Wasuke: A 4-D Culinary Experience

Noboru Shibata, the owner of the seafood izakaya, Wasuke with wife Michiko and daughter Ayumi

You've heard of 3-D, as in put on the special glasses and watch the movie, but how about 4-D?  That's the dimension that Noboru Shibata describes as he carefully prepares a plate of assorted sashimi for our visit.  He relates that he studied Ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arrangement) when he was starting out as a Chef some 50 years ago and he also studied the art of the tea ceremony with its special attention to detail.   And with this background, every plate that is prepared for the guests includes that special attention to the presentation of the food.  

But there are different versions of the presentation.  The chef prepares the plate from his/her perspective. Then when the guest is served at the counter or at a table, they see the food arriving and their taste buds start to go into hyper-drive. Then the plate is laid on the counter or table and again the visual presentation stimulates the taste buds and the neurotransmitters in the brain to create a happiness expectation of what is about to happen!

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Sashimi Platter

And what happens at Wasuke is culinary bliss!  We ordered Matabei, a delicious clear, dry sake from Fukushima prefecture, and then the food started to appear from the preparation table, over the glass display case and onto the counter in front of us.   Our meal included:

• Ankimo--the liver of the Ankoh fish from Hokkaido (think of the best paté you've ever tasted)

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• Shirako--cod intestines in ponzu sauce with chile and raddish, also from Hokkaido.  
• Sashimi platter with mackerel, tuna belly, sole, snapper, Yellowtails, boiled octopus, tuna, katsuo. water octopus and Kuro Soi (Black Rock Fish),  all garnished with hojiso (perilla), two red Japanese Maple leaves and a small yellow flower, with mounds of green wasabi, white ginger, radish and seaweed were
• Huge Oysters from Iwate prefecture--eaten with lemon--so incredibly fresh
• Hatahata-a grilled fish with egg, from Akita Prefecture
• Nozawana from Nagano, (pickled leaf vegetable with kelp and wabasbi)
• Iburi Gako--smoked radish (Akita)
• And then another huge oyster!

We've eaten at Wasuke in Tokyo's Kappabashi district, probably 5 times over the past 2 years and if the true test of an izakaya is consistency in the freshness of the food and a friendly, happy atmosphere, then Wasuke is a winner, hands down.  

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Oyster!

Shirako

Ankimo

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