Aji Furai ＠ Sanyo Shokudo, Hakata Station, Fukuoka

 

A classic form of comfort food, fried fish is one of Japan's somehow lesser known dishes. Most people will think of sushi, ramen, or okonomiyaki as comfort grub. But one thing for sure, there is nothing like a crispy and delectable piece of fried mackerel.

Look what have we found?

The Sanyo fisheries company, not to be confused with the Sanyo electronics company, is a fishing and seafood supplier that centers its business around the Kyushu area. They also dabble into food and beverages. So if you are able to find a vending machine that sells fried fish to be prepared at home, then you know they are the ones responsible. However, if you do not want to mess up your kitchen, they got you covered too. The company has established 2 diners specialising in aji furai, or fried mackerel. One of which is in Akasaka while another is in the basement of Hakata station. Seeing that the station is closer to where I lived, it was an obvious choice. 

Simple glory

The menu is very simple, consisting of various fish dishes and some sides. Then again, that is to be expected from a seafood merchant. And since their aji furai is their main star, I got the rice set which stood for 950 yen during my first visit. I was there slightly past 8pm, so it was pretty empty in terms of people and my food came quite fast. Do note that this place is pretty popular during lunch time. Be that as is may, how was the food? 

Golden gems!

The golden brown fish pieces were crunchy on the outside and supple on the inside. The breading was pretty basic, but was executed very well. The breadcrumbs do not feel too hard, but still left enough resistance to give a satisfying crunch. The fillets were flaky and fresh. it does taste like the ocean, in a good way. 

Look at the texture!

Special shoutout should really be made about the breading. It was able to absorb all the condiments that I slathered on with relative ease and does not break apart, well unless you forcefully go all gangbusters on it. My recommended condiments would be the ponzu sauce. Sweet, sour and salty, it just works so well with the fish. Imagine fish and chips with brown vinegar and you get the idea. But miles better, trust me. 

Heavenly

Alongside the fish pieces was a bowl of soup with a whole squid shumai. Now this is special. The dumpling had a firm and bouncy texture, and the overall soup had a sweetness to it that is hard to describe. The soup was also clean and clear, with a hint of savouriness. Being a cold evening at the time, this was a godsend. An absolute godsend. 

Another shot of the outside. 

If you are a fan of fish, there is little much else to say than telling you to come over here. If you are not a fan of fried foods, there are grilled and sashimi options as well. The sashimi mackerel looked very tempting, but I fortunately practiced some restraint. Otherwise, my stomach would not feel too good after that. And if this has caught your attention, then the address is as follows:

1-1 Hakataekichuogai, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, 812-0012