Ebi Katsudon @ Hakata Ebiyama, Tenjin, Fukuoka

 

After going knee deep into Osaka and parts of malaysia for my work trip back home, it is time to return to base in Fukuoka. And let me tell you, this return is a serious reckoning. Ok this may be an exaggeration, but it was surely a very tasty one. I stumbled upon a peculiar donburi shop during one of my sojourns in Tenjin. Specifically, it sells shrimp katsu. I mean, is that even possible? You cannot really make a cutlet out of shrimp right? 

Hello old friend. 

Well, that answer may be true, but that does not mean some people may not want to try. This is where Ebiyama comes into play. Literally translated as "shrimp mountain", this establishment tries to answer the question of what if we make katsudon, but not use pork but shrimp instead. Well, the answer was a rather delicious one. First thing to note is that we would need to order from the classic ticket machine. The bastion of speedy Japanese food, I selected the ebi katsudon which stood for 950 yen which serves up 4 shrimpies, a bowl of miso soup and pickles. Although they do have the standard katsudon made of pork, I decided not to have that this time. I mean, the shop literally said shrimp mountain at the door. 

Oh boy...

And in a matter of moments, my dinner has arrived. Although it does not look like a katsu, at least it does try to do it well. The shrimp were fried to perfection. Golden brown and the edges of the breadcrumbs just glistening with oil, the sheer image was just demanding your attention. Similar to pork katsudon, it was resting on a bed made of omelette which looked impressive. It reminded me of those typhoon or whirlpool eggs that went viral not too long ago. But how does it taste? 

A noteworthy close up. 

It was actually rather good, and the fashion statement this bowl intends to make is not for show. The shrimp were dainty and firm on the inside, but had a decent crunch on the outside. The tal was so deep fried, I could actually crunch into it and take it down with relative ease. Despite that, it was not greasy at all and I felt rather good. No oil slicks in the gullet for me this time. The seafood elements contrasted well with the fluffy egg that was sandwiched between it and the rice. it provided a nice textural difference. And when all 3 things combine together, it was a flavour explosion just needed to be experiences. And when they were all taken down together, it was similar to omurice but not quite as it does not envelop the rice, but rather just a topping on it. The sauce that came with it was also pretty good. Sweet, salty and a little tangy, it was a great condiment to slather onto your bowl. 

Even the soup has baby shrimp. Such good eating

Despite being so simple in terms of ingredients, it was relatively complex. Contrasting textures that harmonises really was something worth shouting about. And for just 950 for this, I would consider this a steal. So if you are this part of town and you are looking for something a little unique and on a decent price point, this is an easy recommendation. I will be coming here again soon. So if you would like to try this for yourself, the address is as follows:

 〒810-0041 Fukuoka, Chuo Ward, Daimyo, 2 Chome−1−5 １Ｆ

Front of the house.