In this episode, we will introduce the delicious food we have in Fukuoka: We have a special experience with Mizutaki hot pot, Enjoy pork cutlets from Kagoshima black pork, Taste fresh oysters from various regions of Japan, Indulge in the exquisite freshly fried kushikatsu set meal, Sample A5 Wagyu beef from various cuts at Yakiniku Champion, Relax with afternoon tea at Afternoon Tea after a day of shopping, And lastly, we even have beef tongue for breakfast. The first restaurant we visit is located near Ohori Park. It's a specialty restaurant that receives Michelin Plate recommendations for two times, offering Mizutaki cuisine: Hakata Mizutaki Pot "Daidai." To ensure we secure a table, we make a reservation even while we are still in Taiwan. Each table is equipped with a gas stove. Upon seating, we find that the broth was already prepared and placed on the table. The menu here is quite simple, consisting of Mizutaki hot pot and additional orders of fried chicken nuggets. You can refer to the English instructions on "How to Eat Mizutaki" beforehand. For starters, we have sesame sauce with chicken breast. The chicken meat is tender and succulent, with a rich sesame flavor. Throughout the meal, the staff assists with cooking and serving. There are wasabi and sea salt provided for dipping the chicken meat. Once the Mizutaki broth starts boiling, the staff invites us to taste the original chicken soup. The broth is very clear and tastes fresh and sweet. The chicken meat is tender and delicious, especially when dipped in the soy sauce and vinegar blend. Simple ingredients, yet very tasty! Next, the staff serves chicken meatballs. There's an hourglass reminding us to wait until the broth boils before eating the meatballs. After cooking the chicken meatballs, the broth becomes richer. The chicken meatballs taste similar to steamed meat or minced meat. We order two pieces of fried chicken nuggets, seasoned with shichimi powder for a crispy and juicy texture. Finally, we add vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu to the pot. With all these natural ingredients, it's both delicious and nutritious! Having another sip of the broth, this time with the added sweetness from the vegetables. For dessert, we have raspberry ice cream and meringue. At Daidai, you can experience the deliciousness of Fukuoka's Mizutaki hot pot. The restaurant is always busy, so it's advisable to make a reservation in advance to secure your spot! Next, we head to Tenjin Station. Although we don't have the chance to visit Kagoshima, we can still try the Kagoshima Minami-Shu Farm "Sanbiki no Kurobuta" in Parco. The black pork from Kagoshima isn't produced in large quantities. It has a finer texture and contains much higher levels of amino acids compared to regular pork. We're having the fried pork cutlet, but they also serve hotpot dishes here. The rice is very soft and fluffy. This dish is the loin cutlet set. The loin cut is thin, and the lean meat feels more solid. Another dish is the sirloin. We squeeze some lemon juice over it for flavor. The sirloin has a layer of fat, making the meat juicy and rich. It tastes great when dipped in the restaurant's pre-made tonkatsu sauce. The miso soup served as a side dish also includes slices of pork. At the entrance of the shop, there are three cute black pigs. If you want to try Kagoshima black pork, you can visit this place, "Sanbiki no Kurobuta." Arriving at Hakata Station, As mentioned earlier, JR Hakata City has numerous department stores, and therefore, many restaurants have set up shop here. To grab a bite to eat, you can head up to KUTEN on the 9th and 10th floors of AMU PLAZA. Speaking of Japanese oysters, you might think of those from Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Iwate, or Hyogo, all of which you can enjoy at L'eCailler! This restaurant is opened by General Oyster, Japan's largest oyster restaurant operator. They offer many dishes incorporating oysters. In addition to the dishes on the regular menu, there are also limited-time offerings. This is the oyster origin chart available for the day, which also includes information on size and taste. On the table, there are various sauces such as soy sauce, vinegar, red vinegar, and chili sauce. We order Tonic Water and Perrier Sparkling Water. First, the Hokkaido oysters arrive. They are known for their large, plump size and sweetness. They taste delicious! The set meal includes a cold oyster platter. It has Ozaki Oysters from Iwate Prefecture, which are also large but lack the rich flavor of the Hokkaido ones. There are also smaller Murotsu oysters from Hyogo Prefecture. One of them is paired with raw ham. The set meal also comes with salad and oyster clear soup. The oysters are seasoned with salmon roe and soy sauce. It offers two different textures at once, and it's very tasty! Additionally, we order the Smelt Fish Pizza à la carte. It's topped with green onions and cheese, and it has a savory and delicious taste. For the set meal, there are grilled oysters. There are cheese-baked, fried, garlic-grilled, and barbecue sauce-grilled oysters, each with a different flavor. The fried oysters come with honey mustard sauce, and they are crispy and delicious. The oyster chowder is also generous, with four whole oysters. It tastes a bit like the chowder from Costco, but with the added freshness of oysters. For the main course of the cheese and mushroom risotto, the oyster is used. The Italian rice used has a slightly firm texture, but it pairs well with the cheese. If you're a fan of oysters, we highly recommend coming here. You can taste oysters from various regions of Japan. Next up is Tokyo Ebisu Kushitei.
Last time we were in Kansai, we didn't get to try kushikatsu Seeing Kushitei, also located in Kuten, we decide to give it a try. We are seated at the counter, where we can watch the chefs fry the dishes. We order the Kushitei Set, which includes seven different types of kushikatsu. The set comes with steamed rice and miso soup. Among the kushikatsu, there are ones topped with salmon roe, along with pumpkin, pork loin, minced beef, sweet potato, mackerel, shrimp, and asparagus. We also order the Kirishima pork loin and chicken cutlet set. The pork loin is thinly sliced and layered before being fried. They are served with grated radish soy sauce and lemon slices, along with shredded lettuce. For dipping, there are dipping sauces including broth soy sauce, rock salt, and a special sauce. The pork loin rolls have a layered texture that's quite satisfying. The three key elements of kushikatsu are the ingredients, the frying oil, and the batter. Sitting at the counter allows us to watch the chef handle the ingredients: they are thinly coated with batter before being placed in the frying oil. What we enjoy is the crispy, crunchy texture without excessive grease, which is a common concern at many kushikatsu restaurants. And there's no need to worry about the common concern at typical kushikatsu restaurants where you can't double-dip your food in the sauce. We're particularly impressed with Kushitei for offering refined kushikatsu dishes. For those craving wagyu beef, a visit to Yakiniku Champion is a must. They offer a variety of cuts to choose from. Eager to try everything, we opt for a set menu. They provide bibs to prevent any splatter on our clothes. Each person gets two slices of beef tongue, recommended by the staff to wrap with green onions. The set also includes beef and radish stew along with various side dishes. The thickness of the beef tongue is just right, seasoned with salt and sesame, which enhances its flavor. Wrapped in green onions, it's a perfect match, offering a combination of textures between the beef tongue and the scallions. The staff grills the beef shoulder for us. First, they beat an egg yolk, beautiful. then dip the meat slice in it, and finally, we enjoy it with rice. The beef is tender and delicious! They also serve the top sirloin, top blade, and hanging tender. Being wagyu, the marbling is incredibly fine and beautiful. They grill it at high temperatures to bring out the fat but not cook it all the way through. The set meal includes a plate of lettuce. The top blade is a relatively lean cut. Even if you eat a lot, it won't get boring. The hanging tender is thicker and has a chewy texture, so it needs to be cut into small pieces to be easily eaten. The offal platter includes small intestines, beef tripe, and beef stomach. All the offal has been marinated with sauce. The small intestine tastes a bit oily but isn't spicy. Another platter includes bottom chuck tender, beef skirt, and select three tendon meat. All three types of meat are delicious and not too greasy. Each person gets a main dish, with choices like cold noodles and spicy beef soup. Perhaps because there are many Korean tourists visiting Fukuoka, we feel that this restaurant's flavors lean more towards Korean style. After the meal, they serve hot tea and almond tofu. Though Champion is more expensive, the menu is more sophisticated. It's a nice choice for yakiniku. If you get tired from shopping at JR Hakata City, you can head to Afternoon Tea TEAROOM for some afternoon tea. They periodically change their menu based on the season or special occasions. The most popular option is the afternoon tea set filled with strawberries. They also offer a combination where you can choose three of your favorite desserts. We ordered the Darjeeling black tea and the seasonal apple sparkling drink. You can add lemon juice according to your preference. Inside, there are raspberries and apple jelly. We chose the strawberry cake, strawberry matcha parfait, and scones. The blueberry yogurt is a fixed item on the menu. The strawberry cake has a refreshing taste and isn't overly sweet. The strawberry matcha parfait has a rich texture, with strawberry ice cream and matcha gelato topped with crispy flakes and jelly at the bottom. Afternoon Tea is skilled at combining different dessert elements to create new items. Finally, let me introduce this Fukuoka breakfast spot. Located in B1 of Hakata Station, Hakata 1 Bangai, is Tanya. Their signature dish is the beef tongue set meal. The menu is simple, offering beef tongue and pork set meals. The restaurant isn't large and is often packed with customers. Our beef tongue set meal arrived promptly, with four slices of beef tongue. Though the portion isn't large, it's still satisfying. Who would have thought you could enjoy beef tongue for breakfast? The side dishes include cabbage and cucumber, tossed in vinegar for a refreshing, slightly sweet and sour taste to balance the meal. Served with steamed rice and a refreshing oxtail soup. Another dish includes mashed yam and seaweed. Mixing the mashed yam into the rice creates a healthy and stomach-friendly combination. The grilled beef tongue is fragrant and delicious. Considering the price, it's quite affordable, around just over a hundred Taiwanese dollars per portion. It's truly satisfying. Portions during lunch or dinner hours are usually larger. Overall, highly recommended if you don't have to wait too long in line! So, these are the seven restaurants. This time, we found some excellent Fukuoka cuisines that we highly recommend to everyone. When you're in Kyushu, the birthplace of tonkotsu ramen, you must try various tonkotsu ramen joints. There's the renowned Ichiran Ramen, famous even in Taiwan. Then there's the Ganso Hakata Daruma Ramen, known for its rich tonkotsu broth. Shin-Shin offers a unique twist by adding Saga chicken bones and vegetables to their tonkotsu broth. And from Kurume, there's Taihou Ramen, known for its exceptionally rich tonkotsu broth. In the next episode, we'll introduce these four tonkotsu ramen shops with distinct flavors. Stay tuned! If you enjoy our videos, please like and subscribe!
