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

You'll be completely satisfied with the traditional, filling tempura! "Daruma Tempura Set Meal Yoshizuka Main Branch"

Located a five-minute walk from Yoshizuka Station on the JR Kagoshima Main Line, you will find "Daruma Tempura Teishoku Yoshizuka Main Branch," a set meal specialty restaurant that has been making freshly fried tempura since 1963. In fact, tempura is also a specialty of Hakata cuisine.

When you enter the restaurant, the first thing you should do is purchase a meal ticket. There are a wide variety of options, such as the famous "Daruma Shrimp Set Meal" (980 yen) which features a large shrimp tempura over 22 cm, the very filling "Traditional Fish Set Meal" (980 yen), and the stamina-boosting "Meat Set Meal" (940 yen), so you can enjoy it over and over again without getting bored.

The salted squid and pickles on the table are all-you-can-eat! The salted squid with its irresistible yuzu flavor and crunchy texture is so delicious that it goes well with alcohol or rice on its own.

The specialty "Fried Conger Eel" (370 yen) is something you won't find in many other restaurants. You can enjoy a huge conger eel that overflows from the plate at this price! They also use a special sauce that enhances the flavor of the tempura.

This is the most popular "Daruma Shrimp Set Meal" (980 yen). This hearty set meal includes a large shrimp over 22 cm as the main dish, along with whiting, squid, three kinds of vegetables, rice and miso soup.

The shrimp are incredibly plump! The fried oil is a mixture of four types, giving the batter a light, crispy texture that crumbles apart easily, and it's not too heavy, so you can eat it all in one go.
The vegetable tempura changes daily, and on this day there were three types: eggplant, pumpkin, and bell pepper.

You can also order additional tempura separately. Another popular point is the system where you can order as much as you want of what you want, such as cauliflower (130 yen), oysters (2 pieces for 250 yen), and asparagus (130 yen).

Please try the unique tempura set meal that includes traditional, filling-sized tempura and special tempura sauce that you can only get here!

Daruma Tempura Set Meal Yoshizuka Main Branch

Golden soup cooked over 7 hours at "Hakata Mizutaki, Yakitori and Sometimes French Cuisine Kotopro"

Located a 5-minute walk from Akasaka Station, "Hakata Mizutaki, Yakitori and Sometimes French Kotopro" opened in April 2022. This dining establishment offers a wide range of menu items, including Hakata Jidori Mizutaki and Yakitori, as well as authentic French cuisine.

The restaurant is equipped with luxurious sunken kotatsu seats and semi-private rooms, making it a great hideaway for adults, perfect for dates or private meals. It opens from 12:00, so it's also popular for daytime drinking.

First up is the "Today's Carpaccio" (980 yen). The fish changes depending on the day, but on this day it was sea bream. The oil-based dressing made with apples and onions is accented with capers and pink pepper.

The "5 kinds of skewers assortment" (750 yen) features the standard lineup of chicken heart, chicken thigh, shiso-wrapped chicken belly, and chicken breast. They are cooked just right and are perfect as a snack with alcohol.

The long-awaited main dish is "Hakata Mizutaki" (3,000 yen per portion), made with a generous amount of Hakata Jidori chicken from Fukuoka. The rich, golden-colored soup is made by simmering the chicken and vegetables for seven hours!

In addition to the meatballs and vegetables, we'll start by cooking the local chicken platter.

The finished Mizutaki has the firm elasticity and crisp texture of the local chicken. The more you chew it, the more delicious it becomes, and the overflowing flavor of the local chicken permeates your body...!

The soup is packed with flavor, but has a rich taste and a light mouthfeel with a refreshing aftertaste. You can enjoy a variety of ingredients such as vegetables, tofu, and meatballs.

The rice porridge served at the end of the meal has a smooth texture and a gentle, comforting flavor.

Please enjoy the dishes, including not only Mizutaki but also Yakitori and other dishes that go well with wine, in a stylish space.

Hakata Mizutaki, Yakitori and French Cuisine Kotopro Hakata Main Branch

Whether it's traditional cuisine that continues to preserve the flavor of the past, or the latest gourmet cuisine that incorporates new elements in appearance and taste, both dishes are full of the passion of the restaurant. If you visit Fukuoka, be sure to enjoy a tour of both long-established and new gourmet restaurants.

Interview and text: Hatsumi Ito