Founded in 1924 (Taisho 13), this long-established restaurant in Hamamatsu's fish market district celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2014 and is now celebrating its 94th anniversary this year.Benichi"fart!
Beyond the cuisine, the restaurant boasts a charming atmosphere, with each private room offering a tranquil Japanese ambiance. It features exquisite tableware and decor, a selection of fine sake carefully chosen by the owner, and meticulously prepared seasonal dishes, all served with heartfelt hospitality.
The current owner of the shop curtain, which has been passed down and preserved for three generations, isJunichi SuzukiMr. Miss.
Since taking over the restaurant in 1991, the chef has been showcasing his skills with local produce as well as rare and seasonal ingredients sourced from all over Japan. He also has extensive knowledge of sake and wine to pair with the dishes, so you can rest assured if you tell him your preferences and leave it to him!
This restaurant offers only private rooms that can accommodate 1 to 10 people. All seats are equipped with sunken kotatsu tables, allowing you to relax and enjoy your time at your leisure!
Once again, the "Miyabi Room," which can accommodate 2 to 6 people, was prepared for us, and we enjoyed the autumn flavors of the "Seasonal Course Meal" for 12,960 yen!
First, let's toast with "GARGERY," a flavorful domestic premium beer brewed in Niigata and available exclusively at restaurants, priced at 750 yen!
[Benichi - Seasonal Course Menu]
① "Homemade dried mullet roe, newly harvested glutinous rice, ginkgo nuts"
The freshly harvested glutinous rice, generously coated with Benichi-san's specialty homemade karasumi (cured mullet roe), is chewy and has the resilience to withstand the pressure of the karasumi-filled futon, making it a perfect match!
② "Sea urchin paste made with water chestnuts from Fukuoka, taro from Tango, Kyoto, and peanuts from Hamamatsu"
Each item is carefully handcrafted, resulting in a platter that allows you to savor the bounty of the autumn mountains!
The water chestnut, with its unusual shape, is memorable and strangely resembles a bat flapping its wings, making it a perfect reminder of Halloween! Here, we only eat the flesh inside, but water chestnuts are one of the autumn delicacies that are good for the body, as they are highly nutritious and are even used in traditional Chinese medicine! The taro from Tango is soft and fluffy, with just the right amount of salt, and has a moist texture that is of high quality! The peanuts from Hamamatsu, the local area, are a magnificent size, with a fluffy texture and a deep flavor that comes through with every bite, and are used to make a smooth sea urchin paste!
For the second glass, they served the bottle-aged "GARGERY23 Xale" in a Burgundy glass so that I could better appreciate its mature aroma and fruity sweetness—the epitome of luxury!
③ "Dobinmushi (steamed dish in an earthenware pot) with Matsutake mushrooms from Mikawa-Shinshu and conger eel from Maisaka"
First, enjoy the soup, infused with the aroma of matsutake mushrooms and the rich broth, warming you from the inside out!
Midway through, add a little sudachi citrus, which is served on a separate plate, to change the flavor, and finally, enjoy the beautifully deboned and tender conger eel!
④ "Sea bream from Maisaka, seared Spanish mackerel from Omaezaki, and kelp-cured black rockfish from the Miura Peninsula"
Three kinds of sashimi, made with seasonal fish that have been aged and prepared at the perfect time and using the best cooking methods!
Enjoy the rich flavors, each exquisitely crafted with a delightful combination of elasticity, sweetness, aroma, and a smooth, lingering texture, as we savor the bounty of the sea!
⑤ "Sweet sea bream from Maisaka, with black rice and wild beech mushroom sauce"
The sweet snapper, with its skin plump and fragrant, is served with a sauce made from pale, beautifully-capped beech mushrooms! The wild matsutake mushrooms have a gorgeous aroma and a strong, distinctive flavor, accented by the sweet and sour taste of pickled myoga ginger!
Ishikawa PrefectureShata Shuzo Co., Ltd. - Tengumai Brewery"Tengumai Nakasaburo Daiginjo"
This limited-edition sake, meticulously bottled one by one by master brewer Nakasaburo and specially shipped under his own name, is an exceptional product with a refined, clear aroma and a smooth, fine mouthfeel.
⑥ "Dove and fragrant mushrooms"
Fresh matsutake mushrooms have an aroma that whets the appetite, and their thick, meaty texture offers a uniquely rich flavor!
Seasoned generously with salt and grilled over charcoal, these baby pigeons boast a rich flavor that rivals even the most flavorful mushrooms! Enjoy their youthful, plump texture!
For the main dish, we have Tochigi Prefecture'sSenkin Brewery Co., Ltd.Enjoy it with "Urara," a limited and rare Junmai Daiginjo considered the pinnacle of the brand! It boasts a fresh and gorgeous floral aroma, a smooth texture, and an almost dangerously easy-to-drink quality!
⑦ "Rice with chestnuts from Kakegawa, red miso soup with nameko mushrooms and silken tofu, pickled turnips, pickled konjac with perilla leaves, and shibazuke pickles."
⑧ "Red Apple Mousse"
A dessert only available during the peak season for delicious Red Delicious apples!
Here you will findAramasa Sake BreweryPair it with the extremely rare Kijoshu "Hinoshima 10th Anniversary Brew Love for the Phoenix"!
"If you drink this Kijoshu, you might forget the taste of all the sake you've ever drunk before," says Mr. Suzuki!
I thoroughly enjoyed all of them, but right at the very end, they brought out a powerful drink with a rich and full-bodied flavor that made me say, "This is truly Benichi!"
As always, I'm grateful to Mr. Suzuki for letting me experience new discoveries and the joy of food, and I took a commemorative photo with the artwork of Hiroko Osugi, a contemporary calligrapher from Shizuoka, who has recently joined the collection in the entrance hall! Mr. Suzuki, I'll be back again!
Kappo Bento Ichi
Address: 313-13 Sakana-machi, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
TEL: 0120-88-2216
Opening hours: 17:30 - 23:00 (Last order 21:30) *Lunch is by reservation only
Closed on Sundays
http://www.benichi.co.jp/
