When the abalone shell was placed in front of us on the table, I looked at it with interest. Only once the fire started underneath and it started squirming it did I realise it was still alive.
We were staying at a ryokan in the small town of Izu, located on the Izu peninsula about 100km southwest of Tokyo. The town was beautiful. Wooded and serene, a main street ran parallel to a rushing river that flowed down from the mountains above, with traditional wooden houses and inns built so close to the river that some seemed to hang over the banks. Cute vermillion bridges vaulted over the river to easily cross.
Our ryokan was a traditional Japanese inn, a comfortable and luxurious accommodation with a dozen or so rooms. It had many features one would expect from ryokan stays, such as wooden furnishing, onsen bathing, and rooms with tatami mats and futons to sleep on. Another common feature of ryokans is kaiseki dining, a Japanese dining experience which features a many courses of light dishes, brought out throughout the evening.
We took our places at the low table, with cushions to sit on and a sunken area under the table for our feet. Excited for our first kaiseki dining experience, the dishes began to arrive. We enjoyed the agedashi tofu, as well as the mukozuke sashimi plate, and grilled wagyu beef, classic dishes served in kaiseki dining.
Then came the abalone, a large marine mollusc served in its half shell, about the size of my hand. A prized culinary delicacy, we were curious about how it might taste. The shell was placed on top of a small ceramic frame, with a fire below and a grill on top. Soon, as the shell heated up enough to cook the meat, the abalone – still firmly attached to its shell – began wriggling and writhing as it tried to escape the scorching fire.
The sight was terrifying. I didn’t expect it to be alive, and as felt awful as I watched the meat begin to brown, the abalone frothing, bubbling, and twitching as it gave up its life. Finally, the abalone went still, and the mollusc was fully cooked and ready to eat.
The server came back when it was cooked to slice it and serve it to us. Despite what we had just witnessed, we couldn’t refuse to eat it. Besides, it smelled delicious. Chewy and salty, it was really good, but considering the suffering of the poor animal, I wouldn’t eat one again.
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What was the strangest food you’ve eaten whilst abroad? Let me know in the comments below!
StickyMangoRice 