For those who have been to Japan, have you ever tried Fugu, the Japanese pufferfish? If you didn’t know, the pufferfish is notorious for the highly toxic poison – tetrodotoxin which is in its organs. However, fugu has been eaten in Japan for hundreds of years despite its deadly potential. Although fugu is commonly available in restaurants and supermarkets throughout Japan, it must be prepared by a licensed chef.
During our recent trip to Japan, we had the chance to try the dish at a well-known fugu restaurant, Guenpin Fugu located in Osaka. With a 38-year history in the business, Guenpin Fugu is a national fugu restaurant chain with 88 restaurants across Japan as of 2018. Guenpin Fugu Restaurant serves Tiger pufferfish, which is one of the 22 kinds of pufferfish that are permitted for consumption by law in Japan.
Since we don’t speak Japanese, to avoid language barrier with food ordering and to ensure that we get a table on the date we wanted, we pre-booked their signature 8-Course Tenraku Set via KLOOK App before we head off to Japan. The 8-Course Tenraku Set plus the reservation just cost us RM283.45 which we think it’s a good deal!
The booking process via KLOOK was convenient and easy. We just need to select the date and time, and which outlet we would like to visit, and after the payment is made, we received an instant confirmation email. When we arrived at the restaurant, we just showed the reservation details (on our phone) to the staff, that’s it!
#PamperEats: 8-Course Tenraku Set
First up, we were served the Parboiled Tiger Pufferfish Skin Sashimi as the appetizer. The skin was cut into slices and paired with signature ponzu sauce which gives it a very refreshing yet chewy with a very faint fishy aftertaste.
Next was the Thin Sliced Tiger Puffer Sashimi. It is one of the most common ways to eat Japanese Puffer Fish. It was translucent, and we can actually taste the naturally chewy texture of the Fugu flesh.
We had Deep Fried Tiger Puffer for the next and it was really good. For those who tried frog before, we must say that the texture and flavour of fried pufferfish are similar to it.
Then, we had Tiger Puffer BBQ. Despite the chewy texture, we actually kinda like the BBQ style is it adds a little smokiness flavour to the pufferfish and it was just nice to dip it with the ponzu sauce.
And there’s come the highlight of what we’ve waiting for, the Tiger Puffer collagen jelly for hot-pot topped with gold leaf. Served in a paper steamboat, the serves will do the cooking as you watch in anticipation. It was really comforting as it served with some vegetables, tofu and mushroom. Just dip it in the special sauce which consists of grated radish, ponzu, and chilli sauce.
As there is leftover stock from the hotpot, the server will then began to make the Japanese rice porridge by adding some rice and egg into the steamboat. It was the best Japanese rice porridge ever as it is the leftover collagen broth.
In conclusion, we really enjoyed the meal at Guenpin Fugu Restaurant as the staffs were really polite, the fish was fresh and the whole meal was just perfect for one pax portion. If you plan to visit Japan soon, this is a delicacy that you must try! Do remember to book via KLOOK website so you can save a lot of hassle and time!
Another good news for those who plan to travel, KLOOK is having a sitewide promotion of 7% off with no minimum spend required, discount capped at RM30. With the exception of Universal Studios Japan & express passes, JR Pass and Swiss Rail Passes. The promotion will end at 11:59 pm on 30th April 2020.
Read also: #PamperMyTravels: An Unforgettable & Hassle-Free Trip to Osaka & Kyoto
