Goma saba @ Hakata Goma Sabaya, Maizuru, Fukuoka

 

Undoubtedly one of Fukuoka's famous local delights, the goma saba always impresses. It is a simple dish of mackerel sashimi served with sesame sauce. But somehow this combination is just very delectable and is deemed as one of the must eat dishes in this part of Japan. Even though some other prefectures do serve this dish, is some way, shape, or form, there is nothing like it when you have it in Fukuoka. And if you are indeed in Fukuoka, most fingers would point you to Hakata Goma Sabaya. 

The line seems decent. Will it be worth the wait?

Truth be told, I have always wanted to visit this place since the first time I heard of it. However, every time I decided to visit, the line is always long. As such, after some careful planning, I was able to arrive right before lunchtime. Fortunately, there were only 5 people before me. Do take note that you would need to get a ticket from the machine in front of the shop before lining up, similar to a ramen outlet. 

What a display

I got myself the goma saba don teishoku, which translates as sesame mackerel bowl set. Standing at 1000 yen, this seems like a great deal. But rather than the usual donburi style meals, the main dish and the rice we separate. Sukiya fans may cry foul on this one. Well, other than the minor misrepresentation, it still looked delectable. More importantly, I had a total blast chowing this down.

What a close-up, and so much onions!

  The fish was exceedingly fresh and had a sashimi quality to it. The sauce was nutty and vibrant, mixing well with the fresh fish slices. The copious slices of onions and Welsh onions gave the overall dish a nice crunch and freshness. I am not sure if the sesame sauce was either made in-house or whether it was bought elsewhere, but it was really good. It is definitely miles better than the ones I bought from the supermarket. And of course, a good dollop of freshly grated wasabi has been included if you like a bit of extra punch. 

This was pretty magical

Seeing that the fish is already bursting with flavour, the steamed rice that came with it was really fitting. It helped temper the dish somewhat. It also indirectly cooked the mackerel slices with residual heat. The seaweed garnish is a nice touch, but it did not do much for the overall experience. The other companions in the form of a side salad and miso soup were fine. They also do not do much for the overall meal, but at least they made it more complete. 

Look what I found! For those who do not know, this is the Hyaku Mei Ten award from Tabelog.
This means that it has been included in the 100 best restaurants ranking of the highly critical Tabelog food guide website. 

And after this great lunch, I understand why this place was so jammed packed. It was unpretentious, great value for money, and pretty delicious. Will I come over again? Well, it really depends on the line. Be that as it may, this is a top recommendation. So if you fancy a go, then the address is as follows:

〒810-0073 Fukuoka, Chuo Ward, Maizuru, 1 Chome−2−11 Ogawa Building １F

Front of the house.