Akita restaurants offer dishes using local agricultural products. This time, we will introduce five recommended dishes among the many famous gourmet dishes.
Hinai Chicken
Hinai chickens (比内地鶏) are the names of chickens raised in Akita Prefecture. They feature elastic flesh, sweet fat, and thick skin. It is also praised as one of Japan's three most delicious chickens, along with Satsumadori and Nagoya Cochin.
There are a wide variety of dishes using Hinai chicken such as yakitori (Japanese skewered chicken), steak, and Oyakodon (Japanese rice bowl dish with chicken and egg). Among them, Oyakodon is recommended because it allows you to enjoy the rich flavor of yolk and meat.
If you want to eat Hinai chicken, we recommend Akita Hinaiya (秋田比内や) and HONKEABEYA (秋田比内地鶏生産責任者の店 本家あべや). The price range is about 900-1,000 yen. (As of October 2019)
Kiritanpo
Kiritanpo (きりたんぽ) is a typical local dish in Akita Prefecture made from rice. The cooked white rice is smashed to a certain extent in a bowl, stuck to a cedar skewer, and baked on a charcoal fire. Although it is delicious to eat as it is, the recommended way to eat is Kiritanpo Nabe (hot pot) where you can boil together the Hinai chicken and seasonal vegetables. Although it is possible to eat all year round, the best time to eat is from autumn to winter when the ingredients are most seasonal.
If you want to eat delicious Kiritanpo, visit Hokusyu Club (北秋くらぶ) and Akita Kiritanpoya (秋田きりたんぽ屋). The price is about 1,580-3,500 yen. (As of October 2019)
Yokote Yakisoba
Yokote Yakisoba (横手焼きそば) is a noodle dish using thick, straight noodles. The ingredients are cabbage, minced pork, fried egg and pickled Fukujin pickles on the noodles. The taste is original in each store based on Worcester sauce, and most are not spicy and have a soft flavor. By the way, Yokote Yakisoba was first created in 1953. It is said that it was born in the process of devising a new menu using iron plates.
Yokote Yakisoba is available at many restaurants in Yokote City. Among them, Ganso Kamiya Yakisoba (元祖 神谷焼きそば屋) and Kuidouraku Main Store (食い道楽 本店) are recommended. It is around 500 to 1,000 yen. (As of October 2019)
Butter Mochi
Butter mochi (バター餅) is a sweet made of rice and butter. The ingredients are as simple as rice, butter, egg yolk and sugar. It is characterized by gentle sweetness and soft texture. It is recommended to eat without baking.
Butter mochi can be purchased at hotels and shops in Kitaakita City. Among them, Shikibikan (四季美館) and Michi-no-Eki (Road Station) Takanosu (道の駅たかのす) are famous. There are various types of butter mochi from combining different ratios of ingredients, so be sure to try and compare between them. The price is about 300-600 yen. (As of October 2019)
Babahera Ice
Babahera Ice (ババヘラアイス) is an ice cream that is made up of crunchy pink ice and banana-flavored yellow ice in a single cone. Depending on the season, you can eat seasonal foods such as melons and grapes. The rare name Babahera is derived from Akita calling an elderly woman Baba, who uses a metal spatula to pour ice into a cone.
Babahera ice can be purchased at shopping centers around Akita and the Akita Airport Terminal Building. The price is very reasonable at around 300 yen. (As of April 2018)
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