お造り＜活け紋甲イカ、鯛＞、鯛とエビと穴子と卵のとろろ蒸し　再訪 : Kappo Risuke

My first visit was in 2013. It's been nine years since I last visited Toshisuke in Kashihara, Nara. Toshisuke is an attractive restaurant because it offers a good value for money when it comes to the number of dishes. This time I made a reservation for the lunch course of 11 dishes. At first, I asked for a different course to avoid overlaps, just like last time, but they said, "These days, we ask for the same course." In these times, I'm grateful that they're still open. Also, on Saturdays and Sundays, lunch is priced from 4,500 yen excluding tax and service charges. On the day, I was guided to a 6-tatami private room again, and was greeted by a folding screen and paintings that were full of the chef's taste. Last time, the chopsticks bag was also handwritten, but unfortunately this time it wasn't. But the chopsticks bag from nine years ago is still hanging in my house. The hospitality with such a strong artistic sense makes me feel like I'm in an extraordinary situation. Now, let me introduce the food. First, the appetizer is boiled herring with Japanese pepper. [a:https://tabelog.com/fukushima/A0705/A070501/7000602/dtlrvwlst/B9887796/?sby=D&use_type=0&PG=1&smp=2&lc=0&srt=vote, Unlike the Aizu one, it has a round texture. The cooking time is shortened to prevent the flesh from becoming hard. Also, although it is difficult to see from the picture, the shrimp potato cooked with it is also very delicious. As always, the amount of dashi is skillfully adjusted. The next hassun is colorful and autumnal. In terms of taste, the "spear squid" packed with eggs and the thick "scallops". And I liked the sweet "Manganji chili pepper". The soup is made of conger eel and matsutake mushrooms. It is luxurious to have two types of conger eel, with flowering ochi and sweet potato. Of course, the aroma of matsutake mushroom tickles your nose. The squid and sea bream sashimi were good. The squid was described as being made with live monkou, so it wasn't aged, but the sweet and soft squid was probably due to skillful cutting techniques. On the other hand, the sea bream had a rich umami flavor from aging that was delicious. Fatty tuna was of course delicious, but that was to be expected so I won't go into detail. The steamed dish was a steamed dish with grated yam - sea bream, shrimp and conger eel. I liked that the sauce was piping hot, but personally I prefer the stronger texture of the steamed chobi-neri. I like the elasticity of the steamed lotus root, which is said to be a Kaga dish, but I also think that it is intended to highlight the native Yamato potato of Nara Prefecture. It is fun to see local production for local consumption. The grilled eel, both kabayaki and fried, is delicious with a crispy surface. I would have liked to eat more of each. It is a course dish, so it is the right amount. It is a difficult choice. After that, I felt the season of the swordfish in Tempura, savored the small sardine rice, and relaxed with warabi mochi. I was left alone in a private room, so I took a nap for about 30 minutes. Thank you~♪ It's been a while since my last visit, but I was very satisfied with the substantial course meal. In addition to the large number of dishes, the food was well prepared, and I was reminded that Risuke is really good. Thank you for the delicious meal. I'd like to come again. --- Kappo lunch course (5,445 yen/11 dishes): Appetizer: Filleted herring, eggplant, shrimp potato. Appetizer: [Clockwise from bottom left] Squid with roe and vinegared miso and fig, snow crab and Vinegared dish in vinegar, chrysanthemum greens and mushrooms, grated salmon roe in soy sauce, egg roll, scallop nigiri, shrimp, chestnut, stewed whelk, Manganji chili pepper. Soup: Conger eel and matsutake mushroom soup. Sashimi: Sea bream, fatty tuna, sweet shrimp, octopus, live monkfish. Steamed dish: Sea bream, shrimp, conger eel and egg steamed with grated yam - nameko and wood ear mushroom. Grilled dish: Grilled eel sushi, deep-fried eel. Deep-fried dish: Tempura <hairtail fish, shrimp, sweet potato, shishito pepper>. Meal: Small sardine rice, pickles, red miso soup. Dessert: Warabi mochi.

ランチに伺いました。美味しい料理がリーズナブルだったのでご報告です。

予約時に「いくらのコースにしますか」と聞かれたので、重複回避目的で一番安いコースと1ランク上のコースをお願いしました。両コースの違いを訊ねると「安い方は\3,150で10品。1ランク上は\4,725の11品で+1品増えます。更に高いコースは品数は11品のままで料理のグレードが上がります」との事。まぁ初回訪問なので\3,150と\4,725で良しとしましょう。

お店に到着すると6畳の個室に案内され期待が高まります。和個室ですが脚の短い回転椅子が用意されていて、年配者でも楽に食事できるよう配慮されています。あと大将手書きの箸袋や絵画が用意されていて、お店の雰囲気をいやが上にも高めています。

さて料理のご紹介です。
今回最も美味しかったのは、ナントお造りです。私自身は海鮮料理屋を200～300軒は食べ歩いていて馴れっこなので"お造り"に心が躍る事は殆んどないのですが、利助のお造りは凄過ぎました。

お造りの中でもマグロ/イカ/甘海老は特に秀逸で、鮮度の良さはモチロンですが甘味も食感も別次元です。私も嫁も眼の色を変えて頂きました。例えば、イカで感動したければ函館や呼子の旬の時期を選ぶのがセオリーですが、利助は奈良という海無し県なのに函館よりも呼子よりもイカが美味しかったのです。マグロも甘海老も同様で、これは仕込みの技が相当秀でていないと差別化できない芸当です。感服です。＞福井大将

次に美味しかったのは"海老芋の練り蒸し"。ネットリした食感まで擂り込まれた海老芋と葛餡を絡めながら食べ進んでいくと本物の海老にご対面できます。お茶目です。

奈良県らしさという意味では八寸や果物に"柿"が使われています。見た目には柿蜜は少なそうでしたが、口に含むと濃厚な甘味があり、ギャップを楽しめます。これも仕込み技なんだろうなぁ。。。

他にも"河豚の唐揚げ"が美味しく、普段は河豚に見向きもしない嫁が悦んでパクついてました。
\4,725のコースでこんなに河豚を使っちゃっても良いのでしょうか？思わずお店の経営を心配しちゃいます。

橿原市という比較的マイナーな立地ではありますが、このお店をクローズアップしてくれた食べログに感謝します。また、大将のスゴ技の一端を垣間見る事ができたので、次回は鮎の季節にもっと贅沢なコースで予約したいと思いました。ご馳走様でした。
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割烹のお昼のコース(\3,150/10品)：
　八寸：海老寿し,海老芋,赤蒟蒻,スケソウダラの卵,ホタテ,胡麻豆腐-ウニのせ,なまこ酢,筋子腹子
　椀物：かに真薯の吸い物
　お造り：マグロ赤身,タイ,イカ,きびなご,甘海老
　蒸物：海老芋の練り蒸し-海老包み
　揚物：茄子の揚げ浸し
　焼物：あま鯛のバター焼き
　飯物：じゃこ御飯,香の物,しじみ汁
　果物：柿

割烹のお昼のコース(\4,725/11品)：
　先付：あしあか海老造り
　八寸：柿とクラゲの胡麻和え,ツブ貝,かに寿し,海老芋,赤蒟蒻,スケソウダラの卵,ホタテ,胡麻豆腐-ウニのせ,なまこ酢,筋子腹子
　椀物：かに真薯の吸い物
　造り：マグロ中トロ,河豚,タイ,イカ,きびなご,甘海老
　蒸物：海老芋の練り蒸し-海老包み
　揚物：河豚の唐揚げ
　鍋物：河豚の小鍋
　飯物：じゃこ御飯,香の物,しじみ汁
　果物：柿