Monkfish steamboat at Hotei-san
Monday, 8 September 2008 by nalika
It's a bit early to start thinking about winter goodies, but since Maytel and Hock asked for restaurant suggestions in Tokyo in October... here I'm throwing my two cents.
If you'll be visiting Tokyo during the cold months, and have a taste for good seafood, monkfish steamboat at Hotei-san is my recommendation.
Hotei-san is located in good ol' downtown Tokyo, just fifteen minutes walk away from the world famous Tsukiji fish market.
When you make a reservation (a must, because they are usually fully booked during the season), you just tell them the headcounts.
Once you are seated on the day of reservation, it just starts!
They only have one menu, which is sashimi and monkfish steamboat course.
They'll first give you all the big cuts of sashimi plate with heaps of uni (sea urchin roe) and some starters including their lovely sesame-arrowroot tofu (drinks are separate):
Needless to mention the sublime quality of sashimi given the proximity to the Tsukiji fish market.
Then the huge steamboat of monkfish cooked right in front of you in a clay pot:
The orange stuff is the huge load of monkfish liver, which some people refer to as "ocean foie gras". They load it on top of the pile of monkfish meat, guts (which is considered even tastier than its meat) and vegetables and give you a chance to taste it raw before they put the lid on and cook it all up. Apparently it is not a very gout-friendly food.
After you eat and eat and eat and eat, they'll finish you up by throwing rice into the broth to make a rice conge. By the time you happily leave the table, you are about to burst.
It's a lot of food, so go hungry, by all means.
It's very local, if you don't speak Japanese, have your hotel help you make a reservation unless you have a Japanese-speaking friend helping you out.
Hotei-san
3-9-7 Tsukishima, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
03-3531-5200
Three-minuts walk from Tsukishima subway station, in the Tsukishima shopping archade (also famous for tons of gooey cabbage pancake restaurants).
Open 17:30 to 22:30 during October to March (they are also open during non-monkfish season for something else).
Closed on Sundays and national holidays.
Approx. 5,000 yen/person for the sashimi/monkfish steamboat course, drinks separate.
Reservation (from two people up) is mandatory.
If you'll be visiting Tokyo during the cold months, and have a taste for good seafood, monkfish steamboat at Hotei-san is my recommendation.
Hotei-san is located in good ol' downtown Tokyo, just fifteen minutes walk away from the world famous Tsukiji fish market.
When you make a reservation (a must, because they are usually fully booked during the season), you just tell them the headcounts.
Once you are seated on the day of reservation, it just starts!
They only have one menu, which is sashimi and monkfish steamboat course.
They'll first give you all the big cuts of sashimi plate with heaps of uni (sea urchin roe) and some starters including their lovely sesame-arrowroot tofu (drinks are separate):
Needless to mention the sublime quality of sashimi given the proximity to the Tsukiji fish market.Then the huge steamboat of monkfish cooked right in front of you in a clay pot:
The orange stuff is the huge load of monkfish liver, which some people refer to as "ocean foie gras". They load it on top of the pile of monkfish meat, guts (which is considered even tastier than its meat) and vegetables and give you a chance to taste it raw before they put the lid on and cook it all up. Apparently it is not a very gout-friendly food.
After you eat and eat and eat and eat, they'll finish you up by throwing rice into the broth to make a rice conge. By the time you happily leave the table, you are about to burst.
It's a lot of food, so go hungry, by all means.
It's very local, if you don't speak Japanese, have your hotel help you make a reservation unless you have a Japanese-speaking friend helping you out.
Hotei-san
3-9-7 Tsukishima, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
03-3531-5200
Three-minuts walk from Tsukishima subway station, in the Tsukishima shopping archade (also famous for tons of gooey cabbage pancake restaurants).
Open 17:30 to 22:30 during October to March (they are also open during non-monkfish season for something else).
Closed on Sundays and national holidays.
Approx. 5,000 yen/person for the sashimi/monkfish steamboat course, drinks separate.
Reservation (from two people up) is mandatory.
wow, thanks so much. That looks incredible and I can't wait to try the monk fish liver. Do I need someone Japanese to make the booking? I think I can ask the ryokan owner to do so....soooo excited!!!!
the booker does not have to be Japanese but somebody who speaks Japanese would help.