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

Enjoy seasonal seafood and local sake in a private space at "Nagoya Izakaya Miotsukushi"

About a 20-minute walk from Aomori Station, a little away from the station is Nagomi Izakaya Miotsukushi, which opened in February 2021. It is a Japanese restaurant with a comfortable, homey atmosphere where you can enjoy seasonal Aomori ingredients and local sake.

The store's name, "Miotsukushi," refers to a post in the shallows of the ocean, and was chosen with the intention of moving forward toward a goal. It also combines the meaning of doing everything in our power to make as many customers as possible happy.

The interior of the restaurant features impressive bright red chairs, a spacious counter with six seats, and five private rooms that can be connected to create a larger room that can accommodate up to 20 people.

The small private rooms, where you can enjoy the view outside, have a sense of privacy and are recommended for intimate dates.

We compared the sake from the private brand "Shichiriki", which is only sold at seven retail stores in Aomori City. "Shichiriki Junmai Ginjo" (750 yen per cup, tax included) is refreshingly dry, but has a mellow aftertaste. "Shichiriki Royal Blue" (800 yen per cup, tax included) is a summer sake, as you would expect, with a refreshing acidity and a sharp flavor.

For a drink, try the "Monkfish Tossed in a Bowl" (550 yen including tax). This is a snack that allows you to enjoy every bit of the monkfish, made by tossing boiled monkfish meat with its liver. The sticky texture and rich flavor of the liver are comparable to "Shichiriki".

Aomori's specialty crab, "Togekuri Crab Shell Serving" (1,400 yen including tax). The crab meat is carefully arranged in the shell and served with a squeeze of lemon. The fluffy crab meat has a slight sweetness and a refreshing aftertaste. The crab miso has a creamy richness and a slight bitterness that rivals that of hairy crab. You will be very satisfied with the exquisite taste that you cannot taste with other crabs.

Of course, seasonal seafood is also a must! If you order the "Assorted Sashimi" (2,000 yen including tax), you will be presented with a wide selection of Aomori's seasonal seafood, including sea urchin, live scallops, live octopus, live prawns, bluefin tuna, and strait salmon. This is a surprising amount for one person. Everything is fresh and juicy, and every bite is sweet and delicious!

The sake that goes well with sashimi is "Toyobai Junmai Ginjo Umakara-kuchi" (750 yen including tax for one cup), which goes perfectly with fish dishes. When you put it in your mouth, the rich aroma spreads, and you can enjoy the umami of the rice while still enjoying a sharp taste.

This is a Japanese restaurant where you can enjoy seasonal Aomori seafood along with Japanese sake in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. You'll feel so comfortable and warm that you'll find yourself staying for a while.

Japanese style bar Miotsukushi

Aomori's soul food! Enjoy mellow ramen at "Aji-no-Sapporo Onishi"

Aji-no-Sapporo Onishi is an 8-minute walk from Aomori Station and is marked by a bright red sign and a curtain. It is a popular restaurant where you can eat Aomori's soul food, "Miso Curry Milk Ramen."

Many people may wonder, "Why Sapporo, even though it's an Aomori restaurant?" The restaurant originally opened with the intention of bringing Sapporo miso ramen to Aomori. Onishi, who worked there as the first apprentice, developed the dish based on a customer's idea that adding milk and curry to miso ramen tasted good.
Even before the store opened at 11:00, more than 15 customers were lined up in front of the store. It's a long-established store that's loved by locals and tourists alike.

As soon as the restaurant opened, it was full in an instant. It has an atmosphere that makes it easy for people to come alone, and in addition to counter and table seats, the sunken tatami room is popular with families.

Looking at the menu, there are some unusual and intriguing dishes such as natto ramen and plum ramen, but I decided to go for the "Miso Curry Milk Ramen (with butter)" (980 yen including tax).

It arrived in a few minutes! The ramen with a big dollop of butter in the middle had a great visual impact. The faint aroma of curry whets the appetite.

Slowly melt the butter in the hot soup and it's done. What kind of flavor will the rich miso, spicy curry, and mellow milk and butter combine to create?

The soup is milky white and light on the palate. It has a slight curry flavor, and the richness of the butter comes afterwards, making it addictively delicious and easy to drink.

The medium-thick yellow curly noodles are chewy and easy to bite into, and the soup clings to them well. The mild-tasting noodles with a hint of egg flavor go perfectly with the spicy, mild soup.

The large, thickly cut pork slices are moist and tender, and the more you chew them the more flavorful they become.

In addition to the char siu pork, there are plenty of other ingredients, including crunchy bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, and wakame seaweed, making it both healthy and filling.
The curry has a rich miso base and a spicy yet not overpowering flavor, which is enveloped in mellow milk and brought together by butter in an exquisite balance.

Aomori's soul food "Miso Curry Milk Ramen (with butter)". Please try this rich ramen that has been loved for a long time.

Taste of Sapporo Onishi

Both traditional cuisine that preserves the taste of the past and the trendy neo-gourmet cuisine that incorporates new elements in appearance and taste are dishes that are full of the passion of the restaurant. If you visit Aomori, be sure to enjoy a tour of long-established gourmet restaurants and neo-gourmet restaurants.

Interview and text: Hatsumi Ito