Saga prefecture sandwiched between Fukuoka prefecture and Nagasaki prefecture. I just got my eyes on both sides, and I tend to stay in a vague image, wondering what happened to "Saga gourmet". The author was one of them. However, before, I met "Saga gourmet" such as "Sicilian rice" and "Minchiten" in the interview, and became interested in Saga.

In January, a fair using ingredients from Saga Prefecture started in Tokyo. An original menu using Saga beef, Hizen Sakura pork, Ariake sea seaweed, mudhopper, etc. is offered for a limited time. … Wait a minute, “Mutsugoro” !? Of course, it's not a human being, but a guy who is bouncing on that tidal flat, right? What a precious chance to eat it!

I went to a Chinese restaurant in Harajuku to eat the unexperienced mudskipper. We will also report on the "cafe rice" offered at the fair that is being held separately!


◆ Eat Mutsugoro at a Chinese restaurant

At the Chinese restaurant "Nangoku Sake House", the Saga Prefecture version of "Delicious Food Saga" is being held, which is a project with the theme of "local production for local consumption". The menu is a total of 8 courses. Mutsugoro is offered here.

Mutsugoro appeared in the assortment of the first dish. You can't tell at all just by looking at the plate, but the black and slender catamari is "Mutsugoro's licorice smoky". When I tried it, it had a lot of bones and I was a little small. It's like eating a small sardine boiled in Kanro-ni. Unfortunately, I didn't really understand the "taste of mudskipper" because it has a lot of hard bones and a strong flavor.


A staff member of the prefectural office (of course, a citizen of Saga prefecture) laughed bitterly, saying, "(People in Saga prefecture) don't eat on a daily basis." Sashimi is served at stores near the Ariake Sea, but most tourists order it. Some supermarkets sell unglazed mudskipper. In order to know the taste of mudskipper, it seems necessary to go to Saga prefecture and try sashimi.

It seems that the distribution volume is not large, so it seems to be a valuable opportunity to eat outside the prefecture. It's a little bit small and hard to eat, but it doesn't have any habits, so if you're curious, give it a try.

In addition, in the same course, sauteed Saga beef and Fukuto (a large taro weighing about 600 to 700 g), stir-fried food with Aori squid from Genkai Nada and white asparagus from Morodomi-cho, and unique "beard garlic" tempura. You can enjoy the sautéed sautéed Usbahagi from Genkai Nada and 3 kinds of sardines.


Of course, all of them are delicious, but my recommendation is one of the three types of dim sum, "Dried persimmon and Hizen Sakura pork fried with black garlic and black vinegar sauce from Takeo City." The rich sweetness of dried persimmon and the unique scent of black garlic are in perfect balance with pork and crispy batter. I'd be happy if you prepared it as a single item.


"Delicious food Saga" is 7,500 yen (excluding tax) until March 16th. The holding stores are Harajuku store (main building / guesthouse), Machida store, and Iidabashi store. It seems better to make a reservation (2 or more people).

◆ “Cafe rice” with delicious meat and fish

"Feast Saga Fair-SAGA Cafe 2015-" is being held until February 14th at three cafes in Tokyo. This year, the second time, in addition to the limited lunch menu and dinner menu for each store, sweets and sake common to all stores will be prepared.

The No. 1 impact menu is "Grilled red chicken at the foot, tartar sauce with yuzu pepper flavor, black garlic buns" (1,200 yen / Palms Cafe Jiyugaoka). It looks like a burger sandwiched with garlic toast, and the buns are kneaded with black garlic paste. However, since it is black garlic, the smell is modest. It goes without saying that it goes well with chicken.


Other menus and stores are as follows.

[Palms Cafe Jiyugaoka (Meguro-ku)]
Lunch "Grilled red chicken at the foot, black garlic buns with yuzu pepper flavored tartar sauce" (1,200 yen)
Supper "Drumstick of red chicken at the foot and lotus root frit" (900 yen)

[Inscription Valley Terrace (Meguro-ku)]
Lunch "Poire of natural fresh fish from the Genkai Sea, asparagus sauce from Saga Prefecture" (1,700 yen)
Supper "Assorted fresh fish directly from the Genkai Sea from Saga Prefecture" (starting at 1,500 yen)

[Yoga Club (Setagaya Ward)]
Lunch "Hizen Sakura Pork Rose Salt Rock Salt Grilled Eggplant with Gratin and Asparagus" (1,200 yen)
Dinner "Soy milk soup made with aracab and bear shrimp sent directly from the Genkai Sea" (starting at 1,500 yen).


A menu common to all stores is also available.

"Sagahonoka Strawberry Soymilk Pudding" (540 yen) uses soymilk from the famous "Kawashima Tofuten" in Saga Prefecture. Rather than sweets, it has a rich soybean scent that makes you feel as if you are "eating" soy milk. The moment I put it in my mouth, my hand stopped asking "Oh?". Also, "Wa Mojito with Lemon" (500 yen) is a mysterious cocktail called "Sake + Aojiso + Lemon". The image is that it contains green perilla instead of mentha, but it has a "Japanese" taste.


For those who come to the store at dinner time, one cup of sake for a toast will be served at all stores in accordance with the prefecture's "Cheers with sake" ordinance. The sake offered is "Saki Junmai Sake" from Koimari Sake Brewery. Locals call it "Berori" after the label design. If you can't drink alcohol, try "Sato Farm's Organic Mandarin Juice", which is 100% organic mandarin from Saga Prefecture.


Saga Prefecture, which has abundant nature, seems to have a lot of delicious ingredients. In fact, onions, asparagus, lotus root, etc. are regulars at the top of the domestic yield ranking. If you think about it, you can find "made in Saga prefecture" here and there. But after all, Saga Prefecture seems to have a light shadow. Next time, I will go to Saga prefecture and try "Saga gourmet" locally.