On this evening, we dined at the popular “Okagesan” izakaya, which is located near the famous “Miroku Yokocho” in Hachinohe. Miroku Yokocho is like a food stall village, similar to Taiwan’s night markets, but it consists only of restaurant establishments. Although the cuisine at izakayas is generally similar, here you can enjoy Hachinohe’s local specialty – Senbei Hotpot.
Due to our large group size, there is a simple price list hanging on the wall for dining on the second floor.
Behind it is a hidden menu (Senbei Pizza).
Before the dishes are served, let’s start with some appetizers.
The first dish that comes out is Fried Garlic, priced at ￥600.
Yes, you read that right. This garlic is roasted so beautifully that it’s a steal at ￥600…
Moreover, Aomori’s garlic is very famous and often costs over a thousand yuan for just a few cloves.
(But, why do I feel like this garlic looks more like it’s been roasted?)
I got a small piece that tastes pretty good.
After frying it, the texture of the garlic is similar to that of potatoes.
The second Tamago-yaki (Thick Tamago-yaki ¥500)
To be honest, when I used to buy Tamago-yaki to eat, I always found the ones in Japan to be too sweet.
But this one is not overly sweet at all. I can say it’s the most delicious Tamago-yaki I’ve ever had.
It looks like just an ordinary fried egg, but it’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
And with the addition of scallions, it really tastes delicious~
However, the main highlight is the Senbei Hotpot (Senbei-Jiru) for one person, priced at 650 yen.
It seems like this is a portion for four people.
It is said that even the director of the Hachinohe Senbei Hotpot Research Institute, Mr. Tamura, highly recommends this dish (click here for the reason behind the recommendation).
This Senbei Hotpot is considered a famous B-class gourmet in Japan, similar to Takoyaki in Osaka…
After scooping a few bowls, I finally got to see what the soup base looks like.
This “Senbei Hotpot” is a method of cooking and seasoning ordinary unseasoned Senbei in a pot.
It is cooked with fish, chicken, vegetables, and mushrooms to create a mild and slightly salty flavor.
The scallop dish is served, and everyone is taking photos of it.
Let me take a photo for everyone~
One more grilled flower fish for ¥600.
Stir-fried chicken skin for 450 yuan.
It has a slightly sweet taste and goes well with rice.
Eating too much chicken skin can make you feel nauseous, but luckily they don’t serve a large portion.
Assorted Sashimi Tuna, Hokkigai Clam, Red Snapper
Among them, I’m not sure which part of the tuna it is, but if you say it’s beef, I would believe it too.
Such delicate marbling of fat distribution.
Finally, the hidden menu – Senbei Pizza.
This is topped with cheese.
I learned from my friend, Jiuxiong, that this is “Ika no shiokara,” which is a common pickled dish that is then grilled.
However, the taste is a bit too salty.
The owner of this shop, is over fifty years old, but still quite attractive and has a great sense of humor.
As for the man in the picture, he is Mr. Mukai, who is leading the group this time.
Since I didn’t have his permission, I had to cover his eyes to avoid causing any trouble for him.
Above is the situation at Okagesan Izakaya~
For more information on transportation, attractions, food, and accommodation in Aomori, please refer to the Tohoku page.
Okagesan izakaya
Business hours: 18:00-24:00 (Closed on public holidays)
Address: 1, Oaza Takashokoji, Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture
Map：
『Original Source：https://nicklee.tw/1171/』
