Unagino Toyokawa

Behind Unagino Toyokawa’s perfectly plump Kansai-style unagi (freshwater eel) is an unwavering dedication to the fish. If it takes a lifetime to truly become an unagi chef (the saying goes: it takes three years to master the skewering, eight for splitting and a lifetime for grilling), then the owner-chef is a true devotee. Having trained in another unagi restaurant in Osaka, their focus on the fish is palpable in every dish; appetizers are a trio of senbei made from crisped eel bones, eel wrapped in kelp and yawatamaki — burdock root rolled in eel. Thinly sliced eel sashimi and an omelet roll with succulent unagi precede the main attraction: the unadon — aoite eel, carefully grilled over bincho charcoal served atop rice in a jubako (Japanese lacquered box). The fish’s skin is crisp, the meat still fluffy; a side of pickles and liver soup is there to complement. Reservations are highly coveted, so plan ahead. Unagino Toyokawa is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant for 2024.