Genshiyaki
Trying new foods is one of my favorite parts of visiting new places. It’s such a privilege to experience a different culture through food, particularly when eating local specialties prepared traditionally like Genshiyaki. A method of charcoal grilling that’s been practiced for more than 1,500 years in the Atami region, Genshiyaki allows diners to savor fresh fish, seafood, and vegetables infused and transformed slowly over hot charcoals. It is incredible!
Soki Atami Genshiyaki Dinner
Location: Atami, Japan
Address: Inside Soki Atami Hotel
Food Type: Traditional Japanese Charcoal Grill Dinner
Meal Duration: 2.5+ Hours
Dining Experience: Indoor
Price: $275 per person + Drinks
Dress Code: Casual+
Special Diets Available: Gluten-Free, Pescatarian, Vegan
Ambience
Located opposite Soki Atami’s lobby, the restaurant has double-story ceilings, a wall of windows, and numerous countertop tables encircling a traditional Japanese charcoal grille. That is, after all, the main focus of the evening’s meal.
Above: Everyone received a wasabi root, grater, and dish to add as much heat as we wanted to our dishes.
Equal parts a mute cooking demonstration and a fine dining experience, Soki Atami’s dinner is the most sought-after meal in all of Atami. Minimalistic Japanese decor emphasizes the region’s connection to the ocean and hard-won, small-scale farming initiatives. Everything from the chopsticks and wasabi grater to the ceramic rice dishes and hand-blown sake glasses is locally crafted in Atami, imparting an extra special level of terroir to the meal.
Every one of the twelve courses was sourced locally. The chefs knew the names of the fishermen who’d caught the rainbow trout, prawns, and sardines. Every vegetable utilized in our meal came from a neighbourhood farmer. Even the woodworkers who made the wooden components of our meal were given gratitude by the staff.
Not only ecologically friendly, this culinary adventure through Atami made me feel like I’d met each person involved in our meals myself.
Our Meals
Rain poured down outside as we took our seats. The sound combined beautifully with the gentle crackling of the charcoal grill cooking away. Our meals were modified to accommodate my gluten allergy and our pescatarian diets. So, although the standard menu includes locally hunted venison and Wagyu beef, our meals included an extra course of fish and vegetables to make the price more balanced. That sort of upgrade isn’t common, and we really appreciated it.
First, we began with hot towels as is tradition in Japan. Then, vegan tomato & ginger soup comprised our appetizer. It was delicious! Normally made with bovine collagen, about half of the diners, including us, had the vegan option made without. I was so excited about our meal that I forgot to take a photo of this course.
Above: Straw-Grilled Katsuo Tuna & Onion Sushi, Simmered Taro Root, Prawn, Sansho Pepper and Roasted Fig, Scallop
The only unexpected part of the meal, as an American, was eating the entire prawn, exceedingly crunchy shell and all. I’d never tried eating it that way, and once I got used to the odd sensation, I was able to appreciate how beautifully the charcoal seeped into the shell, creating a savory, smoky flavor profile that contrasted splendidly with the soft, flavorful prawn flesh inside.
If you’ve never had prawns like this, give it a go!
Above: Autumn Nabe with Fresh Local Vegetables
This was the best soup I’ve ever had. Nabe, which is a sort of hotpot, is a warm, comforting dish comprised of vegetables, and in this case, fish balls. The flavor was rich, complex, and delightfully robust. I’d eat this every day if I could!
Above: Rainbow Trout Skewers
This fish was a little intimidating to someone who doesn’t normally eat fish in this form. BUT it was delicious, with a smoky, rich flavor, and I was surprised by how much I loved the fish skin. I do enjoy eating salmon skin, so I shouldn’t have been surprised this was delicious. The grated radish brought out the buttery flavor, perfectly balancing the flavors with the salty miso paste.
Above: Local Sake Flight
Above: Grilled Red Snapper with Miso, Roasted Vegetables, with White and Black Sesame Powder
This fish was incredible! I’ve had red snapper before, but never like this. Swiftly grilled above hot coals, it tasted like everything best about camping. The vegetables perfectly complemented the flavours and weren’t too overpowering, as I’d worried that big chunk of red onion might be. At this point, the chefs had earned my complete trust because they clearly knew exactly what they were doing.
Above: Wild Mushroom Rice Matsutake
This was so delicious! More than a side dish or filler, it was a masterpiece of umami. The rich mushrooms, charcoal roasted before being incorporated, of course, were fabulous. The way the rice was cooked left it creamier than a risotto and fragrant as the locally sourced herbs they’d added to it.
Above: Marron and Black Sesame Bavarois & Ice Cream with Honey
I’m not the biggest fan of sweets (that’s my husband’s specialty!), but this wasn’t too sugary. In fact, it was the perfect balance between sweet and savory, crunchy and creamy, warm and cold. I’d expected to give him most of mine as I usually do with sweets, but I kept this one all to myself!
Final Thoughts
Everything we ate during our Genshiyaki meal was phenomenal. This is one of the ten best meals we’ve ever had, and we were lucky to get a reservation. Each course was prepared right before us, and we could ask questions if we had them, but there was no pressure to talk with anyone but one another, which was lovely.
The staff all spoke English well enough that we could ask questions, switching between Japanese, English, and Google Translate (haha). Everyone was so kind! We were the only foreigners there, and to thank us for trying to speak Japanese, they gave us that incredible local sake flight to share. In exchange, we gave our servers and the cooks some American candy we’d brought and enjoyed them together.
I really love Japanese cooking, especially grilled meals like Genshiyaki. Someday, I hope to return!
