Must-try foods in Aomori! 6 traditional, long-established and new gourmet 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.

If you come to Aomori, you must try this dish! The famous live scallop dish at "Osanai Restaurant"

A two-minute walk from JR Aomori Station, among the many restaurants lined up in the arcade street, is Osanai Restaurant, which displays a sign advertising its proud fresh scallops.
Founded in 1953, this long-established restaurant is popular with a wide range of customers, from locals to tourists and business people on business trips.

The first floor is a restaurant where you can enjoy set meals, alcohol and snacks, and the second floor is an izakaya called "Nomi-dokoro Izakaya Osanai" where you can also try the menu items from the restaurant!
Aomori Prefecture ranks first in Japan in terms of scallop consumption, and this restaurant offers a variety of reasonably priced scallop dishes, including sashimi, fried scallops, and butter-grilled scallops.

The restaurant is open from 8am, and when I visited just before lunchtime, the inside was already full of customers! First, I ordered "Denshu" (700 yen including tax for 1 cup), then enjoyed the specialty scallop dishes and seasonal seafood.

"Scallop Himo Sashimi" (410 yen including tax). Scallop himo is a precious part of the scallop, of which only two can be taken from one shellfish, and each one is painstakingly washed and served as an exquisite delicacy. I am grateful to the store for their efforts in making it possible to enjoy it at this price...!
The crunchy texture and light flavor are irresistible.

One of Aomori's famous local dishes is "Hotategai Yaki Miso" (900 yen including tax). Large cut live scallops are simmered in a miso-based broth and topped with an egg.

The gentle flavor of the broth permeates the scallops, giving them a delicious fluffy texture. The flavor of the spring onions and the fluffy texture of the egg are pleasant and comforting, giving the dish a hearty flavor. The sea urchin placed in the middle is a rich and delicious accent.

"Aomori Wild Ascidian Sashimi" (400 yen including tax) is in season throughout the summer. The meat is very thick and has a crunchy texture that is unique to natural sea squirt. The scent of the seashore fills your nose, and the unique umami and sweetness make it the perfect snack to go with alcohol.

A rare dish, "Speckled Fries" (300 yen including tax). You'll be surprised at how affordable it is for only 300 yen!

The crispy batter is fluffy and slightly salty. The light batter and refreshing taste make it easy to eat. It goes well with Japanese sake!

"Osanai Restaurant" is a long-established restaurant in front of Aomori Station. It is a warm restaurant that will make you feel nostalgic even if it is your first visit. It is a famous restaurant where you can enjoy not only the specialty live scallop dishes, but also seasonal seafood dishes and set meals at reasonable prices.

Restaurant Osanai

Amakuchihonoka is a sake bar where you can enjoy comparing local Aomori sakes

As you all know, Aomori has a lot of delicious local sake. Amakuchi Honoka, which opened in August 2021, is a stylish sake bar where you can enjoy local sake to your heart's content.

It's about a 20-30 minute walk from Aomori Station, so you can either take a stroll there or take a quick taxi. The shop is located on the second floor of a building.

The entrance has a glass door, so you can see what's going on inside, making it easy to enter even if you're alone.

The bright interior has a total of 18 seats, including 6 counter seats and 12 tables.
In the refrigerator behind the counter, there are rows of Aomori's famous sakes, including Aomori's popular brand Denshu, Toyosakai from Hirosaki, and Hassen from Hachinohe. There are also rare sakes from all over the country that are hard to find. This is irresistible for sake lovers!

For those who want to enjoy a little bit of everything, we recommend the "Omakase Tasting 3 Types of Ochoko" (1,500 yen including tax). Even if you are a sake beginner, you can rest assured as the master will explain everything to you in detail.

The first tasting comparison is of these three types. The sake cups are made of beautiful "Tsugaru biido" glass, making them visually appealing.
"Densake Junmai Ginjo Hyakuyonju" has a refined aroma and a mellow mouthfeel, "Toyobai Special Junmai Sake No. 6 Yeast" is characterized by a light and crisp taste, and "Mutsu Hassen Natsu Ginjo" has a clear, refreshing taste, a light mouthfeel and a subtle sweetness.

"Densake Kijoshu" has the strong sweetness of Kijoshu, but with a clean aftertaste, making it a pleasant drink. "Toyosai Junmai Ginjo Hanaikada" has a cute pink label, a refreshing aroma and flavor that lingers in your nose, and is very satisfying to drink. "Toyosai Junmai Ginjo Hanaomoi" is a fresh sake with a gorgeous aroma and a rich flavor that is delicious!

There is also a wide selection of snacks to go with your drinks. The first dish we recommend is the "Hotaru no Kaori (Hotaru Scented Cucumber)" (350 yen including tax), which comes out quickly. It's a thick-sliced, crunchy pickle with a strong sesame flavor. It's simple, but it's the kind of thing you'll want to eat.

One popular item is the "Okuse Shoten Tofu" (350 yen including tax) from Kuroishi City, which is said to be hard to obtain. The rich soybean flavor and creamy texture that melts in your mouth is addictive. It's delicious as is, but adding salt brings out the sweetness of the tofu even more.

The "Horsesashi Assortment" (950 yen including tax) from Kanagi-cho, Goshogawara City is an assortment of two types of meat: premium fat and lean. When you eat it, the fat melts slowly in your mouth, enhancing the sweetness. It has an exquisite flavor that goes perfectly with crisp sake.

A must-try for dessert is the "Amakuchi Toast" (950 yen including tax). This hearty parfait toast is made with bread from a carefully selected bakery in Kuroishi City. It's surprising that they pair sake with dessert! The exquisite sweetness of the two dishes brings out the flavor of the other, and it's more delicious than you'd expect.

There is also a pairing course where you can enjoy snacks and sake, so it is recommended for those who want a full meal. Try comparing the tastes and aromas of Aomori's local sake.

AMAKUCHI HONOCA