Update-date: May 09 2023
On a recent business trip to Fukuoka, I came across a restaurant that I consider to be the place to go for Motsunabe in Hakata! The fresh, crispy, elastic, fatty, and tasty motsu, and the mild miso-based Motsunabe with the sweetness from the vegetables. Here is a report on the Miso motsunabe at Hakata Motsunabe Yamanaka Hakata Branch, which is both rich and tender at the same time!
A unique Motsunabe restaurant with an oriental atmosphere
Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, is one of the best gourmet towns in Japan. As a Tokyo resident, I can only visit this town once in a while, but it is a town full of delicious food. Yakitori, gyoza, mentaiko (cod roe), ramen, and other Hakata delicacies are just a few of the delicacies that attract gourmets to the city, but I always end up eating Motsunabe whenever I visit.
I have eaten at a number of restaurants, and while each restaurant has its own specialties and characteristics, I have never been able to decide on my favorite Motsunabe restaurant. The other day, I finally found a restaurant that I can attest "This is the place to have the best Motsunabe"! This time, I would like to report on my meal there!
I have eaten at a number of restaurants, and while each restaurant has its own specialties and characteristics, I have never been able to decide on my favorite Motsunabe restaurant. The other day, I finally found a restaurant that I can attest "This is the place to have the best Motsunabe"! This time, I would like to report on my meal there!
From the moment you enter Hakata Motsunabe Yamanaka Hakata Branch, you get a sense of a different atmosphere from that of a popular Motsu nabe restaurant. After the meal, the waitress told us that each of the three Yamanaka restaurants in Fukuoka City has a different interior design theme. The Hakata branch is based on the concept of an oriental atmosphere inspired by the Silk Road, where East and West meet, in reference to Fukuoka's long history as a place of cultural exchange.
When we were seated and looked at the menu, we found that there are three types of Motsunabe: miso, soy sauce, and shabu shabu style, and that the minimum order is for two people at 2,200 yen per person.
However, I had already researched in advance that there was a Motsunabe that could be enjoyed by one person. When I asked the waitress about that, she recommended "The Yamanaka course," so that is what I ordered.
However, I had already researched in advance that there was a Motsunabe that could be enjoyed by one person. When I asked the waitress about that, she recommended "The Yamanaka course," so that is what I ordered.
"The Yamanaka course": Enjoy Motsunabe all by yourself until the end of the course.
"The Yamanaka course" that I ordered - well, the contents are just amazing!
Please take a look.
Please take a look.
The Yamanaka course Menu
・Vinegared beef offal
・Senmai
・Karashi-Mentaiko (Spicy Cod Roe)
・Sweetened beef cheek
・Motsunabe (you can choose one from Miso, Shoyu or Shabu-shabu style)
・Additional vegetables and beef offal
・Finishing dish (one of Chanpon, Udon, or Zosui)
・Dessert (one of the following: apricot bean curd, green tea ice cream, or Amaou Strawberry ice cream)
4,680 yen per person
From the additional vegetables and motsu to the finish, you can enjoy motsu nabe anyway you like, alone, at any pace you like.
Several a la carte dishes appear as appetizers, and it is very nice that each is portioned for one person. It is difficult for one person to order many kinds of dishes, both in terms of quantity and price!
・Senmai
・Karashi-Mentaiko (Spicy Cod Roe)
・Sweetened beef cheek
・Motsunabe (you can choose one from Miso, Shoyu or Shabu-shabu style)
・Additional vegetables and beef offal
・Finishing dish (one of Chanpon, Udon, or Zosui)
・Dessert (one of the following: apricot bean curd, green tea ice cream, or Amaou Strawberry ice cream)
4,680 yen per person
From the additional vegetables and motsu to the finish, you can enjoy motsu nabe anyway you like, alone, at any pace you like.
Several a la carte dishes appear as appetizers, and it is very nice that each is portioned for one person. It is difficult for one person to order many kinds of dishes, both in terms of quantity and price!
Then comes the long-awaited "Miso Motsunabe"!
At Yamanaka, the hot pot comes out already cooked, so there is no need to make by yourself. After boiling over a tabletop induction heater and taking a photo or video of the steam rising, we are ready to eat!!!
The first thing that shocked me was when I took the first sip of the soup.
I thought I would be able to taste the miso flavor at first, but surprisingly, the miso flavor was not pushed to the forefront. There is no doubt that it is the miso that gives the soup its depth and richness, but it seems as if the flavor of the miso is kept to a minimum in favor of harmony with the overall dish.
The sweetness from the vegetables and the flavor of the fat that is melted out of the fish are added to the dish. What is noteworthy is that no one flavor or aroma stands out, and everything is well-balanced and harmonized.
I think "mellow" might be a better word to describe it, but that definitely does not do it justice. It is light but deep, rich but gentle.
You can feel the taste warming your body gradually.
I thought I would be able to taste the miso flavor at first, but surprisingly, the miso flavor was not pushed to the forefront. There is no doubt that it is the miso that gives the soup its depth and richness, but it seems as if the flavor of the miso is kept to a minimum in favor of harmony with the overall dish.
The sweetness from the vegetables and the flavor of the fat that is melted out of the fish are added to the dish. What is noteworthy is that no one flavor or aroma stands out, and everything is well-balanced and harmonized.
I think "mellow" might be a better word to describe it, but that definitely does not do it justice. It is light but deep, rich but gentle.
You can feel the taste warming your body gradually.
You cannot go wrong with vegetables and offal in a delicious broth.The cabbage and chives are so tender that they are covered with the fat and broth that has melted out of them, making them so filling that it is hard to believe they are vegetables. The more you chew, the more the sweetness spreads through your mouth.The main ingredient of the dish, the offal, is still slightly reddish in color even after being cooked, which is the best proof of its freshness. The more you chew, the more the fatty flavor of the offal comes through.The more you eat the offal, the more you will miss the vegetables, and the more you eat the vegetables, the more you will miss the offal.
Less pungent, excellent flavor garlic
When I tried using garlic to change the flavor with the condiments provided with the motsunabe, there was one more surprise hidden in there.
When eating garlic as it is, it usually feels a pungent sensation on the tongue, but with this grated garlic, I did not feel any such sensation at all. Yet the garlic flavor was strong, and its presence as a condiment was outstanding.
I had never encountered garlic like that before, so I was curious and asked the waiter about it.
She replied, "We try many kinds and use the one that goes best with our soup. In fact, we use the same garlic for all of our motsunabe.
Listening to this story, I realized that the mild and gentle impression I had when I was impressed by the soup earlier was also due to this garlic.
When eating garlic as it is, it usually feels a pungent sensation on the tongue, but with this grated garlic, I did not feel any such sensation at all. Yet the garlic flavor was strong, and its presence as a condiment was outstanding.
I had never encountered garlic like that before, so I was curious and asked the waiter about it.
She replied, "We try many kinds and use the one that goes best with our soup. In fact, we use the same garlic for all of our motsunabe.
Listening to this story, I realized that the mild and gentle impression I had when I was impressed by the soup earlier was also due to this garlic.
Now to the finishing dish
Well, time flies when you are eating delicious food.
I've eaten my fill of the additional vegetables and offal, and I am headed for the final carbohydrate, the best part of the hot pot.
After all, I ordered a classic chanpon…
I've eaten my fill of the additional vegetables and offal, and I am headed for the final carbohydrate, the best part of the hot pot.
After all, I ordered a classic chanpon…
…
……
………
…………But, I was not satisfied with just chanpon, so I had a bowl of rice porridge as well.
……
………
…………But, I was not satisfied with just chanpon, so I had a bowl of rice porridge as well.
The carbohydrates that are added to the soup, which simmers and thickens with time, are nothing but the best.
After the meal, I spoke with Ms. Namise, who once again greeted me, and she told me that even while working at the restaurant, "I can clearly feel that each and every ingredient is chosen for Yamanaka.
The "Miso Motsunabe" is full of passion to deliver delicious food to customers and can be enjoyed even by a single customer.
If you are going to eat Motsunabe in Hakata, you should definitely visit Yamanaka. (Of course, you don't have to be alone!)
After the meal, I spoke with Ms. Namise, who once again greeted me, and she told me that even while working at the restaurant, "I can clearly feel that each and every ingredient is chosen for Yamanaka.
The "Miso Motsunabe" is full of passion to deliver delicious food to customers and can be enjoyed even by a single customer.
If you are going to eat Motsunabe in Hakata, you should definitely visit Yamanaka. (Of course, you don't have to be alone!)
Hakata Motsunabe Yamanaka Hakata Branch
Open: Dinner 4:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY
Access: 3 minutes walk from the Chikushiguchi exit of JR Hakata Station
Address: 2F, Hakatabe Bldg., 2-4-6, Hakataeki-higashi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Map
More Details Reservation
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY
Access: 3 minutes walk from the Chikushiguchi exit of JR Hakata Station
Address: 2F, Hakatabe Bldg., 2-4-6, Hakataeki-higashi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Map
More Details Reservation
Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.
