From somewhere, I got the idea that Ito city would be good for a several-hour walk around on the way home from Izu. Minus the ‘several’, that statement could sorta be true, but much less so on Sundays. As usual I spent too much time obsessing over which place to visit for our obligatory fish-and-rice sets, but picked the one that looked best. Mixed results.
You get these places in the countryside sometimes – they’re done up sorta modern, but also sorta sterile, and at the same time a little worn. Other touches that I didn’t get pictures of included the celebrity-signed cards behind the counter and the fake brick covering the wall of the grill area.
We had to get a supplementary sashimi set. Just had to. I was really expecting better fish all weekend, so I was really in the mood for it. Of these fish, the tai on the left was decent, but I think you can tell from looking that they’re not gonna taste that good, none of ’em. I present this as a public service to help you recognize 2nd-class fish in the future.
With it being a local specialty, I couldn’t go past the kinmedai. Here, it was done on the (bamboo charcoal) grill with miso. Good in spots, a little dry in others. Filets grilled by Japanese chefs usually are.
While looking a lot like death, this isaki (grunt! No, that’s the name of the fish, really.) was much better – grilling whole seems to keep things more moist, which is always the goal.
Well, I don’t think there’s anything more to say, really. If you find yourself in Ito for some reason, I’d have a little walk (check out the weird sculpture garden by the beach, for example) and get the heck out.
Out, I tell ya.
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