Known for its breath-taking mountains, lakes and hot springs, the Tōhoku region is located in the northern part of Japan and consists of six prefectures. For its new menu, Ichiban Boshi has curated a special menu that showcases seven special dishes from four of the prefectures.
A signature dish in Miyagi, the very comforting Salmon & Ikura Harakomeshi ($16.90) is a ubiquitous dish in seaside towns, and is served, brimming with generous amounts of shredded egg, salted kelp and refreshing yuzu zest on seasoned rice.
Staying in Miyagi, another must-try speciality is the Gyutan with Green Chilli Miso ($16.90). Gyutan, or beef tongue, is one of the more popular Japanese beef cuts, and is a famous Tōhoku local delicacy. We quite liked the tender beef tongue pairing with the spicy-salty notes of the slightly fiery miso sauce, completed with asparagus for crunch and texture.
A 200-year-old country-style dish from the Aomori prefecture, the hearty Senbei Jiru ($14.90) literally translates to “rice cracker soup”, named after the chewy, spongy texture that the crispy rice crackers take on after simmering in the dish broth. Chicken, shimeji mushrooms and cabbage complete the traditional pot dish – perfect for a rainy day.
Another specialty from Aomori is the Hotate Miso Tamago Kaiyaki ($16.90), featuring premium Hokkaido scallops, shimeji mushrooms and scrambled egg served on a sizzling hot plate.
Get a taste of Akita’s cuisine with the authentic Kiritanpo Nabe ($15.90), a hearty hotpot boasting popular ingredients such as Japanese-pounded rice sticks, chicken, chicken meatball, shimeji mushrooms, tofu puffs and vegetables in an umami, yuzu dashi broth.
Finally, Morioka city of Iwate prefecture is best known for its varieties of noodles, as the city’s “three great noodles” are Morioka Reimen (cold noodles), Jajamen and Wanko Soba. Clearly a house favourite, the chilled Morioka Reimen ($13.90) is served during summer using fresh summer ingredients in Japan as a means of helping one cool down, perfect for Singapore’s hot and humid weather too, we think. The thick and slightly chewy noodles are served in a sweet vinegar soy sauce with a refreshing slice of watermelon, cucumber shreds, kimchi, tomato slices and a boiled egg, with slivers of black pepper beef and finished with a fragrant garlic chilli oil.
For more information on Ichiban Boshi, visit here.
