Nishinakasu is a popular area with young people, with many stylish shops. While there are many recently opened restaurants, the area has a warm and friendly atmosphere with a Showa retro feel.

Located in the nostalgic Nishinakasu area, the mentaiko specialty restaurant Ganso Hakata Mentaikoju is the birthplace of mentaikoju. We asked the restaurant about its founding philosophy, which has remained unchanged even as it has become a hugely popular restaurant.

The charming atmosphere of the Nishinakasu area

"Ganso Hakata Mentaiju" is an eye-catching wooden box-like building that stands out in a corner of the alley that connects the Tenjin area and Nishinakasu area of Tenjin Central Park. The Nishinakasu area, once bustling with many traditional Japanese restaurants, is in a great location adjacent to a park where you can experience nature in addition to being easily accessible from the city. Every day at lunchtime, you can see a line that stretches all the way to the park.

The spacious restaurant, with a total of 80 seats on the first and second floors, has a calming Japanese-style interior, allowing you to enjoy your meal at your own pace. The restaurant also has a counter made of a single plank that conveys the warmth of wood, and private rooms with sunken kotatsu tables, creating a high-quality, adult space.

A masterpiece recalled to preserve the deliciousness of that time for future generations

"Ganso Hakata Mentaiju" opened in 2010 as a specialty mentaiko restaurant. During the Showa era, a chef's handmade mentaiko was highly rated for its deliciousness whether it was eaten raw, seared, in ochazuke, or onigiri, and its popularity was boosted by the special sauce he perfected after many years of hard work.

The current "Original Hakata Mentai-ju" is a revival of that dish, which became a legend after the chef retired. It is carefully made using an abundance of carefully selected ingredients.

For travel memories and relaxation

The most popular staple menu item at this mentaiko specialty restaurant is the Hakata specialty "Original Hakata Mentai-ju." The dish is characterized by the fact that the mentaiko is carefully marinated in kelp and served whole on top of hot rice covered in nori seaweed. The seasoning used to marinate the mentaiko is also carefully selected, resulting in a deep flavor achieved by adjusting the various umami ingredients of kelp and other ingredients.

Another attraction of the original Hakata Mentaiju is that you can pour a special sauce over the mentaiko in the bento box. The rich, unique sauce enhances the flavor of the mentaiko, bringing out even more deliciousness. You can choose the spiciness of the sauce, and by changing the type of chili pepper used, you can choose from basic, mildly spicy, medium spicy, and very spicy, so that the umami stands out even in the spiciness.

Another recommended dish is the "Mentaiko Nikomi Tsukemen," which uses plenty of rich mentaiko and more than 10 kinds of vegetables. It is simmered slowly to bring out the best flavor of the ingredients, and the chewy thick noodles are coated with the chunky mentaiko in the rich dipping sauce, spreading the delicious flavor.

The "Original Hakata Mentai-ju" is a popular dish that has been visited and ordered by many celebrities. The best time to eat it at the store is during the weekday evening hours. You can order at the store and take it out, or you can order it for delivery.

Furthermore, konbumaki mentaiko is also very popular as a souvenir that brings good luck. If you are stopping by on your way back from your trip, we recommend checking out the bento and souvenir specialty stores inside Hakata Station.

The history and carefully selected ingredients of the "Original Hakata Mentai-ju" will add color to your dining experience during your trip.

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Mentaiko specialty restaurant, Original Hakata Mentaiju(Nishinakasu branch)

 

092-725-7220

6-15 Nishinakasu, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture

5 minutes walk from HOTEL RESOL TRINITY HAKATA

HP:https://www.mentaiju.com/

SNS:https://www.instagram.com/ganso_hakata_mentaiju/

 

*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the link above.