Inasa

There is a school of silver-hued Japanese anchovy, known “ko-iwashi,” that glides near-silent in the calm waters of the Seto Inland Sea. It is the very same fish darling to Hiroshima, harvested using boat seines and delivered every morning to Inasa, a 50-year-old restaurant tucked near Hiroshima Castle. In its kitchen, the fish are gutted, folded with daisy-fresh green onions and shiso leaves into patties and grilled to become the brand’s main hook: the anchovy hamburger steaks. In other words, just when Hiroshima seemed to have its restaurant landscape fully charted, along comes Inasa, which plays on the strength of the prefecture’s gathered and grown items while still nailing authenticity. It’s a well-balanced tap dance, where the chefs follow the formula of traditional Japanese cuisine with a few original administrations. Consider said anchovy steak: while other venues may serve the fish as sashimi or the base of their dashi stock, Inasa brings their patties sizzling on an iron plate, topped with a special sauce. Part of its appeal is also the realization that Inasa is less stitched up than it appears. The attentive politeness of the staff (“a smile of satisfaction” from guests is the goal), the dramatic ikebana on the tokonoma alcove and the stage-like tatami room triggers a fine-dining response, but the food is creative, seasonal and delicious. Take the foie gras “steak” enveloped in soy sauce or the stack of yam and cod roe deep-fried with a light batter, for example. Chefs and waitstaff adjust their chirpiness depending on the occasion: out-of-town family visitors, power dinners between business folks or anniversaries. Opt for the traditional tatami room for the full experience.