The ekiben featured in this issue of “Ayuya Sandai” is made from natural sweetfish caught in the Kuma River and its upstream tributary Kawabe River in Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu. The manufacturer, Yorifuji Shoten, was founded in Yatsushiro City by the first generation of ayu fish peddlers in the Meiji era (1868-1912). The third generation of the family has continued to serve the traditional taste of ayu in the form of bento boxes, hence the name “Ayuya Sandai.
I wanted to eat it at Yatsushiro Station, but was unable to do so, so this time I bought it at Kumamoto Station. There are two kinds of ayu (sweetfish), one is grilled and the other is sweetened with soy sauce.
I thought “Ayuya 3dai” was characterized by a whole big ayu fish, but when I opened the lid, I found two ayu fish that were a little smaller. I thought for a moment, “What’s that? I thought “ayu-ya” was a big ayu fish, but when I opened the lid, I found two smaller ayu fish. The rice cooked in the broth made from the grilled ayu is delicious. The light flavor of the sweetfish is accented by the texture of the mushrooms, and the taste and texture are both elegant. This alone makes it a proper ayu fish bento.
The sweetfish is the star of the dish. It is a sweetfish, so the color is dark and the taste is strong, but it is never too sweet, and you can enjoy the typical sweetfish flavor with a hint of bitterness. It is not too sweet, but has a bitter taste that is typical of ayu fish.
I have had the salted grilled version before, and personally, I prefer the salted grilled version for its ingredients and compatibility with takikomi rice, but the sweetened version, which once won first place in the Kyushu ekiben ranking for three consecutive years, is delicious enough for me to recommend.
The meal is very enjoyable because each item is flanked by items with a strong presence, such as lightly seasoned lotus root, pickled plums with a slight taste of shaved shavings, and pickled ginger with a refreshingly sour taste. The fragrance of the bamboo grass leaves is also a nice touch. Incidentally, the omelet is slightly sweet, and the shiitake mushrooms are sweet.
While enjoying the whole ayu fish, the elegant “Ayuya San-dai” never becomes monotonous. The bitterness is also a big attraction, making it an ekiben for adults.
© Source travel watch