A Symphony of Colors – The Eel Specialist Unagiya Hirokawa

The grilled eel of Japan is likely the most suitable first course of introduction in Japanese food for those who are not accustomed to eating raw fish. “Unagi’ is the Japanese name for freshwater eel. “Anago” is also eel, but it refers to sea eel. Both kinds of eels are common ingredients for sushi.

Because grilled eel comes with a soy-based eel sauce that is somewhat heavily flavored, the grilled unagi is usually served over rice. The savory sweetness of the sauce and the oiliness of the fish go hand in hand with Japanese grain to yield heavenly satiation.

Unagiya Hirokawa

Since 1967, Unagiya Hirokawa has been grilling freshwater eels in Arashiyama for a good 60 years. The freshwater eels that the restaurant uses are farmed. The eels are cut and spread out into thin slices. They are then skewed and grilled over charcoal, which results in a slightly smoky flavor.

Unagiya Hirokawa is a Michelin-starred restaurant, and dining there requires reservation. I saw the staff there turning away walk-in requests. I made my reservation about three weeks before my arrival in Kyoto. At the time of reservation, the restaurant will ask for a deposit, the amount of which will be deducted from your bill when you pay for your meal at the restaurant. Even at three weeks’ advance, I could only reserve for a very late lunch at 2pm.

Located on the main throughfare of Arashiyama, the restaurant has rebuilt its dining house in 2009.

Lunch at Unagiya Hirokawa

After checking in with my reservation, I was led into a brightly-lit dining room featuring large windows that let in generous natural light. It was a late hour for lunch and the patrons were gradually leaving. I sat at a corner table and enjoyed a quiet time for my mind. I had been touring for about five hours without resting. My body needed hot food and my mind needed just a brief departure from the stimulations of the fall scenery. Arashiyama was so breathtakingly beautiful that it overwhelmed me.

I must have ordered a mid-ranged lunch option and the food came quickly. I noticed that the Japanese visitors at the nearby table ordered the large lunch set and they devoured it within 15 minutes. My food came in a mouthwatering presentation – a platter of goodness laid out carefully in the delicate Japanese style that I had expected.

My lunch set came with a serving of pickled vegetables, soup, a serving of sashimi, an additional serving of grilled unagi, a small serving of the unagi sauce, and, of course, the grilled unagi don (“don,” meaning donburi, is the Japanese rice bowl dish).

I worked through the food slowly. The soup was very flavorful with turnip and mushrooms. Everything tasted quite good, but my first sashimi in Japan was not particularly memorable. I figured that the Unagi really is the star of the show here. With much anticipation I started savoring the unagi don.

To be honest, I thought the unagi was not as good as I had wished for. There were some significant strengths, for sure. The sauce was certainly a house specialty because it was quite a few shades lighter than the usually too-thick, too-heavy and too-sweet unagi sauce in the stores, or in the Japanese restaurants that I was accustomed to. As a result, you can taste the freshness and smokiness of the eel.

What was rather underwhelming for me was that the eel had a texture that was simply too soft and too fluffy. Many bloggers say that the eel “melts in your mouth,” and it certainly does, but maybe it melts too quickly. As a result, I did not derive the usual sense of satiation from the chewing and the lingering flavors in the palate.

A Taiyaki Treat

After lunch, I walked around the busy town area. I found a food truck and munched on a Japanese snack. The Taiyaki came in red bean and chocolate flavors and I had one of each. The day was waning, and I figured that I could only do so much in a day. My last stop would be the Nonomiya Shrine, close to the bamboo grove.

Unagiya Hirokawa was the only Michelin starred restaurant that I visited in Japan. There is no question that Japan is a haven for great food, both for local Japanese cuisine and for foreign cuisine. In a later entry I shall be sharing my foodie experiences in this Kyoto trip.

Sources

Inside Kyoto, Unagi Hirokawa – Arashiyama.

The Food Republic, What are the Differences between Freshwater and Seawater Eel?