Nagahama, Shiga, Japan｜Ayu Chaya Kawase

Good

Grilled with salt is the best! I like to order an extra sweetfish at the end and add it to my rice porridge. I also like adding salt-grilled sweetfish to somen noodles.

The food, hospitality, and atmosphere are all great, making this a wonderful restaurant that you'll want to visit again and again. Because it is a popular restaurant, you may not be able to enter on the same day without a reservation, so we strongly recommend that you make a reservation before visiting. It is located in a vast rice field, but it was easy to find because there was a signboard at the corner of the road leading to the store. In order to mainly enjoy Biwamasu, I ordered several individual dishes rather than the Ayu course. All the dishes were worth more than the price, and were very satisfying in taste and quantity. I feel that the pricing is more reasonable than shops located in the middle of tourist areas. What surprised me most was that the food in general did not have the distinctive smell that is common with freshwater fish. Thanks to Ayuchaya Kawase's cooking, the negative impression that freshwater fish smells has been completely dispelled. Biwamasu don is rice with a gentle sweetness, topped with pickled biwamasu and finely chopped ginger, and the overall flavor combination is outstanding. Not only the taste, but the orange color of the carefully pickled biwa trout was so beautiful that it seemed like a waste to eat it. The small sweetfish tempura has a crispy coating, fluffy flesh, and a pleasant bitterness from the gut that spreads in your mouth at the end, making it a satisfying meal even though it is small. Biwa trout sashimi also has no odor and has just the right amount of fat, and depending on the part of the body, There were some with a sticky, rich texture and others with a slightly crunchy texture, and I was able to enjoy the flavor of biwa trout to my heart's content. At the end of the meal, I ordered the seasonal ``Sudachi Somen'', which was so delicious that I was glad I visited during this season, and it became my favorite dish. My preconceived notion that somen noodles are chewy and chewy was instantly overturned. Smooth and chewy somen noodles in a refreshing soup stock. The sour taste of Sudachi is even more refreshing and tightens the flavor of the soup stock. Even though I had eaten a lot of different dishes, I finished them all in one go. I also ordered Biwa trout sauce cutlet, Biwa trout cream croquette, Nanban pickled sweetfish, and assorted sushi, all of which I was very satisfied with. I felt happy as I was able to fully enjoy the seasonal sweetfish and rare biwa trout. Some dishes were out of stock, so I'd like to try that dish next time. I'm also interested in a full course ayu dish. I visited on a Sunday in mid-July with a reservation for 12:00, but since it wasn't crowded yet, the food was served quickly, and even after it was crowded, the food was served within 10 to 15 minutes on average. It is located in a peaceful countryside away from the city, and the store is an old private house with an atmosphere that looks like something out of a folktale.In the midst of this, even the time you spend relaxing while waiting for your food while listening to the cicadas is a luxurious time. did. Everyone at the store was kind and courteous. The store's signboard was cute and elaborate, so when I was taking a photo, she asked, "Would you like to take a photo with the signboard?" and even though it was hot, she took the photo. They were polite when taking orders and serving food, and when I asked where the restroom was, they were kind enough to let me know even though they were busy. There are too many great things about Ayu Chaya Kawase, including the food, prices, service, and atmosphere of the restaurant. This time I visited in the summer, but I would like to visit in various seasons such as spring, summer, fall, and winter. Thank you very much for your wonderful food and hospitality. thank you very much.