Tora Fugu

> Location : Kanda, Tokyo, Japan
> Cuisine : Fugu (Puffer Fish)
> Tel. # : N/A
> Website : http://www.torafugu.co.jp/

Ever got a chance to watch the American favorite Simpson's cartoon episode where Homer ate the poisonous puffer fish sushi? We all learn from such cartoons or from minor knowledge elsewhere, without proper expertise of the chef, the consumer of the sushi won't have a very pleasant after effect, haha. But what I've learned from my visit to Japan is that puffer fish is not only made into an item you can choose from in sushi restaurants but into a cuisine entirely!

So, it's poisonous, that's a lot of risk for the business wouldn't it be? Well, this is not true entirely. Some puffer spices are NOT poisonous (e.g. Takifugu oblongus) and the ones who are, if they were raised in captivity and without proper contact of a certain type of bacteria through food, their "tetrodotoxin," which is the name of their toxin, can not be created.

My puffer fish experience (or as the Japanese call it, "Fugu") was split into a few sections. Actually, before we start, Tora Fugu, the restaurant that hosted my experience translates into "Tiger Puffer Fish." So, okay! What is for dinner?

First up, we have an appetizer served in a little bowl with fugu skin mixed with chopped up green onions and marinated radish. This is served more as a salad dish to start the meal off! Fugu skin has a chewy texture to it. The salad is served in this sourish sauce. A very common salad dressing used in Japan.

Second up, we have fugu sashimi. Mashed radish, some fugu skin in the middle, lime and other compliments are served with the dish. Fugu is usually sliced very thin when served since it's so expensive. The texture of the sashimi is flexible kind of similar to that chewy sensation from the fugu skin but not as "rubbery." The taste has this light fishy flavor kinda of like "white fish." Nothing unique like yellow tail or salmon.

Third up, fugu shabu shabu served with tofu and other vegetables. This is as you would expect, fugu boiled in water served with sauce. The container is made out of bamboo sticks with a waxed textured paper so water can be poured in. Inside is a slice of seaweed which is a classic way of boiling the 'soup base.' This gives a hint of sweet seaweed sensation to it. Fugu shabu shabu with some ponzu (lime flavor sauce) was a nice experience. The meat was tender and it goes nice with the ponzu's lime flavoring.

Fourth up, deep fried fugu with okra and lime. This is as you would expect again, basically fugu deep fried, with that crispy texture and a hint of lime as flavoring along with the saltiness from the fried skin. The okra served as an after effect to decrease that fried, oily sensation out of your taste bud. Interesting indeed.

Last but not least, rice porridge made with the left over soup base from the fugu shabu shabu. Green onions and blended uncooked eggs were boiled along with rice. The rice porridge is served with some marinated pickles and a piece of marinated plum. A few pieces of dried seaweed tops it off. This dish is something light to finish off your whole fugu experience. The remaining soup base serves as some of the flavoring from the rice porridge. In the end, this dish is very simple yet very good.

To cool things off and put a smile on your face, a scoop of plum flavored ice cream is served. Not much to explain here but its served in a little bowl and it tastes like your typical lightly plum flavored ice cream. A nice touch to end your fugu cuisine experience.

In conclusion, Tora Fugu is a place with a pleasant environment and provides great ways of serving fugu. Considering Tora Fugu is a chain with many locations all over Japan, the quality they provided should be consistent. I have never tried other places before so it is hard to give any definite score. Plus, this review just serves as a fun and educational pointer to the world of puffer fish cuisine! If I really had to give a score, I would give Tora Fugu...

< 4 out of 5 >