More of the usual

I've been working on a deal recently, and needed another set of eyes to go over the legal docs, so I called in some reinforcements and enlisted the help of my Favorite Cousin.  I took her out to dinner at Irori (いろり) to show my gratitude.

Being the creature of habit that I am, I ended up ordering the same selection of dishes that always show up on the table whenever I'm here...

Monkfish liver (あん肝) - I've always loved the paté made from the liver of monkfish, here dipped in some ponzu (ポン酢).  Smooth and round on the tongue.  Mmm mmm good.

Deep-fried sweet potato chips (薩摩芋ﾁｯﾌﾟ) - the Favorite Cousin was sufficiently impressed, even though these were just a tad softer than the ones I've had before.  Still very yummy.

Aji tataki (鯵たたき) - haven't had horse mackerel for a while, so this was pretty good.  Deep-frying the bones is de rigueur...

Grilled ox tongue with spring onions (牛タン葱焼き) - always one of my favorites, and Favorite Cousin seemed to enjoy it, too.

Deep-fried chicken cartilage (軟骨唐揚げ) - I don't think I've ever come here without ordering this, ever since my first introduction to the place more than 10 years ago.  A healthy sprinkle pour of shichimi (七味) makes it even better.

Grilled squid tentacles (げそ塩焼き) - these were actually pretty good, seasoned with a bit of salt before being charcoal grilled.  The light smoky flavors were nice, and I had fun removing the little suckers and enjoyed playing with them between my teeth.

With our stomachs full, we went upstairs for a drink at b.a.r. Executive.  I wanted to introduce my Favorite Cousin to the delicious fruit cocktails of Hidome-san, but unfortunately they were fully booked on this Friday evening...  Next time...