🕓 2024/9/12
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Aichi Prefecture's cuisine is characterized by a rich food culture that makes great use of seafood and traditional miso. Among the most famous dishes are Miso Katsu, Hitsumabushi, and Tebasaki, collectively known as "Nagoya Meshi." Miso Katsu features a thick, flavorful miso sauce over a breaded pork cutlet, while Hitsumabushi offers a unique way to enjoy grilled eel with multiple serving methods. Spicy Tebasaki (chicken wings) is another beloved local specialty. These dishes have long been cherished by locals and have become popular with visitors as well.
When visiting Aichi, be sure to try these dishes and experience the unique flavors of the region.
Miso Katsu is a signature dish of Nagoya, part of the well-known "Nagoya Meshi" cuisine. It consists of a freshly fried breaded pork cutlet covered with a sweet and savory miso sauce. What sets this dish apart is the use of a sauce made from "Hatcho Miso" or "Mame Miso," both unique to the Tokai region.
The rich and robust red miso coats the crispy pork cutlet, offering a deep, flavorful experience with every bite. Unlike regular sauces, the miso-based sauce has a distinct sweetness and thickness, giving it a unique texture. Depending on personal preferences, some versions offer a lighter or a thicker sauce consistency, catering to different tastes.
The dish is said to have originated shortly after World War II in a small eatery and is now offered in nearly every tonkatsu restaurant in Nagoya. The restaurant Ajidokoro Kano, located in Nagoya's Naka Ward, is credited as the birthplace of Miso Katsu, having introduced the dish in 1949.
Inspired by tempura sauce, the founder created a miso sauce using local Hatcho Miso and poured it over fried pork cutlet. At first, the dish had no official name, but customers began calling it "Miso Katsu," and the name stuck.
Hitsumabushi is one of Nagoya’s signature dishes, part of the famous "Nagoya Meshi" cuisine. It consists of grilled eel (unagi kabayaki), finely chopped and served over rice, offering a variety of ways to enjoy the dish. The greatest appeal of Hitsumabushi is that it allows you to experience the dish in four different styles. First, savor the eel as is, enjoying its natural flavor. Then, add condiments like wasabi or seaweed to change the taste. For the third bite, pour broth over the dish, transforming it into an ochazuke (a rice dish with tea). Lastly, you can enjoy the dish again in your favorite style.
Hitsumabushi is said to have originated in Nagoya during the Meiji period. Several stories surround its creation, but the long-established restaurant Atsuta Horaiken is often credited with its invention. Initially, the dish was created as a way to prevent unadon (eel rice bowls) from spilling during delivery by serving it in a sturdier wooden container called an ohitsu. Additionally, finely chopping the eel and mixing it with rice made it easier to serve evenly to customers.
The name Hitsumabushi comes from the combination of hitsu (a wooden container for rice) and mabusu (meaning to sprinkle or scatter), referring to the way the eel is mixed with the rice.
Tebasaki, or chicken wings, is one of the most iconic dishes of "Nagoya Meshi" and is especially famous for pairing well with beer and other drinks. The biggest draw of Tebasaki is its spicy and rich seasoning. Notable establishments like "Sekai no Yamachan" and "Furaibo" are known for their secret sauces and pepper-heavy, spicy flavors. Once you start eating, it’s hard to stop! The combination of sweet and spicy sauce with a peppery kick has won over many fans.
Enjoying freshly fried Tebasaki with a cold beer is a popular way to experience Nagoya's nightlife.
The history of Tebasaki dates back to the 1950s in Nagoya. At the time, chicken wings were primarily used for soup, but an ordering mistake at a restaurant led to the creation of this now-beloved dish. The restaurant "Furaibo," located in Nagoya's Atsuta Ward, is credited with inventing Tebasaki. The founder, Kenko Otsubo, initially served half chickens fried in a dish called "Tarzan-yaki." When this was unavailable, he fried chicken wings instead, coating them in a special sauce, and it quickly became a hit.