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Giant sea eel: fearsome monster or delicious lunch?

Casey Baseel Jun 19, 2013
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The restaurant Fukugawa Tsuribune is famous for tempura, especially its anago don, tempura saltwater eel served over a bowl of rice. The restaurant’s version of this Japanese standard draws fans from all over the Tokyo area to its location 35 minutes by train west of downtown.

Needless to say, the restaurant must be doing something right, and once we heard the rumors that the anago portions are extremely generous, we couldn’t keep ourselves away and made the trip out to the restaurant to try it for ourselves.

The photos in this article can be viewed in 3D. The MPO (3D data) zip files can be downloaded here for viewing on a Nintendo 3DS or 3D-capable TV or PC. You know how we love toys…

Fukugawa Tsuribune is located three minutes’ walk from Kunitachi Station on the JR Chuo Line, a straight shot from Shinnjuku. As we stepped through the restaurant’s door, we were greeted by the friendly staff, who beckoned us to a seat at the counter. We sat down and ordered our anago bowl, which the seasoned chef skillfully prepared right in front of our eyes.

After a few minutes, the anago bowl was placed in front of us. We mentioned before that anago don is tempura eel served over rice, and in Fukugawa Tsuribune’s case, the description is literal. The leviathan-like piece of anago is too massive to fit in the bowl, and is instead draped across the top of it. Our order also came with no less than four pieces of vegetable tempura.

Even before our first taste, the golden brown color of the tempura coating told us we were in for a treat. With its delicious aroma breaking down the last remnants of our willpower, we bit into the sea beast.

And it was good.

Between the satisfying crunchiness and enticing scent of the breading, the fluffiness of the eel, and the delectable sauce, it was all we could do to keep from fully losing our composure.

The dish was completely devoid of any harsh flavors or the unpleasant smell that comes with lesser-quality fried foods. Everything that exists in the bowl is there to enhance the straightforward, delicious taste of the anago so that the diner can savor it to the utmost.

Anago don isn’t Fukugawa Tsuribune’s only claim to fame, though. Patrons also rave about its kakiage bowl, in which the tempura topping the rice is a mass of sliced vegetables. Unfortunately, the restaurant is popular enough that when we asked about making a reservation to come back, we were told there were no openings until the month after next! Thankfully, the anago bowl was so filling enough that it’ll probably be about that long before we start to feel hungry again.

Restaurant information:
Fukugawa Tsuribune
Address: Tokyo, Kunitachi City, Higashi 1-15-18, Shirano Building, 2nd floor
東京都国立市東1-15-18 白野ビル2F
Hours of operation: 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. / 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Closed Sundays

Photos: RocketNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]