(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi)
If you are located on Misawa Air Base and want to enjoy delicious, local fresh raw fish nearby, Minato Shokudo is where you want to go.
Minato Shokudo is a tiny joint near JR Mutsuminato Station known for serving up fresh fish brought in daily to the famous Mutsuminato Ekimae Morning Market, which is about a 2-minute walk from the restaurant.
I had the chance to sample the delicacies served at the eatery on the way back to Tokyo after a TDY to Misawa Air Base with my coworkers. The restaurant is about a 45-minute drive from the base.
The morning market opens daily at 3 a.m. Our visit to the area, however, was too late in the morning to experience the full glory of the market, but there were still some stalls open with impressive fish displays on the walk to Minato Shokudo.
The restaurant is usually very crowded, but at 8 a.m. when we visited, we had no problem nabbing a seat inside the tiny interior.
A hand-written menu on the wall informed us that there were just a few options, including hirame-zuke don (soy-flavored raw flatfish rice bowl) for 1,150 yen (about $9) and ryoshi zuke don (fishermen’s soy-flavored mixed raw fish (flatfish, squid, tuna and shrimp) rice bowl) for 1,450 yen (about $12).
I ordered the zuke don and only waited five minutes for my stunning bowl to arrive with miso soup, sliced yam, vinegared seaweed and pickled radish on the side.
My bowl was topped with bright, white raw flatfish slices, a golden egg yolk and bright green wasabi. This meal looked like a jewelry box of vibrant, shimmering hues almost too delectable to disturb.
After admiring the presentation, I mixed the ingredients and dug in. The chew of the fresh flatfish was incredible and was only enhanced with the richness of the egg yolk and kick of the wasabi. The flavor and texture overload was rounded out by the delicious rice included in this exceptional bowl.
This meal was the perfect sampling of the exceptional, fresh fish brought to the market daily. If you want to up the perfection, add a scallop (350 yen extra), bonito (600 yen), or shrimp (600 yen) to your bowl.
You will not regret making a stop at Minato Shokudo for some unbelievable seafood rice bowls. Add it to your list and get ready to have a real taste of Japan!
Minato Shokudo
Location: 45-1 Kubo, Minatomachi, Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture
(a two-minute walk from JR Mutsuminato Station)
Hours: Tue. – Sat. 6 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Tel: 0178-35-2295
