Shizuoka, Japan｜Uodai

Uodai was recommended to us by our guesthouse hosts, and we had absolutely no regrets going there for dinner. As the restaurant is also a fishmonger during the day, every one of their grilled and sashimi dishes were fresh and sweet. Grilled fish highlights include the buttery smooth flatfish saikyoyaki, the firm and smoky chilli mirin saba (mackerel), and the ponzu aburi tuna, which was refreshing and had a good bite to it. For sashimi, a good bet is to go with whatever they have that is seasonal - in our case it was the Tai, Aji (I think), Akami and the salmon belly that were the standouts. Their ochazuke is also a must-try (we got it with nori/seaweed) - this is a bowl of soft rice doused in umami fish broth, with a heap of nori on top. Mixed together, it was a wonderfully hot and comforting dish to end our meal. They also have a good range of vegetarian and tofu dishes to cater to non-meat eaters. We had so much food and yet were still surprised by how reasonable the bill was when it came. Service wise, they were also very kind and accommodating to a group of foreigners who clearly had little to no command of the language. (Note too that there is no English menu! But Google Translate worked well enough) All in all, would recommend Uodai for anyone passing through Shimizu.

🇯🇵BEST VALUE FOR THE QUALITY🌟 Went there for dinner twice during our 3-day pit stop in Shizuoka, it was recommended by our host at Guesthouse Tessen (a great place to stay btw). This small humble restaurant which doubles up as a fish-monger in the day served some of the most satisfying sashimi and seafood dishes I’ve had in my 9-day Japan trip with my family of 7. We ordered the sashimi platter, edamame, various types of grilled fish and the ochasuke (warm porridge). The damage was around S$30-S$40/adult, easily half of what we pay in Singapore for double the amount of quality seafood. The picture of the sashimi platter here doesn’t do this humble restaurant justice. I would definitely visit them again if we ever go back Shimizu in Japan.

Izakaya Uodai is locally famous and difficult to get reservations for. The large and filling Umitsubo costs 2,000 yen per kg, and you can order as much as you like. (The photo shows 500g) It was simply boiled with salt and was delicious. other, Toro salmon sashimi (400 yen) Assorted sashimi (1 serving) (600 yen) Salmon fillet (250g) (400 yen) I highly recommend this shop, which is fresh and reasonably priced.