Even better than the last time

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Nearly 4 weeks after I was last here, I'm back at Godenya (ごでんや) for another fix. We're nearing the end of the season for sansho flowers, and I had long ago booked myself another dinner to try to maximize my intake.

I wasn't surprised that some of the dishes tonight were very similar to the ones I had on my last visit, and I didn't mind at all. These were all tasty, seasonal ingredients... and I'd be happy to gobble down as much as I could. Well... all except one ingredient.

Sakura-trout, akagai-clam, sansho-leaf, bracken (桜鱒   赤貝  山椒の葉  蕨) - I absolutely love the sight of this dish. I am always taken aback every time I see this. This ball of green is just so pretty, decorated with sansho leaves (木の芽), eagle fern, and for today - some precious sansho flowers (花山椒).

Beneath the layer of mashed sansho leaves was some very, very tender cherry salmon (桜鱒) from Aomori Prefecture (青森県) which had been slow-cooked and smoked, along with crunchy and sweet ark shell (赤貝) from Oita Prefecture (大分県). So, so happy.

Iseno Shiroki Junmai Nama Sparkling (伊勢の白酒 純米生活性), 2021-22 - served at 10°C. Seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 65%. Very fruity, banana, some starchy rice flavors, with a little acidity.

Hair crab, torigai-clam, seaweed, sakura, sansho-flower (毛蟹  鳥貝  ひじき  桜  花山椒) - the shredded meat of Japanese horsehair crab (毛蟹) from Hokkaido was seasoned with some sakura flavors, which came with cockle (鳥貝) from Osaka. We also had some hijiki (ひじき) and of course more sansho flowers.

Tsushimaya Beyond Junmai Daiginjo Muroka Nama (津島屋 Beyond 窮めの山田錦 純米大吟醸 無濾過生原酒), R3BY - served at 12°C. Seimaibuai of 45%. Richer and more viscous, sweet on the attack but more dry on the finish.

Soba, awabi, uni, butterbur scape (蕎麦   鮑   雲丹  蕗の薹) - this created a little excitement when it arrived, and I was happy to see it in place of the previous version of soba.

We've got slices of abalone from Miyagi Prefecture (宮城県) that's been drenched in abalone liver sauce, delivering some great flavors together with some Hokkaido sea urchin. There's also some finely diced butterbur buds (蕗の薹), which added some green and bitter flavors. Very, very happy with this.

Mukyotenon Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo (無窮天穏  齋香  生酛純米吟醸  佐香錦), R2BY - served at 23°C. Seimaibuai of 50%. Rich with good depth of flavor, and more fermented notes.

Tai-shirako Scallop, sakura-shrimp, white asparagus, snap pea, asperge sauvage (鯛白子帆立  桜海老  ホワイトアスパラ  スナップ豆   アスパラソバージュ) - I got myself some really sweet and tasty scallops since I don't do fish cum. The white asparagus, wild asparagus, and sugar snap peas were all nice, but what was the red stuff that's been splattered all over?! And why did it pack such a huge punch of umami and smokiness?! OMFG! This, boys and girls, was a winner!

Okuharima Junmai Daiginjo Nama (奥播磨 純⽶大吟醸 袋しぼり 仕込第三⼗五號 ⽣), R3BY - served at 14°C. Seimaibuai of 50%. This was rounded on the palate.

Amadai-fish, hamaguri-clam, mugwort, chawan-mushi (甘鯛  蛤   蓬   茶碗蒸し) - the steamed egg came was made with the broth of the horsehead tilefish (甘鯛) from Yamaguchi Prefecture (山口県) that was buried inside, and we also had some clams from Chiba Prefecture (千葉県) inside, too. The mugwort (蓬) on top added some green to the flavor profile.

Okunoto no Shiragiku Junmai Ginjo Muroka Nama (奥能登の白菊 純米吟醸 無濾過生原酒), 2020-21 - served at 43°C. Seimaibuai of 55%. Warm with fruity acidity. Tasted more alcoholic on the tongue. More dry, kinda funky but also sweet and spicy.

Hotaru-squid, bamboo shoot, morel, rice (蛍烏賊  筍  モレルマッシュルーム  米) - OH MAN! I don't ask for an alternative to the signature abalone risotto often, but I'd definitely take this one any day of the week. The chunks of bamboo shoots seemed extra big today, and the morel mushrooms tasted better than ever.

But the firefly squids from Toyama Prefecture (富山県) put smiles on everyone's faces. I think we should have had more than two of those...

Odayaka Kimoto Junmai Ginjo Nama Nigori (おだやか 生酛純米吟醸  生うすにごり), 2021-22 - served at 12°C. Seimaibuai of 60%. Good, fruity acidity.

Kinki-fish, fish-roe, onion, fuki, canola flower, kogomi, sansho-flower (吉次  鯛子  新玉葱  蕗  菜の花  こごみ  花山椒) - loved this dish as much today as I did on my last visit. The broadbanded thornyhead (喜知次) from Hokkaido was oh so succulent, and nicely charred. The soup came with a finely diced mix of canola flower, butterbur, ostrich fern, young onions from Awaji Island (淡路島), and more of my favorite sansho flowers. Very clean flavors here.

Ayaka Tokubetsu Junmai (綾花 特別純米), 29BY - served at 50°C. Seimaibuai of 60%. Plenty of fermented notes, and dry on the palate.

Sakura-ebi, somen (桜海老  煮麺) - I do not think I could have a more perfect bowl of noodle. Thin and tender somen (素麺), smoky and flavorful dashi (出汁), and of course, those sakura shrimp (桜海老) from Shizuoka Prefecture (静岡県) which have been deep-fried to bring out all that umami.

I keep saying that one of these days I'll ask for 3 bowls of these noodles. One of these days, I really will.

Earl Grey, almond ice, Miyazaki-mango, sweet type sake 2015 (アールグレイ  アイス  宮崎マンゴー  超濃厚貴釀酒2015) - the crème brûlée is always tasty, as is the almond ice cream. It's too bad there wasn't more of the beautiful (and incredibly expensive) Miyazaki mango...

Hanahato Rokudan Jikomi Super Rich (華鳩 六段仕込み　超濃厚貴醸酒), 2021-22 - Seimaibuai of 70%.

There were quite a few knock-out dishes tonight, even more than usual, and that's without taking the sansho flowers into consideration. I look forward to getting a taste of these flowers next year.