Ginza Hanatare 地きんめ鯛専門　銀座はなたれ: Kinmedai Specialty Fish Restaurant

Kinmedai aka red snapper is a deep seawater fish that is commonly harvested from the waters off Izu Peninsula, Chiba or Shikoku in Japan. And Ginza Hanatare is probably one of the few Japanese restaurants that specializes in this fish. In general, Kinmedai is grouped into 3 category and the most priced category is the "Ji-Kinmedai" due to its rich fat content. I was lucky to drop by in end May as May-June, as well as Dec-Feb, are the two seasons when the fish is at their most tip-top "fattiest" condition.

Hanatare uses only Ji-Kinmedai and those with at least 10% fat is sub-categorizes as Toro-Ji-Kinmedai here. We truly felt the fatty power of Toro-Ji-Kinmedai when we had the Kinmedai wrapped with Uni and Ikura. It's cost a bomb at 1000 yen/2 servings but so best to be savoured s.l.o.w.l.y. Shhh....just don't talk for a minute and enjoy.

The best way to enjoy fresh fish is none other than steam. And here it is done with sake apart from salt grilled, deep-fried, and boil. We chose the most popular boiled style in which the fish is cooked in a delicious dark sauce. The meat was unbeatably fresh, sweet and tender. Perfect with rice or even just on its own.

The Ji-Kinme Meshi Teishoku Set (3000 yen) is another hot seller here that comes with not 1 but 3 egg yolks--just enough to mix with the rice that's concealed by the Kinmedai sashimi. It was quite interesting to learn that the sashimi is meant to be dipped into the Goma dressing and not shoyu. But for those who want to taste the sweetness of the fish, I guess the best condiment is still shoyu. The set is served with a kettle of dashi (for savouring the rice in an ocha-zuke style), pickles, salad and a very tasty bowl of Kinmedai fish soup.

This restaurant also offers a long list of matcha beverages and of course, shochu and sake. But for me, fish ehem...kinmedai will do.

Ginza Hanatare 地きんめ鯛専門　銀座はなたれ
11am-11pm
Tokyu Plaza Ginza
Chuo-ku Ginza 5-2-1 Tokyo 104-0061
https://www.facebook.com/ginzahanatare/