Karatomari Ebisu Oyster Hut, Nishi Ward, Fukuoka

 

The seafood streak continues with something more hands on this time. If you like playing with your food, then this one is for you. Oyster season has just ended in Fukuoka but fortunately, I was able to visit an oyster hut (牡蠣 小屋, pronounced as kakigoya)before the festivities came to a close. 

Market vibes. 

These huts are usually managed by fishermen, family owned fisheries or independent restaurants. They are usually dotted around the Itoshima coastline, which means they are hard to get to. But that also means you are guaranteed a great view of the ocean. The one that we went is called Karatomari Ebisu ( 唐泊恵比須) 

Tongs, sauces, gloves... armed and at the ready. 

How these places work is pretty simple. Firstly is you select and pay for the seafood that you would like to grill. A charcoal grill will the be set for you and you are given a set of tools to be on your way! It is that simple. Then what ever tickles your fancy is all fair game. Of course, do note that different seafood items come at different prices. 

Burn baby burn!

Being an oyster hut, the natural thing is to get oysters first. And once they crack open after being cooked, you know they are ready. They were fresh, juicy and somewhat salty.  

What a close up!

They go well on their own, but I liked it with a little ponzu sauce which gave it an extra zest. Lemon is fine but ponzu is a different level altogether. A basket of oysters costs about 500, 1000 or 2000 yen, depending on size.

Red tide. 

You can just go all out with just the oysters, but there are other things to try too. Scallops are a must eat as well. They are definitely more costly, holding on a price tag of 500 yen each. But they were delectable and had a more complex flavour compared to the oysters. There is the inconvenience of dealing with the coral of the scallops, which I sorted out by just eating it whole. Some people might not like it, but it was a tasty morsel to me. 

Tastier than it looks. Still looked decent though. 

Another was cream chowder that is served in a crab shell. This was quite unique as it was like a corn custard but packed into the head of a crab. With some macaroni and crab meat inside, it may sound a bit bizarre but it tasted great. A different take compared to the natural taste of the other shellfish we had. This was 200 yen a pop. Other shell fish were on display too and fresh for the picking. There are prawns and squid as well, but it did not tickle my fancy as they were a bit inconvenient in cooking. 

Other stuff for you to try. 

This was a very basic and spartan-like eating experience. Still, this was thoroughly enjoyable. It is a shame that this is not done all year round. But then again, this makes such an eating experience even more memorable as they do not come often. Of course, do be warned that you will smell like charcoal at the end. 

Spartan. 

If you are somehow in the Itoshima area during early spring, then this is a must do. There are various oyster huts around the area as earlier mentioned. However, if you would like to try what Karatomari Ebisu has to offer, then their address is as follows:

Kota, Nishi Ward, Fukuoka, 819-0203

Front of the house.