LoLo-EatableThai: Real Rich Flavour of Grilled Unagi at Unagi Nakamura

'O-Bento' is what the Japanese call a packed meal (a single-portion) -- usually for lunch and common in Japanese cuisine. Yes, 'O-Bento' are readily available in many places including convenience stores, bento shops, train stations, even department stores. Even in some Japanese Restaurant, you can find a lunch in Bento Box in black-lacquered wood boxes. Yes, this blog shows you lunch set serving in Shokado Bento (lacquered Japanese Bento Box) full with colour combinations of the foods.

This place 'Unagi Nakamura' is not a normal Japanese Eating place or Japanese Izakaya -- as it's the Unagi-Ya ... the place where specialize in Unagi (fresh water eel) with a long established and well-known among Japanese Expat in Thailand (Sukhumvit Area especially). For your note, most of Unagi Restaurants can be recognized by and elongated う character (the first character in 'unagi') and fashioned to resemble and eel and displayed prominently on the shop sign or curtain same as this place 'Unagi Nakamura' in Japanese it's say as うなぎ中村.

Let's see the first lunch set 'Unajyu Set' 580Bht -- Grilled eel with teriyaki sauce served on rice serving with two kinds of small dishes, pickle, dessert or coffee ... Some might call this Unadon (Eel-Don) a kind of traditional dish and commonly known for a used of Unagi serving on the bed of rice. Ummm ... look by your eyes and see how big and how juicy the Unagi was laid on this bento box together with Japanese Omlette (Tamagoyaki).

Next one is 'Unagi Tamatbako Zen' 450Bht -- Grilled eel with teriyaki sauce served on rice with grilled eel (Umaki), and Eel Futomaki (where you see the nori seaweed outside). Talking about this eel futomaki first, 2 pieces were served with a large size made with unagi (grilled eel) of course, cucumber, and special sauce. While Umaki is the Japanese Omlette filled insided with grilled eel. So this bento box you can taste with 3 different kinds of Unagi in ... of course, the size of unagi in here was smaller than the first one I mentioned.

Right, I have not mentioned about the 'Unagi' much yet ... Unagi is the Japanese word for freshwater eels -- don't get confused with 'Anago' which is saltwater eels. It's said that unagi has been consumed in Japan thousands of years ago as it's rich in protein, vitamin A & E, and so on. On another side, it's believed that unagi gives people stamina so it surely was eaten the most during hottest time of the year.

The well-prepared unagi combines a rich flavour (a bit like pate) with an appetizing texture, crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. Cooking process is what makes the eel yummy from first grilled over hot charcoal, then steamed to remove excess fat, then seasoned with a sweetish sauce and grilled a second time ... The ingredients in the sweet sauce is very important (a kind of unique secret recipe of each place) as it's the final taste of the unagi same as special charcoal that some place used for adding special flavour to the eel while grilling.

Yep Yep, I have seen this story in some manga that some place has the sauce jar which was passed along from generation to generation !!!

I don't know how long this jar has been for Unagi Nakamura ... but see the colour and thickness of the liquid inside the jar.

Yes, that's what the Grilled Unagi was served as the main course ... in bento box and also another 2 kinds of small dishes including soup and pickles.

Now, how about the grilled unagi as hors d'oeuvre ... in fact it's a kind of serving with drinks ... such as this one called 'Unagi Oshizushi' 440Bht -- Oshizushi or known as 'pressed sushi' which is a pressed sushi in block-shaped piece form. The chef lines the bottom with grilled unagi covered with sushi rice then presses the lid of the mold down. This Unagi Oshizushi was cut into bite-sized pieces ... However, I found out that at Unagi Nakamura has such as bite size indeed !!! Therefore, the taste was full-amount indeed ... plus in between there's a special sauce and herb ... so tasty so herby !!!

Another interesting one was 'Unagi Shirayaki' -- it's an eel grilled without sauce ... seem to be plain form which is most popular with diehard Unagi Purists !!! This one is the Grilled eel served on top with wasabi horseradish ... yes, this is real as I can taste the unagi meat like pate indeed ... while the skin is in fact crispiness full.

Although Unagi Nakamura is specialized in Unagi ... there are also another dishes as in normal izakaya has (small dishes eating with alcohol drinks) and also fried dish like this 'Ebi Tempura' 190Bht ... 4 pieces fried in flour batter and also Green Shiso Leaf. Wow Wow Wow ... it's so great especially the batter and the way it was fried !!!

Before I end this blog, I forgot to show what are also included in the lunch set --- as your choice coffee or dessert ... one that day it's the orange jelly filled with orange piece inside ... sound common as the jelly dessert can be made with instant jelly but the idea of having peeled cut orange filling increased the refreshment indeed.