Must-try foods in Hiroshima! 6 traditional, long-established and trending new foods

Hatsumi Ito

A gourmet blogger who eats and drinks at over 400 restaurants a year. He posts gourmet information on Twitter (@hatsu823) and other SNS.
Host of the online salon "Tokyo Gourmet Salon" limited to 140 people. "Gourmet is communication" is his life theme.

The birthplace of Unicreson! Long-established teppanyaki restaurant "Hiroshima Marukajiri Nakachan"

A five-minute walk from the Hiroshima Electric Railway's Ginzan-cho tram stop, Hiroshima Marukajiri Nakachan is marked by a large sign and shop curtain. Founded in 1970, this long-established teppanyaki restaurant is popular with locals and tourists alike.

The restaurant has about 40 seats, including counter and table seats. The best seats are at the counter, where you can enjoy the teppan performance of the owner, Mr. Utaka, right in front of you. As soon as the restaurant opens at 5pm, customers start coming in one after another, and the place becomes lively all at once!

Let's toast to Hiroshima with the "Chibo Highball" (600 yen including tax), made with "Chibo," Hiroshima's soul drink created by Chichiyasu, the first company to make yogurt in Japan, and the local sake "Reishu (Kyokuho)" (800 yen including tax per cup)!

The first thing I ordered was the specialty "Unicress" (2,000 yen including tax). In fact, this restaurant is said to be the birthplace of Unicress.

The watercress is fried in a larger amount of butter than you would expect, giving off a delicious aroma that will whet your appetite! After a quick stir fry, the sea urchins are generously placed on top from the box. This performance is worth watching.

Four large slices of French bread are placed on top of the finished sea urchin, and a thick slice of lemon is placed in the center to complete the dish. On busy days, more than 10 slices of French bread are used. This is a very popular dish.

The key to enjoying this dish is to place an abundance of sea urchin cress on top of the French bread. When you bite into it, you'll be greeted by the crispy texture, followed by the rich aroma of butter, the rich flavor of sea urchin, and the deliciousness of the cress that has absorbed the butter... Let's soak up every last drop of the remaining butter into the bread and enjoy this traditional taste to the fullest.

The colorful "Asparagus Butter" (900 yen including tax) is made by quickly frying thick, sturdy asparagus in butter. The fluffy texture of the asparagus is so soft that it disappears in the moment you take a bite. It's delicious as it is, but it's also nice to be able to enjoy various flavors by adding lemon or mayonnaise.

The classic "Okonomiyaki (with soba noodles)" (850 yen including tax) is a must-try. Cabbage and bean sprout noodles are beautifully layered, and the ingredients of pork belly and egg are generously included. A beautifully cooked okonomiyaki, this is the skill of a professional!

The soba noodles are thin and crispy, with a great presence. Juicy pork belly, crunchy bean sprouts, moist and sweet cabbage, and a fruity sauce all wrapped around it. This exquisite balance is delicious.

This popular restaurant is a delight to both the eyes and the tongue, as you can enjoy the teppan performance in a lively atmosphere. Come and experience the deliciousness of Hiroshima in its entirety!

Hiroshima Whole Bite Naka-chan

Spicy curry and carefully selected natural wine "Nekochigura"

Nekochigura will open in a quiet location about 10 minutes from Hatchobori Station in May 2022. The name of the store, Nekochigura, comes from the desire to create a space where customers can relax, just like cats do in their cat beds, called "nekochigura."

Upon entering the store, you will be greeted by a large dried flower ceiling. The spacious space has tables and counters where you can sit comfortably, making it a welcoming atmosphere even for solo diners.

The owner is a cat lover, so just as the name of the bar suggests, the drinks on offer are all in keeping with cat etiquette, and they also stock beer and wine.

"Neko Beer Neko Punch" (900 yen including tax) is a beer with a cute bitter taste like Neko Punch, as its name suggests, and has a rich hop aroma. "Y Koshu Petillan 2021" (700 yen by the glass including tax) has a refreshing acidity and goes well with spices.

"Today's Curry" is a unique menu that changes daily, using ingredients procured that day. Today's curry was "Fish Curry (Scorpionfish, Rockfish, and Sea Bream)" and "Chettinad Chicken Curry". The price is 1,500 yen (tax included) for one type and 1,600 yen (tax included) for two types.

When the two kinds of curry I ordered arrived, I was immediately struck by how cute the dishes were!
The rice used is basmati, and it is served with three side dishes: mung beans, coconut-flavored beets, tomatoes and coriander, red onions, and green chilies mixed with lemon and salt.

First, we had the Chettinad Chicken Curry. "Chettinad" is the name of a region in India. I was surprised at how filling the curry was, with chunks of chicken inside. It was made with a generous amount of spices, giving it a rich aroma. It went perfectly with the basmati rice.

The "Fish Curry" is surprisingly made with three luxurious fish: rockfish, rockfish, and sea bream. It is a mild curry with a gentle richness from the coconut oil and coconut milk. It is made like a soup curry, and has a refined taste with the fish broth.

Why not spend some relaxing time enjoying spicy curry and natural wine in a cute space surrounded by cats?

Cat Bed