Shimachu Fishmonger 島忠魚屋

 

Shimachu Fishmonger, Kajiwara, Kita-ku, Tokyo, 

amazing fish and fun conversation.

 I think I may have to change the name of my blog to fishyhiker. 

Today was mostly a Skype-with-the-fam-work-from-home Sunday, but I stepped out to run some errands and pick up some groceries in the late afternoon and early evening hours. I've long spied the fishmonger in my neighborhood, and today the selections in the case were so appealing, that I finally stopped by. My only wish is that I had done so sooner.

 

 

 Here, fishy, fishy. 

 

 

 I need to up my Japanese fish vocabulary.

 I selected the beautiful, but not so adventurous, toro (fatty tuna) from the case. The fishmonger then proceeded to engage me in conversation- asking where I'm from, what do I do in Japan, all the usual questions. He then invited me around the case and started giving me samples, telling me how to prepare certain fish, why they are popular, what's good and in season today, it was a rapid-fire crash course in Japanese seafood. I should have taken notes. I sampled a house-made veggie and fish dish first (you can see it at the bottom of the photo below). It was so wonderfully awkward- he held out a bunch on a chopstick, but I didn't know how to get it to my mouth (!), so we laughed and he gave me a towel to wipe my hands, and then I proceeded to eat it from my hand. It was delectable- slightly acidic from the mirin it was coated with (that softens the veggies and fish), with a bit of a kick from red peppers, and the density of the fish (I think saba, or mackerel), was nicely contrasted with the carrots and daikon. My next sample was the squid and squid ink that you see him holding below. After I got past the oddity of the pure black lump, I tasted it and it was even better than the other sample. Slightly salty, but really smooth and dense. The freshness was apparent in the taste. I need to integrate this into my cooking, and soon. Like, tomorrow. It was also funny to have squid ink on my hands, it is so black! The rest of the family was in the back of the shop, and we all chatted for a few minutes about the daughter's trip to America (Hawaii), and what Chicago is like, how I like Japan, and what my research is about. I paid for my toro, and my new pal threw in a huge bag of the veggie fish dish as a bonus. Kajiwara and Shimachu Fishmonger for the win.

 

Samples of deliciousness.