みうっちょ
Today for dinner in Tokyo, I visited Rokukan, a renowned restaurant specializing in softshell turtle courses, without even mentioning the name of the restaurant. Renowned for its Kyoto-style cuisine, chef Ueda, the genius behind the famous restaurant Ineyuki in Higashi Ginza, has opened Rokukan in Tsukiji as a softshell turtle specialty store. The softshell turtles used here are produced by the original softshell turtle farm, Hattori Nakamura Yobetteba, located in Hamamatsu. Farmed softshell turtles have a tender texture, less bitterness, and most importantly, offer consistent quality compared to wild ones. The top-notch softshell turtle course I had today... was a completely different deliciousness from any softshell turtle dish I've ever had before. From chawanmushi, grilled, tempura, to a hot pot with porridge, the softshell turtle dishes included liver paste with a texture like raw chocolate, Empella with a gelatinous texture around the shell, and front legs that easily separate from the bones. It's not smelly at all but rather has a distinctive and delicious taste, almost spreading as a single food culture. The only downside is that taking photos is not allowed, which is a shame, haha. Today's menu: 61,600 yen for 2 people, Softshell turtle course: 28,000 yen. Softshell turtle chawanmushi, Matsushima pickles, softshell turtle liver paste and karasumi rice, steamed potato stems with red bean paste, tai and octopus sashimi, Empella, front legs, spring rolls, taranome tempura, Hamanako Hattori farm wasabi, wasabi mixed with cloud sea urchin, grilled softshell turtle, sauce and salt hot pot - choice between porridge and ramen for the hot pot finish, pickles, red bean mochi, and other drinks.
