As the GMAT finally draws to a close, I finally have time to catalog my experiences back in Fukuoka, Japan back in January. Fukuoka is a far cry from Tokyo, with the former boasting a quaint, bucolic lifestyle. Gone are the multi-colored neon lights and busy streets that most people often associate Japan with. And in their places are large industrial buildings in a sleepy, suburban seaside city. As Fukuoka is in the southern most island of Japan, the geographical differences exist in the styles of sushi as well. Kyushu-mae (九州前), as it is colloquially called, differs from Edo-mae (江户前) in many ways. Firstly, the former uses salt and kabosu (臭橙), literally "smelly oranges", such as yuzu (ユズ) or sudachi (酢橘), for seasoning. On the other hand, the latter uses soy sauce, nikiri (煮きり), or eel sauce in American English, and tsume (煮詰め), a type of sweet sauce. Secondly, the latter places the neta front and enter, devoid of any condiments. The former, in contrast, places a lot of complementing accouterments, such as sea grapes, konegi (小葱 - green spring onion before reaching full maturity), and togarashi (唐辛子) to the sushi. Thirdly, Kyushu-mae boasts fresh neta, while Edo-mae often uses aged neta, in particular tuna.
Surprisingly, despite the difference in style, the Kyushu-mae style still manages to claim a rather lofty spot on the Japanese restaurant review site Tabelog. That restaurant is Tenzushi in Kyomachi (天寿し - 京町店), now helmed by the second generation Amano-san (天野功). Hailing from the same master of Amano-san is Nobuo Morita-san (森田順夫), who opens an eponymous restaurant Sushi Morita (もり田). At 80 plus years old, Morita-san is just another legend who dedicates his life to the craft of sushi. As Tenzushi is perennially booked (reservations were out despite a full month ahead!), I picked myself a spot at Sushi Morita as the styles are very similar between the two.
The shop is nestled in Northern Kyushu (北九州) in a quiet, industrial town called Kokura-Kyomachi (小倉京町), which is half an hour train ride off of Fukuoka City. Not much is happening around the city, despite me arriving late in the morning on a weekday. In fact, the city is so quiet that I do not even hear much traffic sounds. Small, somewhat run-down buildings line the roads as smoke billows out from a factory from afar. Judging from the atmosphere, it is as if the town gets locked in time in Post-War Japan, being left behind from the modernization that occurred to its Northern counterparts. It is hard to fathom that such a fabled sushi shop exists in such a dilapidated neighborhood. But in true Japanese fashion, there is the restaurant, situated two floors up a somewhat deserted car park in a low-rise commercial building.
A very nondescript storefront.
With just 8 seats at the counter, the restaurant is small with extremely simple decor. The rounded bamboo counter matches with the lacquer counter top, creating a rustic atmosphere for this simple shop. A large neon light tube, coupled with coffee-colored wooden panels, gives it a historic charm. There is an unspeakable elegance to this simplistic yet classic fare, a feeling that is all the more apparent as the itamae (板前) stares down at me as I eat. The restaurant also only serves an omakase and nothing else. No cooked dishes. Nor sweets. Nada. This is a sushi temple.
As aforementioned, soy is used sparingly given the style of the sushi. Shari is on the sweeter end and at room temperature, creating a chewy, grainy texture. Meanwhile, the gari is very thin and quite spicy. This makes the residual sweetness all the more apparent. The pieces here are big and generous. Pacing is fast and I was served two pieces at the same time. Nonetheless, despite the alacrity, I was still able to enjoy every morsel of it. As it is lunch, I opted out to drink anything but tea. It is, after all, during the throes of winter.
The soy sauce almost seems unnecessary here.
Hiramasa - Yellow Amberjack【平政】
Starting us off with the omakase is the whitefish hiramasa, or kingfish in the English lexicon. At this time of the year, the yellow amberjack boasts plenty of fats and a delicious fishiness. It is fat and crunchy at the same time. The sliver of shiso sandwiched between the neta and the shari adds much needed balance to temper the fish oils. I also particularly like the meatiness that is starting to develop in these young fishes. A solid start.
Tai - Sea Bream【鯛】
With a dash of togarashi and a sliver of cucumber underneath, the bream is dipped in soy. Though the wasabi is somewhat strong, the clean, meaty chewiness is very delectable. I particularly love the tenderizing cuts on the back as well to ease the mastication.
Fugu - Japanese Pufferfish 【河豚】
This one is an absolute beauty. The poisonous morsel is cut ethereally thin, almost transparent. Adorned with grated radish and konegi underneath the neta, the sushi boasts meaty flavors with a kick of spicy flair. The acidity from the dash of sudachi highlights the piquant flavors on the radish too. This is simply on another planet.
Sawara - Japanese Spanish Mackerel 【鰆】
Just like the other pieces, this piece is served sans sauce. Instead, it is topped with chopped konegi, togarashi, yuzukosho and a dash of citrus. Being in season, the fish itself is decadent and oily. The texture is almost like that of a pillow, one which coasts the tongue in fishiness and acidity. The brazen flavors and the accompanying balance between spice, astringency and acidity are what makes this piece remarkable. Very good.
Saba - Chub Mackerel【鯖】
This is perhaps the piece that typifies Kyushu-mae. Contrary to commonly found preparations, this one is not aged at all. As such, the meatiness and the oiliness of the fish are both preserved. In addition, the fishiness is not too overbearing. This points to the spectacular freshness of the specimen, as silver-skinned fishes turn fishy quickly after they are killed. The dust of sesame and scallions, along with a generous dab of soy, adequately provides a fitting background to the fleshy meatiness.
Kensaki Ika - Sword-Tip Squid 【剣先烏賊】
The best of the best. This is downright insanely good. A thick cut of squid is scored and flash-boiled, creating curly strands that resemble a flower. On top are a generous dab of murasaki uni (ムラサキウニ), a dash of sudachi, tobiko (飛子) and a sliver of kinome leaf (木の芽), or the leaf of the Sichuan peppercorn plant. There is simply no need for other condiments. The sweetness from the sea urchin. The acidity from the citrus. The salinity from the salt. The prick from the peppercorn leaf. There is just so much going on. On top of that, the crunchy, pearly texture from the flying fish roe contrasts so well with the silken texture of the squid. I have never had squid like this before. Downright mind-bogglingly good.
Maguro Zuke - Soy-Marinated Lean Cut Tuna 【漬けマグロ】
This is just as good as the last. Arguably, this is one of the best akami (赤身) I have ever had. Though the cut it is lean, it is extremely pliable and yields instantaneously to bite. In fact, it tastes just like jamon, replete with that delicate hammy oiliness. The salinity is on point as well despite the marination process. This is the new yardstick for me for maguro.
Murasaki Uni & Tobiko - Violet Sea Urchin and Flying Fish Roe 【紫海胆と飛子】
This is superb and just what I would expect. Served sans sauce, the excessively creamy sea urchin is tempered by the crunchy pops of the flying fish roe. The echinoderm is incredibly sweet, almost buttery in texture. Meanwhile, the crispy, smoky seaweed serves as the perfect foil to the decadent richness. I like this a lot.
Kuruma Ebi - Japanese Tiger Prawn 【車海老】
This is hands down the most dramatic, lively presentation I have ever seen. Served with just a dab of salt, the shrimp is so fresh that it is still twitching alive from rigor mortis. It is as if the shrimp is raving hard while listening to trance. Biting down, I cannot wrap my head around how incredibly fresh, succulent and sweet it is. The touch of acidity from the citrus draws the inherent sweetness out and places it front and square. The snappy, bouncy texture is particularly delectable too.
Akagai - Ark Clam 【赤貝】
To moderate the meaty flavors of the blood clam, Morita-san sandwiches a shiso leaf in between the neta and the shari. The neta itself is succulent, sweet and boasts a touch of brine. The texture is crispy and chewy at the same time. What is interesting is that the adductor muscles are served as well. Though the wasabi is a touch overpowering, I love the varying textures and the cleanliness of flavors in this piece.
Fugu no Shirako - Milt of Pufferfish - 【河豚白子の軍艦巻き】
Eating sperm sacs, especially ones from a deadly fish, is a first for me. Though the idea may sound disgusting, the reality is anything but. The milt of the pufferfish is first lightly torched and then dusted with togarashi and konegi. The delicately browned exterior is crispy. When biting in, the extravagantly creamy center contrasts so well with that flaky skin. There is no need for soy sauce in this as the dab of acidity from the sudachi brings out the luscious sweetness of the sac. It is like eating milt cream on rice, the flavors of which are moderated by the spice from the togarashi and the crisp of nori. This is so fabulous it is beyond words. 美味しい!
Taraba Kani - Red King Crab 【鱈場蟹】
Flown straight from Hokkaido, this crab is served with a dash of sudachi, a dusting of salt, a slice of cucumber and a wedge of avocado a la gunkan. This piece showcases Morita-san's ingenuity as it is a deconstruction of the California roll, arguably the creation that places sushi on the map for Americans. The imitation of flavors is so on point. There is even mayonnaise hidden in between the neta and shari too! The layering of flavors is very impressive in this piece - the sweetness from the crab leg, the crunch from the cucumber, the richness from the mayonnaise. Though the flavors are familiar, they have been elevated to perfection.
I laughingly hinted to Morita-san that this is a play on the Californian roll and he just cheekily smiled at me. Looks like we are thinking along the same lines. Ha!
Anago - Whitespotted Conger Eel 【穴子】
Seawater eel is often served in high-end sushi restaurants given its complex preparation process. The anago is first filleted, boiled, and then roasted. Morita-san then dusted it with sansho, the spice of which highlights the sweetness in the tare (垂れ). The fish itself is adequately fatty and the oil oozes out at the slightest pressure. This piece is of particular mention because of the sauce. The balance of flavors is kept in check and the sweetness is not cloying or overbearing. Interestingly enough, the fish itself is served cold. This is a first for me as well.
Chu-toro - Medium-fat Cut Tuna Belly 【中トロ】
Though labeled as medium fat, this tuna belly has a decadent, light pink coloration that is akin to that of it's fattier cousin - o-toro. In place of soy sauce, salt is used. Biting down, the texture is fine and yields easily to mastication without any resistance from the sinew. The oils are rich, plentiful and the luxurious. Much-needed balance is provided from the wasabi. Though this is a very simple bite, the execution is done very well. If I were to carp, I would say that the temperature of the fish is a bit too cold for my liking.
Konoshiro - Gizzard Shad 【小鰭 - コノシロ】
Khohada (小鰭), or "small skin" quite literally, is a general term used to describe small, silver-skinned fishes that is used as sushi. The name differs based on the size of the fish, with the smallest ones (usually up to 5 centimeters long) being more desirable. Khohada that is more than 15 centimeters long are referred to as Konoshiro (コノシロ), which is what I have here. Instead of the customary curing process involving vinegar and salt, Morita-san cures his khohada in kelp, a process referred to as kobujime (昆布締め). This draws out the water from the fish and at the same time imparts deep ocean flavors into the flesh, accentuating the inherent flavor profile. This piece is simply sublime. Despite the high amount of fish oils, there is not a single ounce of fishiness to it. The acidity from the sudachi and the astringency from chopped konegi help keep things in balance too. However, though this tasty, it is not spectacular. This is probably because the fish is close to the end of its seasonality.
Komochi Konbu - Herring Roe on Kelp 【子持ち昆布】
This piece is as intriguing to eat as it is tasty. The shari is wrapped with murasaki uni and a generous slice of avocado, both of which form the sweet and creamy flavor profile. The main neta is the herring roe and the layer of konbu sandwiched in between. The texture is what makes this piece remarkable, as the fish roe leads to a popping texture while the konbu adds plenty of bite to the piece. This is my first time eating such a piece. And it is a fun and cerebral at the same time.
Negitoro Maki - Green Onion and Fatty Tuna Roll 【ネギトロ巻き】
The first thing I notice as I bite down is the crunch of the konegi and nori. The seaweed, in particular, is so smoky and fresh. This serves as a fitting foil to the fatty tuna that strands inside the mouth. The tuna, again, has a deep hammy flavor to it. My guess is that this is probably marinated as well. Surprisingly, the rice is very sweet in this one.
Okra Winding Maki - Okra Roll 【オクラ巻き】
To conclude the meal, Morita-san places more maki (巻き). Vegetarian sushi is definitely a first for me. The okra here is served with tororo (とろろ - grated mountain yam), shiso, sesame, and shiba-zuke (柴漬け - eggplant pickled with red perilla leaves). The okra and tororo are creamy and slimy at the same time, while the shibazuke and shiso leaf adds freshness and piercing acidity. The sesame all lends nuttiness to balance out the flavors. This is a clean and fitting end to this fabulous lunch.
Before the dessert is served, we ordered another round (追加) of Kensaki Ika as it is so, so good.
Like the petals on a flower, the scoring on the squid is mesmerizing.
Fuji Apples 【ふじリンゴ】
Sweet and succulent. Just what you would expect from Japanese fruits.
The don 森田順夫 himself. What a man.
All in all, this is a fantastic lunch that is worth the long journey. The service is impeccable and in traditional Japanese fashion, the itamae even comes out from behind the counter to greet us at the door as we leave the complex. The story here seems to be about combining complementary, umami-laden ingredients to create new flavor combinations. In doing so, Morita's artistry gives the ingredients a new life. And to that respect, the story is as compelling as the food is delicious. Kyushu-mae is a first for me, and Sushi Morita is certainly no slouch. In fact, I would dare say that it could go head to head with the Ginza big boys who serve traditional Edo-mae fare. After all, this restaurant, along with Tenzushi, is often regarded as the two best Kyushu-style sushi-ya's by the locals. This is a truly eye-opening experience and I am very glad that I got to taste Morita-san's creations. (2017/1/10)