More seafood and sake pairings

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I can't believe that the last time this group got together was a whole 5 months ago.  We've been trying to schedule a dinner at Godenya (ごでんや) for a few months, but with busy schedules all around it took until tonight when everyone's free.

I was even happier when I found out that two more friends were joining dinner, which made for 3 people who were coming for the first time.

Scampi, peach, muscat, ruta (赤座海老  桃  マスカット  臭草) - the Japanese lobster from Sagami Bay (相模湾) was served raw with its eggs, along with diced Japanese peach and muscat grapes which provided sweetness.  The sauce was made from the shells, and the oil was also made from the lobster - both delivering pretty intense flavors.  The rue (臭草) garnished on top had pretty strong fragrance.  A nice way to start.

Zaruso Hourai Junmai Ginjyo Queeen Nama (残草蓬莱  純米吟醸  クイーン生), 2019 - served at 10°C. With a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 60%.  Tastes like a fruity and alcoholic sour drink, a little coconut, and a bit milky like Calpis.

Rock oyster, clam, herring roe (岩牡蠣  石垣貝  子持ち昆布) - the oysters came from Mie Prefecture (三重県), and we also had Bering Sea cockles (石垣貝) from Iwate Prefecture (岩手県) along with crunchy chunks of herring roe encased with kelp.  Into the mix we also have some white cloud ear fungus, diced cucumber, onions, ponzu (ポン酢) gelée, crispy curry leaves, and a little bit of minced rhubarb which saw similar treatment as umeboshi (梅干し).

Pretty amazing how flavorful these curry leaves can be. I kept smelling them each time I burped over the next couple of hours...

Kaiun Unfiltered Junmai Nama (開運  無濾過純米  生), 2019 - served at 13°C. With a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 55%.  More spicy on the palate, fruity, and more rounded on the palate.  Sweeter on the attack and with more depth.

Rosy seabass, sticky rice, Manganji, green citron (のどくろ  糯米  万願寺唐辛子  青ゆず) - the piece of rosy seabass (喉黒) from Kochi Prefecture (高知県) was nice and smoky after grilling.  It sat on top of a sticky rice ball that came with diced matsutake (松茸) from Yunnan, but unfortunately the delicate fragrances of the mushrooms were overpowered by a sauce made with the fish head and bones that was salty and dominated by soy sauce.  On the side we had the famous Manganji peppers (万願寺唐辛子) which showed a nice fragrance, and of course the green yuzu (柚子) zest added a nice elegance to it all.

The interesting highlight of the evening was having Goshima-san meet the people who run the shop he buys mushrooms from - including all the ones he used tonight.

Sohomare Kimoto Junmai Daiginjyo (惣誉 生酛仕込 純米大吟醸), 2019 - served at 40°C. With a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 45%.  Nice and warm, which helped deliver a sweet attack but spicy mid-palate.

Corn, century egg, beetroot (とうもろこし  ピータン  ビーツ) - thankfully our friend had informed Goshima-san that some of us don't eat beetroot, so my cup came without the offending ingredient.  I did have the "full" version 2 years ago, but I was pretty thankful that I only tasted the sweetness of the Hokkaido corn along with a little bit of century eggs.  Goshima-san stressed that they made the crème brûlée without any cream or sugar.

Yoemon Junmai Unfiltered Nama Oomachi (酉与右衛門  純米無濾過生原酒  雄町), 2016 - served at 11°C. With a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 70%.  Palate was a little more fermented.  Sweet on the front palate but quickly turned spicy, with a nice acidity but a little bitterness.

Saury, uni, eggplant, konbu (秋刀魚  雲丹  賀茂茄子  羅臼昆布) - interesting to see the Pacific saury from Hokkaido charcoal grilled, and it came with tongues of Hokkaido sea urchin, a paste made of saury liver, Kamo eggplant (賀茂茄子), chips made with kelp from Rausu (羅臼), and konbu sauce.  There was also a sprinkling of sansho (山椒) pepper powder.

I didn't find this way of serving Pacific saury interesting, since many of us love the fish for its fattiness - which doesn't come through after the fish is grilled.  But that liver paste... OMFG!  So rich, sooooo bitter, but sooooo good!

Hiwata Yamahai Junmai Nama (日輪田  山廃純米  生原酒), 2019 - served at 15°C. With a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 60%.  Good acidity.

Abalone, abalone liver, rice (鮑  鮑肝  米) - one of my perennial favorites here.  The sliced abalone from Miyagi Prefecture (宮城県) came on top of rice that had been cooked with diced morels, zucchini.  I have never been less than thrilled whenever I see this dish.  The rice was still a little al dente.   The abalone liver sauce was always lip-smacking good.  Then we also had cordycep flowers on the side, and perilla flowers as garnish on top to provide a nice dose of color as well as fragrance to help balance out the heavy notes from the seafood.

BTW, this was the point when our friends were sure that they were the suppliers for the mushrooms tonight.  They recognized the flavors.

Natsu No Omoide Junmai Shiro Koji (伊根町  夏の思い出  純米), 2018 - served at 45°C. With a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 70%.  Good acidity, some plum notes along with some sweetness.  Very much like an oxidized wine such as Shaoxing or koshu, showing some savory notes.

Sweet fish, Malabar nightshade, shiso leaf (鮎  ツルムラサキ  紫蘇) - KC said he's never had sweet fish steamed Cantonese-style before, and the ones from Shizuoka Prefecture (静岡県) were pretty damn big.  Topped with a garnish of perilla leaf and spring onion chiffonade, and some Malabar spinach on the side that was muddy, green, and bitter.

Goshima-san said they took care to remove the bones but left the liver, and it keeps to the traditional flavor profile with that bitterness.  The fish was stuffed with a mash made of potato and perilla.

Interesting to see the flower buds of the Malabar spinach.

Bongu Junmai Ginjyo (凡愚  純米吟醸), 2017 - served at 47°C. With a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 55%.  Very strong fermented flavors... almost soapy.  A little savory like koshu.

Clam soup (浅利汁) - very clean and pure clam flavors.  Wonderful.

Almond ice, macha, sake (アーモンドアイス  抹茶  日本酒) - the ice was made with the sake that was like a rice purée, with almond chips inside to provide texture.  The matcha delivered the requisite bitterness to balance out sweetness, and the cherries were marinated in sake.  Delicious.

Niida Natural Kimoto Nigori (仁井田  自然酒  生酛にごり)

Another delicious evening with interesting sake pairing. I really don't come back here enough, but I was glad to have helped introduce a few more friends to this little gem in our concrete jungle.