Genpin Fugu
When I was in the 9th grade, my global studies class was given a list of movies and told to pick one to write a paper about. All of these movies involved some sort of cultural component that we were to focus on. When the list got to me, one of the available options was Mr. Baseball, starring Tom Selleck. In this fish-out-of-water tale, Jack Elliot moves from the major leagues to the Japanese league when he can no longer compete at the highest level. As you would expect, there are many cultural clashes when this loud, tall American guy gets to Japan. The one that I remember most of all is when he is told about and ultimately eats Fugu fish - a fish that when not prepared properly…can kill you.
Recently, a friend from our building told us about a restaurant nearby that specializes in Fugu. With the thought of Fugu poisoning bringing some sweet relief from the constant bickering of two young children, I grew excited at the opportunity to try it. A few weeks later, Elsa and I went on a double date with our friends who told us about this place (Yosuko and Lowell) to try the famous dish. Did it kill us!?! Read on to find out.
The place we went to, Guenpin (玄品), is somewhat on the upscale side. There are a few different set menu options available. (This is very typical in Japan, which is nice when you don’t know exactly what to order, but want to try a few things.) The set we selected was about $60 a person (before drinks), but we could have selected a larger fish and spent much more, if desired. We were all stuffed at the end, so we were glad we chose the smaller set. We were able to experience Fugu in a variety of ways, which was our goal.
First up, we had a tasty little salad that contained the skin of the Fugu fish.
Next up, we were given a plate of Fugu sashimi, or raw Fugu. So, how'd it taste? Well, pretty good. The slices were on the thin side to they weren't bursting with flavor, but the subtle flavor was pleasant.
After trying the fish straight up, we were brought a small plate of fried Fugu. This was also delicious, but had to be eaten carefully. The fish was fried with bones left in, so each of the three Fugu nuggets took some time and care to work through. Most fried foods are delicious and this was no exception. I easily could have eaten more of these little delicious death balls.
It was at this point that we had the waiter bring some sake out for us, and not just any sake, Fugu sake! The waiter brought it to our table and I have to say, the presentation was impressive.
With large chunks of Fugu being lit inside of sake, the flavor becomes more fishy than any other sake I've had. If you don't like fishy-fish flavor, this isn't for you. I enjoyed it and would definitely order it again.
Next up was the grilled Fugu course. When we first spoke to the waiter after arriving, we had to pick from one of three sauces to try. If I remember correctly, we went with a spicy/sweet sauce. When the Fugu arrived for grilling, it was marinated in our selected sauce. From there, it was up to us to grill it ourselves. This was a fun, interactive part of the meal. It was also delicious.
Just when we thought the meal was coming to an end, a shabu-shabu course began that we used a hot pot to cook the Fugu along with a variety of vegetables, rice and tofu. Elsa and Yusoku were in awe of the miraculous paper that never absorbed any of the water and oil. Some sort of wizardry, for sure.
Yet again, when we thought we were done eating, the waiter brought out some rice and eggs and cooked those in what remained of our shabu shabu basket. The result was an eggy, ricey bowl of goodness.
At last, the final dish was delivered; a small dish of Fugu ice-cream. I’m kidding, it wasn’t Fugu ice cream, just some vanilla/nut flavor. After the grilling and hot pot, something cold was definitely appreciated.
All in all, this dinner lasted nearly 3 hours and was a ton of fun with friends. Of the four of us who dined, greater than 75% of us survived. I would call that a success.
