Ahbon

Kushiage deep-fried skewers might not hold the same high profile in Japanese cuisine as sushi and the like, but it belongs on the to-do list of every serious gourmet in the country. In Ashiya City, on the coast between Kobe and Nishinomiya, is a restaurant where you can enjoy some of the best there are. Here the thin curving counter allows you to be as close to the action as possible bar actually entering the kitchen yourself. Enjoy casting your eye over the pinewood boxes packed full of delicious skewered ingredients, which one of the chefs is constantly replenishing. Further down the assembly line is the fryer, topped with a gleaming copper hood. It’s from here that you’ll be served skewers with delicious sauce pairings. Favorites among the regulars include crab with lemon and salt, beef fillet with mustard, lotus root with curry sauce, oyster with yuzu sauce, and conger eel with grated radish and vinegar. A meal here is a real whirlwind tour of the best flavors Japan has to offer, encased inside deliciously crisp batter. The final flourish is a dish of homemade ice cream, completing one of the most eclectic dining experiences you’re ever likely to have.