[Nakasu Gourmet] A hugely popular restaurant with over 150 years of history! Exquisite eel rice cooked with unique techniques (Fukuoka)

Hello. I'm Sho Fujita, a writer introducing recommended gourmet spots in Fukuoka.

This time, we will introduce a long-established eel restaurant in Nakasu, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City, where you can enjoy exquisite eel dishes grilled using unique techniques.

A long-established restaurant with over 150 years of history! Hakata Meidai Yoshizuka Unagiya (Nakasu, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City), a famous eel restaurant representing Fukuoka

Located about a 3-minute walk from Kushidajinja-mae Station on the Fukuoka City Subway Nanakuma Line, on the banks of the Hakata River, surrounded by a historical landscape, is the long-established eel restaurant "Hakata Meidai Yoshizuka Unagi-ya."
*The "yoshi" in Yoshizuka eel is actually written as "under the earth."

Image: Sho Fujita

The restaurant first opened in Yoshizuka, Hakata Ward in 1873, and a second store opened in Nakasu 4-chome at the beginning of the Taisho era, but both stores closed due to the war. It later reopened in Nakasu 5-chome, and after relocating, has remained there to this day.

This popular restaurant has been attracting local gourmets for over 150 years since its establishment, with its main dishes being grilled eel, prepared using the unique grilling technique known as "konashi," as well as dishes such as "unadon" and "unaju."

Image: Sho Fujita

The current store, which underwent a full renovation in 2009, is a four-story building (seating is on the second and third floors) with an impressive Hakata-style wall on the first floor and large windows, and has a dignified appearance that blends in with the charming streets of Nakasu while also maintaining a modern feel.

Image: Sho Fujita

The interior of the restaurant is decorated with Japanese-style elements such as shoji screens and tatami mats, and has a calming atmosphere with tables and chairs neatly arranged.

The tasteful art and furnishings displayed throughout the restaurant, including works by Hakata doll maker Nakamura Shinkyo, will make your mealtime a quality experience.

Image: Sho Fujita

The spacious hall on the second floor has 60 table seats and 6 counter seats, making it easy to drop in without a reservation and a great place to casually have lunch with friends.

Image: Hakata Meidai Yoshizuka Unagiya

The third floor is mainly reserved for reservations. The large tatami-floored hall can accommodate up to 54 people and is divided into three sections that can also be used as private rooms.

Image: Hakata Meidai Yoshizuka Unagiya

In addition, there are four private rooms available, including the "Hanezu Room," which can accommodate up to 10 people and is the highest rank room equipped with a small garden and a private washroom.

Image: Sho Fujita

It is a special space suitable for entertaining or celebrating.

Grilled with unique techniques! Introducing the popular menu items at "Hakata Meidai Yoshizuka Unagiya"

The greatest feature of the eels served at Hakata Meidai Yoshizuka Unagiya is their unique grilling technique called "konashi," which brings out the maximum flavor.

Image: Sho Fujita

In Kansai, kabayaki is only grilled on the grill, which does not involve the steaming process. However, by grilling the eel, which tends to become tough, in a kneading and pounding motion, excess fat is removed and the eel's own fat is used to cook the surface evenly and crisply.

Image: Sho Fujita

The "konashi" technique is rare nationwide. There is an anecdote that it originated from the time when the owner ran a blacksmith shop, the precursor to the eel restaurant, and when he helped a man who collapsed in front of the shop, he was taught how to grill eel as a thank you.

The two signature dishes at Hakata Meidai Yoshizuka Unagiya are the unadon (eel bowl) and the unaju (eel rice bowl).

"Unadon" is a rice bowl style dish with eel on top of rice covered in sauce, while "Unajyu" is served in a two-tiered box with eel and rice, and the sauce is served on a separate plate.

Image: Sho Fujita

Depending on the number of pieces of eel, you can choose from three types of "Unadon": "Unadon" (2 pieces for 2,260 yen), "Jyounadon" (3 pieces for 3,010 yen), "Tokuunadon" (4 pieces for 3,760 yen), and "Unaju" (4 pieces for 3,760 yen), "Jyounaju" (5 pieces for 4,510 yen), and "Tokuunaju" (6 pieces for 5,260 yen). All are served with "kimo-soba" (liver soup) and "pickles."

Other popular menu items include the "Eel Kaiseki" (8 Ume dishes for 8,000 yen, 11 Take dishes for 9,500 yen, 13 Matsu dishes for 10,500 yen), perfect for entertaining or anniversaries, and the limited-quantity "Makunouchi" (4,300 yen).

Image: Sho Fujita

They also have a selection of a la carte dishes that go perfectly with alcohol, such as "Grilled Liver" (800 yen) and "Suyaki" (six slices for 5,780 yen), so you can enjoy eel dishes to your heart's content in any way you like.

Crispy and tender grilled eel with a secret sauce! Try the signature dish, "Unagi"

On this day, I ordered one of their signature dishes, "Unagi-ju" (4 slices for 3,760 yen).

When you open the lid of the bento box, you'll see the lustrous, shiny eel and the plump, grainy rice, which will raise your expectations.

Image: Sho Fujita

The outside of the eel is crispy and fragrant, while the inside is plump and soft, with a luxurious texture.

They are able to source high-quality eels regardless of the season by carefully selecting them, paying particular attention to the producers as well as the place of origin, mainly from Shizuoka, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima.

Image: Sho Fujita

Generally, unaju is served with the kabayaki covered in sauce, but sometimes the last piece of unaju can absorb too much sauce, making it taste too strong.

At Hakata Meidai Yoshizuka Unagi-ya, the sauce is served on a separate plate, so you can add more to your liking.

This secret sauce has been passed down and added to since the restaurant first opened. It has a thick texture and a deep sweetness that condenses the flavor of the eel.

Image: Sho Fujita

The "kimo-sui" (liver soup) is a deep and satisfying dish, with a delightful crunchy texture from the liver. The saltiness is well-balanced, and one sip will have the delicious flavor of the eel flowing into your mouth.

Image: Sho Fujita

There is also Japanese pepper and shichimi pepper on the table, so you can enjoy different flavors as you go.

Image: Sho Fujita

Hakata Meidai Yoshizuka Unagi-ya combines the peace of mind that comes with being a long-established restaurant with a unique style that pursues the natural deliciousness of eel.

This is a place where you can spend a comfortable and luxurious time in a high-quality space with attentive hospitality. (Text by Sho Fujita)

＜Click on the store name for more details about the store ↓＞
■ Hakata's famous Yoshizuka eel restaurant
Address: 2-8-27 Nakasu, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Business hours: 10:00 - 21:00 (guidance begins at 10:30 / last order at 20:15)
Closed: Every Wednesday, 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month *Closed during Obon and New Year holidays
*This article is current as of the time of publication. *Prices in the article include tax.
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