In May 2020, I discovered the colorless spicy cod roe at Hakata's "Mukai" shop. I decided to purchase one as I may not have tried their spicy cod roe before. I generally like spicy cod roe, so whether it's colored or colorless doesn't bother me. I tried it at home right away. The cod roe had a nice chewy texture and the spiciness was not too strong, offering an elegant flavor. It tasted delicious on its own and also when slightly cooked. It was a perfect side dish for rice. Personally, I think I prefer it as it is. Thank you for the meal!

In Fukuoka, a popular souvenir is karashi mentaiko (spicy cod roe), and I have tried various brands in the past. This time, I purchased the mentaiko from Hakata Nakasu Mukai-san, which is not a typical choice. The price is similar to other brands. As someone who can handle spiciness, I found that this mentaiko had a strong kick and a popping texture. However, the spiciness and the mentaiko flavor did not blend well, giving it an unusual taste for mentaiko. In my opinion, my favorite mentaiko remains the ones from Wakakaei Fukuoka Airport store and Kyuhara Honke Szechuanan in Iwataya Department Store in Fukuoka Tenjin.

Fukuoka is known for its souvenirs such as mentaiko from brands like Fukuya, Yamaya, and Fukusaya. However, this small company with only 7 employees does not freeze their products like the major brands. They distribute freshly made products instead. I was intrigued by the freshness claim, so I decided to try their products. I bought the colorless cut mentaiko, which was hard to evaluate because I ate it with mentaiko mayonnaise. The squid mentaiko was delicious when served over rice. The kazunoko mentaiko was great as a snack or with rice, and the texture of the tiny fish eggs was delightful. Despite the promise of fresh mentaiko, my family devoured it before I could give a proper review during my next business trip.

On this day, I happened to visit the Nihonbashi area and decided to check out the annual event "Gourmet Taste Selection" being held at Takashimaya. I have been coming here almost every year for the past three years, so I already know about 70-80% of the participating shops. However, one shop that was new to me was this Hakata mentaiko shop. It is a long-established store that opened in 1948 and is famous as one of the three major long-established stores in Fukuoka. The founder apparently learned the manufacturing technology of spicy mentaiko directly from Mr. Toshio Kawahara of "Fukuya". Spicy mentaiko is one of my favorite foods, and I have tried it at various shops, but I didn't know about such a famous shop. I immediately purchased a 150g pack of "Uncolored Tokuyou Karakuchi Mentaiko" for 1,080 yen, which was the last one left. When I tried it at home, both the plain and seared versions were delicious. The strong spiciness and the crunchy texture of the cod roe were impressive. When I looked into it further, I found out that this mentaiko has never been frozen since the cod roe was caught. I have always sourced mentaiko from the respected "Fukuya", "Fukutaro" with a Tokyo branch within walking distance of my home, and "Agootoshi" which I have been familiar with for a long time, but it seems like this shop is worth adding to that list. Postscript: Although I purchased it at the event this time, this mentaiko is apparently sold all year round at the "Taste Selection" corner on the first floor of Nihonbashi Takashimaya. They may not have the Tokuyou variety, though.