Definitely the Best Unagi in Fukuoka

We recently visited Fukuoka and our Airbnb host told us that there is a very famous Unagi restaurant in Hakata - Yoshizuka Unagi. Established in 1873, this is perhaps the oldest and most established unagi restaurant in Hakata.

The building housing Yoshizuka Unagi which is located on the second floor.

Having already tasted unagi in Yanagawa the previous day, we knew we had to try Yoshizuka Unagi. The restaurant was established in 1873 and their house specialty is grilled eel. According to the restaurant, a few factors determine the quality of their grilled eel – one is of course using the top quality eels and secondly their method of grilling. To top it off, the dipping sauce enhances the taste of the unagi and is a secret recipe laid down generation after generation.

The eels come from Shizuoka, Miyazaki and Kagoshima and are farmed in clean water and provided with quality feed and that makes their eels available year round.

The entrance to the building.

The restaurant sits on the second floor and unlike many other Japanese restaurants feature a spacious layout.

When you go to the restaurant, ask for the English menu unless you speak Japanese. My suggestion is to choose the Super-deluxe Kabayaki box which has 6 pieces of the unagi plus rice and a bowl of soup. I think this is the best value of all sets and for unagi lovers, you will love this.

As expected, Gina and I ordered the Super-deluxe Kabayaki box each and I also tried the Umaki which is eel wrapped in an egg omelette. They will serve you the tea and dipping sauce first. The dipping sauce is a special sauce created by the founding family and has been handed down generation after generation.

The Umaki came first - all their dishes come served in a traditional lacquerware.

Open the lid and a nice eggy smell greets you. The smell of unagi is not overpowering. Presentation is everything in a Japanese meal and the sight that greeted us was no exception. The colours are as vibrant as the smell.

The egg is soft and fluffy and the unagi adds a delicate touch to the dish. Started well...

Then came the main dish... the one we are all waiting for. A double tray stacked two high and a bowl of soup.

Could not wait any longer, we opened the lid and right on the top tray was the unagi! The bottom tray is the rice. The soup featured a clear broth and in it some enoki mushroom and eel liver.

Having waited for so long, we took the tray and sampled the unagi first.

Paired with the rice and dipping sauce, the unagi is heavenly!

The unagi is grilled to perfection - melts in your mouth and yet firm to the bite. The dipping sauce really compliments the unagi and rice combo. There is just enough fats in the eel to give it that oily mouthfeel. And the thickness of the flesh oozes quality. Signs of well bred eels.

The meal was so good we went back a second night. JPY3,340 per set is not expensive for a meal of this quality. Firstly, you struggle to find a good unagi restaurant in Singapore. Secondly, the unagi is grilled fresh everyday. Top grade unagi at a very reasonable price. I dare say the meal rivals that of Nodaiwa in Tokyo which I had featured here earlier in the year.

How to get there – The restaurant is close to the Canal City. Unless you are going to Canal City, I suggest you take the subway (Kuko Line) to Nakasu-kawabata Station. Exit the station using Exit Number 5. Walk up the stairs and turn left onto the Kawabata Shopping Arcade. Walk down around 200-250 metres and turn right onto a road after the Italian Tomato restaurant (on the right). You will see the canal. Cross the canal and immediately turn left. Walk 100 metrest past the Paraca parking garage and Yoshizuka Unagi is the next building.

Restaurant is closed Wednesday.

Address – 2-8-27, Nakasu, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka 810-0801

Telephone – 092-271 0700

Opens 11am to 9pm (Last order 8.30pm)

All photos taken with iPhone 6S Plus.

Perhaps the best Unagi around

Nodaiwa is an institution in Japan. Known to be the oldest unagi (eel) restaurant in Japan, the accolade is well justified and many thanks to my friend Peter Chong who insisted I had a meal there.

Truth be told - we were not able to get a table on the first try as so we had to make reservations at least one week ahead. That is how good the restaurant is for dinner. The restaurant is located opposite the Tokyo Tower and is across two buildings. The building facing the main road is the main and oldest building. We arrived on time but were ushered to another building behind the main building.

The second level dining area housed no more than 8 tables.

That night, we were lucky to be seated across two tables - my family at one and my friends with me at another. We selected the set menu - actually it was selected for me. I has earlier eaten unagi in Kyoto so I wanted to see how different the two styles are.

First up was the starter featuring some seaweed and unagi jelly. The seaweed was slippery but definitely delicious. The unagi jelly was something I have not tried before but I say it was oishi! Very much like our teochew pork leg jelly, it is served cold.

Next up was soup - a clear soup with a slice of unagi.

Then came the first main. Served in traditional lacquer ware.

Just one unagi without any sauce, grilled to perfection and served with fresh wasabi. Simple pleasures.

The unagi melts in your mouth and a hint of smokiness - probably grilled over charcoal. Unlike the traditional unagi, this one is not oily at all but firm to the bite.

Then came the steamed egg dish - chawanmushi...

When you lift the lid, it looks like any other chawanmushi.

One scoop down and the unagi appears. The unagi lends a different taste to the chawanmushi which was smooth as one would expect.

Then the grand finale! Another lacquer box.

This time around, two unagi on a bed of rice.

This time, the unagi comes grilled with sauce and on top of a bed of rice also with sauce.

Unlike the one I had in Kyoto, the sauce is just right and the unagi is less oily. I understand that they steam the unagi before they grill it, allowing the oil to drip before grilling the unagi. Firm to the bite, very fragrant and without any fine bones. They take real care in de-boning the unagi.

And for dessert, fresh Japanese strawberries. Probably one of the sweetest strawberries I have eaten.

Overall, Nodaiwa was an excellent recommendation. But it is not cheap. I was told by my host that the Tokyo style of unagi is very different from those in Kyoto. Here in Tokyo, all their unagi is served without head on whereas the one we had in Kyoto was served with head on. Whatever the case is, both unagis are good in their own way. Nodaiwa is really good but pricey. But I say this - give it a try.

Freshly Grilled Unagi - A Great Find in Kyoto

Up until now, I have not been to Japan for a holiday so when the timing was right, our family planned to visit Tokyo and Kyoto. When we visited the Fushimi-inari Shrine in Kyoto, we were pleasantly surprised when we saw a restaurant serving unagi - sea eel.

We were actually looking for a place for breakfast when we chanced upon this restaurant just outside the entrance to the shrine. As we walked towards the restaurant, there was no mistaking the smell of grilled unagi… what a smell! And lo and behold, I saw the chef grilling the eel over an open grill.

Firstly, we found our breakfast place and secondly, I found an authentic unagi restaurant! The restaurant has rules! Yes, rules! Firstly, they do not do take out…

Secondly, they do not encourage sharing of food…

I guess the fact that they are a small restaurant means they cannot afford to have a group come in and order one bowl to share. This is the restaurant - although there is a second level (we did not make it to the top).

So order one for each we did…

While the family was having their breakfast, I was busy finding out how they do it. The chef was behind his grill, preparing the eels to be skewered. First he has a bucket full of eels pre-cleaned.

There was a bucket of eel on the side and he would place three eels on the wooden block and with his deft hands measure and skewer the eels from head to tail.

The first skewers start from the head…

Completed skewers are placed into a plastic tray and I suppose to be stored in the refrigerator. But this was early March in Kyoto and the day time temperature was around 2-4 degrees celsius - natural fridge!

Then onto the grill it goes! Some other restaurants steam the unagi before grilling them to rid the eel of the fats. But this one was straight unto the grill.

You wait for the unagi to be grilled and the aroma is just wonderful!

We were there on two separate occasions and witnesses how they were grilling the eel. After having grilled it for awhile, the blanch the unagi with the sauce…

Then back onto the grill…

And soon enough, the unagi was ready…

And this was our reward for waiting! The unagi fresh from the grill! From head to tail.

My son Timothy remarked as he took the first bite - nothing like what we have in Singapore. This has quality written all over it! Soft but firm to the bite and the sauce is not overpowering. Not too sweet that it masks the unagi flesh but just right to compliment the eel. What a meal!

It was pure bliss - to say the least. Freshly grilled unagi - so it was really justified that we went there twice. Outside the restaurant, there was a globe where one can pin the country where they come from.

The freshly grilled unagi are displayed and sold as is - sauce and all. And it was brisk business too.

What I understand from my Japanese friend is that it is rather unusual to serve unagi with the head on - “high class” unagi restaurants typically remove the head before they serve the eel. But high class or not, this was one good unagi meal!

Another look at the restaurant.