外側パリパリ中ふんわりな一本重で贅沢ランチ！ : Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa Kurosu Geto Kanazawa Ten

This is an eel restaurant located inside Kanazawa Cross Gate. I visited on a Sunday afternoon, and it was bustling with many people. I was delighted to see that it has become even more popular than before. The restaurant also has private rooms in the back! However, we were seated at a table just to the left after passing the register. Since there was only our table on the left side, it felt very private and was quite nice. Listening to the staff's detailed explanations, I learned that this is a long-established eel restaurant with over 90 years of history. We ordered the famous "Ippon Juu" (JPY 5,060). They informed us it would take some time, but while waiting, we enjoyed the bone crackers and eel rolls, and it felt like it arrived quickly—probably around 20 minutes. ◆ Bone Crackers: JPY 660 ◆ Eel Rolls: JPY 1,410 ▷▷▷ The bone crackers were incredibly crunchy and had a delightful texture. They were light and very delicious. The eel rolls arrived shortly after, and the rich eel combined with the juicy broth was absolutely delicious. We were a party of four, and I was pleased to see that it was neatly divided into four portions. ◆ Ippon Juu: JPY 5,060 ▷▷▷ This is Kikukawa's pride, allowing you to savor the eel from head to tail. The outside was crispy while the inside was fluffy! Since it wasn't cut, it was incredibly fluffy, and you could definitely tell the difference compared to the eel served in "Hitsumabushi." I enjoyed changing the flavors with the two types of sansho pepper on the table, and I was never bored until the end. By the way, the fresh sansho had a wonderful aroma, filling the table with its delightful scent. The heavy dish was filled with a generous amount of rice, leaving me very satisfied! I was completely full. ◆ Hitsumabushi: JPY 4,200 ▷▷▷ The finely chopped eel was so plentiful that my eyes sparkled. I received an explanation that it’s recommended to divide it into four portions and enjoy it while mixing. In conclusion, my favorite way to enjoy it was as a tea porridge! Even though I was full, the light tea porridge went down so smoothly and was incredibly delicious. The combination of the eel's sweet sauce, the refreshing flavor of the broth, and the richness of the eel was outstanding. Moreover, I could freely refill the broth and condiments for the tea porridge, adding more green onions and broth! Enjoying the tea porridge with plenty of broth made me feel very happy. The attentive service, including the tea service and explanations about the sansho on the table, left me impressed with their hospitality. It was a very enjoyable and happy lunchtime. Thank you for the wonderful meal!