Fushimi Aoi, a restaurant specializing in blue-backed fish, opened in Fushimi, Nagoya on Tuesday, October 29, 2019. You can fully enjoy blue-backed fish such as horse mackerel, Pacific saury, and others with the Nagasaki herb mackerel, which is a high-end brand fish.

This time, we visited the newly opened "Fushimi Aoi: Fresh Mackerel and Blue-backed Fish," and we would like to introduce its charms.

What is "Nagasaki herb mackerel"?

First, let me briefly explain about “Nagasaki herb mackerel”!

Nagasaki herb mackerel is one of the fruit fish raised in the blessed environment of Sasebo, Nagasaki. It is raised with a mixture of four western herbs - nutmeg, oregano, cinnamon, and ginger - in its feed, and its main feature is that it is fresh and completely odorless.

They serve mackerel sashimi, which is generally rare, only with sun-dried salt because they are confident in the taste! Because they are so particular about the freshness of our mackerel, you can enjoy it with peace of mind all year round.

The store is located about a 3-minute walk from Exit 1 of Fushimi Station. It is also easily accessible from the subway!

The interior of the restaurant has a modern Japanese taste, and the first floor is open style with an open kitchen. You can enjoy a live atmosphere as if you are in the kitchen.

Many seats are at the counter, so it is easy for a single person to enter the restaurant.

The concept is "a restaurant specializing in blue-backed fish by blue-backed fish lovers for blue-backed fish lovers". As the name suggests, most of the menu items are made from blue-backed fish. It is hard to decide what to order because each dish is made with the utmost care and attention to detail!

The chopstick rests are also very cute.

Luxurious "Assorted 3 kinds of Obanzai (side dishes)"

Assorted 3 kinds of Obanzai (side dishes) 980 yen From top left: Uni and boiled egg, taro with starchy sauce, salmon roe and tofu with bonito jelly. (Photo shows 3 servings)

We started with "Assorted 3 kinds of Obanzai". The obanzai, which are made with lavish use of ingredients, were all very elegant in taste.

The delicious obanzai raises our expectations even higher!

The Best of Both Worlds! Nagasaki Herb Mackerel Comparison Set

Nagasaki herb mackerel comparison set for 1-2 persons: 1,680 yen / for 3-4 persons: 2,880 yen

The Nagasaki Herb Mackerel Comparison Set is a must-try when you visit. You can compare sesame mackerel, sashimi, and seared sashimi.

The recommended way to eat it is with sun-dried salt. I had it with a little bit of salt, and it was surprisingly delicious! The fish had none of the smell characteristic of blue-backedfish, and melted easily in my mouth.

The sesame mackerel is a perfect match for the homemade sauce, made in pursuit of the authentic Kyushu flavor and richly flavored sesame seeds.

Nagasaki Herb Mackerel Sesame Mackerel for 1-2 persons 1,580 yen / for 3-4 persons 2,780 yen

If you want to eat only sesame mackerel, this is the menu for you! Available for 2 or 4 persons.

"Rare Fried Fresh Horse Mackerel" that is Cooked only After it is Ordered

Rare Fried Fresh Horse Mackerel　980 yen

Next is "Rare Fried Horse Mackerel" from the fish tank. The horse mackerels are ikejime (method of paralyzing fish to maintain the quality of its meat) in the fish tank after being ordered. You can eat everything from the head to the tail and bones!

It is served rare because of its outstanding freshness. I couldn't get enough of this rare taste. It goes perfectly with sake, so you can't help but enjoy it.

"Ultimate Mackerel Stewed in Miso" Simmered for 10 Hours

The "ultimate mackerel stewed in miso" is also a must-try dish. 10 hours of slow-cooking makes even the bones melt in your mouth.

Please take the first sip of the soup. You will be surprised at how delicious the soup is with its concentrated umami flavor! I finished it in no time. This is addicting.

"Bite-sized Seared Mackerel Seaweed Rolls"

Bite-sized Seared Mackerel Seaweed Rolls 380 yen per piece

Please eat it while the nori is still crispy! The fatty mackerel is lightly seasoned and served as a superb dish. The sun-dried salt on top adds an accent to the dish.

It disappeared in my mouth so quickly. I could eat as many as I wanted.

20 types of Sake Available at All Times

They also have an extensive drink menu. Theyz always have more than 20 types of sake on hand, carefully selected to match Japanese cuisine. All sake is served in "tin" cups, which make the sake more delicious.

The hospitality to enjoy the food is evident throughout the restaurant.

"Yawamochi Almond Jelly" for Dessert

Yawamochi Almond Jelly　480 yen

At the end of the day, you will still want to eat a sweet treat. "Yawamochi Almond Jelly" is handmade almond jelly topped with soft rice cake and soybean flour ice cream. It is said to have been created after many trials and errors.

The passion of the staff is reflected in each and every dish, without compromising anything. We hope you will enjoy your meal to the very end.

Grilled mackerel rice in an earthenware pot - with soup stock - 880 yen

To be honest, I had a fishy image of blue-backed fish, and I had no idea that it could taste so good. My image of blue-backed fish has been completely changed. I am very much looking forward to the lunchtime menu that they will be offering in the future.

We hope you will enjoy the exquisite menu at Fushimi Aoi, where you will be sure to find the best mackerel and blue-backed fish.