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Tohoku is a great place for fresh food, whether from the fields, mountains, forests, or seas. Restaurants range from local sake shacks to upscale sushi bars and steak houses, and dress may be street-casual to office attire. Rarely will it be formal. Menus may not always be in English, but you can often find window displays full
Tohoku is a great place for fresh food, whether from the fields, mountains, forests, or seas. Restaurants range from local sake shacks to upscale sushi bars and steak houses, and dress may be street-casual to office attire. Rarely will it be formal. Menus may not always
Tohoku is a great place for fresh food, whether from the fields, mountains, forests, or seas. Restaurants range from loc
Tohoku is a great place for fresh food, whether from the fields, mountains, forests, or seas. Restaurants range from local sake shacks to upscale sushi bars and steak houses, and dress may be street-casual to office attire. Rarely will it be formal. Menus may not always be in English, but you can often find window displays full of plastic representations of the menu. Credit cards are fine in cities, but they are not always accepted in the countryside, so bring along enough cash. In many restaurants you'll take your shoes off at the entry and place them in a cubicle.
Acclaimed executive chef and owner Okuda Masayuki prepares Italian dishes that are totally original and unique and reflect the region. The style of Italian comes with a commitment to the freshest ingredients, including the produce, fish, and meat. The menu varies, but everything is reliably great. The aim here is to bring out all natural flavors and aromas of Shonai foods by using few condiments, to create a perfectly combined dish where delicate flavors are more important than heavy sauces or big portions. It's often a good idea to make reservations for dinner and that also lets you confirm that they are open since they do keep a have a sporadic schedule in winter.
83 Ichirizuka, Shimoyama-zoe, Tsuruoka, Yamagata-ken, 997-0341, Japan
0235-78–7230
Known For
Delicious and creative interpretations of seasonal dishes
When you slide open the door to what looks like a little house, you may notice the fish tanks and the freezer packed with flounder, sea bream, and sea creatures you might not recognize. But you'll instantly know what you'll be served here: all manner of seasonal grilled shellfish and fish, crisp and brown on the outside but white and tender inside. You'll be eating warabi (fiddle ferns) in spring, and drinking excellent local sake with friendly regulars any time of the year. It's a bit pricey, but if you're a seafood fan this won't disappoint. From JR Morioka, follow Odori to the Iwate Bank and turn right at the statue of Takuboku Ishikawa. The restaurant is 2½ blocks ahead on the right.
2--6--1 Saien, Morioka, Iwate-ken, 020-0024, Japan
019-622–2646
Known For
The freshest seafood
An excellent sake selection
Dishes to match the season
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and a few days in mid-Aug. No lunch
You're in a major seafood city, and if you want some of the best of what is available in these cold waters, this is the place to get it. Dinner is not cheap, but lunches are more reasonably priced. The restaurant offers excellent service and bright surroundings.
1--5--12 Tsutsumi Machi, Aomori-ken, 030-0812, Japan
In its lively neighborhood, a curtain next to a big red paper lantern leads to this inviting eatery where kinki (deepwater white fish) are carefully grilled on a charcoal fire and other delectables are served. The interior is quaint and inviting and the walls are plastered with signed posters and artifacts from celebrities.
2--1--15 Kokubun-cho, Sendai, Miyagi-ken, 980-0803, Japan
Try it for yourself and you'll see why people come here from all over Honshu for a cup of the ringo no reisei supu (cold apple soup topped with crusted baked apple skins). The totally organic "miracle" apples that farmer Kimura raises and the dishes chef Yamazaki prepares keep attracting customers.
41 Oyakata Machi, Hirosaki, Aomori-ken, 036-8191, Japan
Sagoro will serve you a full dose of some outstanding Yonezawa and Yamagata beef. It will be difficult to forget the beef's impossible tenderness. Although most dishes are pricey in the evenings in this sophisticated, upscale setting, there are some bargains at lunch for under. (Reservations are strongly recommended in the evenings.)
1--6--10 Kasumicho, Yamagata, Yamagata-ken, 990-0039, Japan
023-631–3560
Known For
Delectable, locally sourced beef
Reasonably priced lunches
Local flavor
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. (unless the following Mon. is a holiday)
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