona, 11  00187 Rome, Italy

www.ristorantenino.it