SPEED 38
I visited "Bobin Naha Kumochi," a restaurant where I enjoyed Okinawan cuisine. The atmosphere, created from an old folk house, with the sound of traditional Okinawan music and sanshin, is truly delightful. The menu features local and traditional Okinawan dishes, including the classic ORION beer, salted island garlic, Churaumi salad, miso rafute, tempura of island garlic, minudaru, goya champuru, fuchiparu, and Okinawa soba. I ordered mainly the dishes I had researched beforehand.
The appetizer was a high-level vinegared shredded vegetable salad made with papaya. The island garlic is the perfect simple snack. The Churaumi salad, packed with sea grapes, vegetables, and various seafood, has a generous portion and an exquisite dressing. The sea grapes add a wonderful accent to the dish. The miso rafute is incredibly tender, falling apart with chopsticks and delivering a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The island garlic tempura, while different in texture from the salted version, is equally delightful.
Minudaru, a traditional Okinawan dish, combines pork with black sesame paste. This simple yet unique pairing was surprisingly tasty. The goya champuru, the authentic version, offers a refreshing bitterness from the goya—it's the ultimate Okinawan dish. Fuchiparu is a stir-fried dish made with Okinawa soba mixed with yomogi, delivering a rich aroma that perfectly matches the chewy noodles.
Duru ten is a standout traditional dish, made with local yam called "tami," combined with mushrooms in a flavorful paste. It's hot and fluffy, allowing you to enjoy the gentle taste of the yam and the subtle aroma and texture of the mixed ingredients. Okinawa soba is great for finishing off the meal, with its firm noodles and refreshing salty flavor.
I added some local alcohol and thoroughly enjoyed the Okinawan cuisine. This recommended restaurant is definitely worth a revisit!