Sushi @ Koga Sengyou, Yanagibashi Rengo Market, Fukuoka

 

There is nothing like great fresh sushi. And when the sushi comes directly from a fish market, it cannot get any fresher than that! And it was one of those free Saturdays that I was finally able to make this meal a reality. 

One of the main entrances of the market. 

Yanagibashi Rengo Market (" 柳橋連合市 ") is the infamous market located in the heart of Fukuoka city. Aptly named the pantry of Hakata, it has been in operation since the early 1900s. Although it is not as massive as some of the other famous markets like Kuromon Market in Osaka or Nishiki Market in Kyoto, this place is no slouch. There is a lot to see and to eat. From barbecued meats, fishmongers, pickles, a cafe, and a bakery, there is something for everyone. 

Look what we have here?

But speaking of fishmongers, it is seafood where this market excels. In relation to fresh seafood, there is also a good portion of the shops here that prepare them at the ready for hungry patrons. And one of them is Koga Sengyou （古賀鮮魚店), which directly translates to "Koga's Fish Shop", although the sign states "The Fishmongers & Restaurant". A bit derivative but at least it is very clear what it is all about. And it was my port of call for lunch for that day. 

At the ready!

The establishment is well, a fishmonger's with a dining area on their premises. Being pretty peckish for some fresh seafood, sushi was the first thing that popped into my mind. As such, it was almost instinctual that I ordered the sushi lunch set for my meal that day. Standing at a modest 1600 yen for 10 pieces, a side dish, and a side of soup, I was really looking forward to some seafood to fill up my weekend. And it was not too bad. 

A closer look. Check out the colours!

Everything was fresh and expected. The seafood quality was pretty exceptional and everything was on point. Each piece was extremely fresh and you can really taste the sea while you chomp a piece down one by one. A good shoutout would have been the squid, amberjack, sea urchin, and fish roe. Those are my usual favorites and they were definitely a highlight for this meal. Especially the fish roe, as they looked like mini crimson crystal balls. 

The squid was the first piece.
The first of many tasty pieces.

With wasabi placed in each piece, this was close to perfect. Unfortunately, I have to say close. The rice was a bit cold, as in, it sat in the fridge for a moment type of feeling. And the rice was not compact enough to hold onto its shape. The flavour is good though, as there was enough saltiness and acidity to tickle your palate. It was still pretty solid, but I have been spoilt for better sushi for less. To be fair, this is more of a general seafood restaurant and not a proper sushi establishment. So some leeway is foreseeable. 

Surprisingly cozy interior

I know this sounds like a knock on the place, but it is clearly not. Rather, I felt this was more of a mistake on my part as they do have fried seafood and rice platters which would have been a better option. And the deep-fried seafood set really looked good, if we are basing it on the photo from the menu. So despite being a slight let-down, I still enjoyed this meal. And probably I would give the other items on the menu a go. If you would like to have a go at some of the other said items, then the address to Koga Sengyou is as follows: 

1-chōme-5-1 Haruyoshi, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, 810-0003, Japan

P.S.: Please do note that they close on Sundays. 

Their second entrance at the street level