Founded over 70 years ago, the folks at Uomata specialize in abalone, a type of mollusk or sea snail, dishes. Located in Saga Prefecture’s Karatsu City, just a 50-minute drive from Fukuoka City, the restaurant makes use of the fertile waters of the Genkai Sea, a source of high-quality abalone (called “awabi” in Japanese). As the abalone must be individually hand-harvested by divers, and take up to 5 years to reach their full size, abalone are quite a delicacy. They are also revered as an auspicious dish in Asia. The owner of Uomata has a deep appreciation for abalone cuisine and his restaurant has a variety of dishes that showcase the coveted mollusk. His philosophy is to make abalone accessible to all by providing it at reasonable prices, though he certainly does not compromise on flavor.

For the abalone and sea urchin donburi, the fresh abalone is sliced into long pieces and boiled in its juices, while the raw uni (sea urchin) is also sourced from the Genkai Sea, and has a gentle sweet flavor. The dish comes with a side of miso soup and Japanese pickles. The simplicity of the presentation allows you to taste the pure essence of the abalone and uni, and appreciate the subtle flavors of the high-end seafood.