河豚 (fugu) or Blowfish

Tonight at fugu restaurant. One of the 慕年会　(bohnenkai) or year end parties. This restaurant is in Ningyocho （人形町）and they use famous Fugu from Shimonoseki （下関）in Yamaguchi （山口県） prefecture。

The whole course is fugu, from sashimi, to the skin, to deep fried fugu and nabe. The taste was great. The dish was accompanied by ひれ酒　(hirezake), where a hot cup of sake comes with an immersed roasted fin of the fugu. Interesting. It gives it a smoky, fishy tinge to the sake. Last dish was josui, a congee like dish.

The restaurant was fully packed and enjoys turnover of up to 3 times daily...We had to sit at the counter, even with reservations. But in such Japanese restaurants, e.g. sushi, teppanyaki, it is better to be seated at the counter so that you can also watch and experience all the action going on at the kitchen behind the counter. Plus you also get the attention of the chef himself.

With such brisk business, no wonder the owner seems to be always smiling.