Food
south Sea, a sashimi bar with a menu beyond the window
a plate of sashimi, and a layer of the sea
after exiting Mizo Port and continuing along the coastal road for about 5 minutes, you will see a small sign on the side of the road.
i drove past it twice because the writing wasn't big enough. only the third time did I pull over.
the place is small. it seats about six tables and has a single window, which is practically a menu board.
when you sit down, the ocean is the first thing you see, and then the boss comes over and says, "I like halibut today."
a plate of sashimi on a plate, and a layer of sea.
a plate of white flesh ash and seven side dishes, white rice and miso soup, and a bottle of South Sea shochu on a wooden table. through the bay window, I can see the sunlight breaking on the sea and small islands.
there is no menu. one sashimi set meal is practically all there is, with portions increasing slightly depending on the number of people. the owner takes care of the ordering. it's nice that they don't ask if you're a first-timer - they serve you without asking
there's hospitality without asking.
the sashimi is not thick. thin, but enough. the flesh is chilled and organized, and the sweetness slowly rises as you bite into it. i like white fish because it's not colorful.
the first dot doesn't take real?,
starting at the second point, add the soy sauce and wasabi.
from the third dot onward, we start to cheapen.
there are about seven dishes to go with it. anchovy ssamjang, two kinds of radish paste, daikon radish, pickles, and something tossed in super chili paste. none of the side dishes are spectacular, but I felt like the dish would be unbalanced without any of them. small
each bowl was touched one more time.
if there are seven small bowls, then the devotion of the day is seven.
the miso soup was a big hit. a base of anchovy broth with pumpkin and a few pieces of tofu. a soup that supports the meal - the kind of food that's all the better for not being the centerpiece.
you order a bottle of South Sea shochu. the label has two letters "South Sea" and a small mountain. a sip with each piece of sashimi, a sip with each side dish. it felt like a tool to match the pace of the food with the pace of the sea, not to drink for the sake of drinking.
at the end of the meal, the owner offered us a glass of sake for dessert. it's a kindness that's hard to find in big restaurants. "I made this myself," he added. and with that, the meal was complete.
south Sea food is never far away. one step from the sea, two steps from the kitchen. within that short distance, a meal is prepared. i leave my plate of sashimi and stare out the window at the sea for another hour. it's only in a place like this that lunch lasts so long.