Hello Mr Pufferfish!

Starter: pufferfish skin.

Fugu pillows. I think they're cute!

Thinly cut sashimi.

Hirezake - fish fin sake. She's using a blowtorch!

Not my most favourite drink in the world, but I'm glad I tried it.

Fugu sashimi. My favourite dish of the night.

Try getting this into your mouth without dropping anything.

... And more sake

Grilled fugu. It was a long process with lots of flipping and dipping but the result was delicious.

A kind of fugu soup/porridge with rice and broth. YUM.

Fugu ice cream. KIDDING, just regular vanilla ice cream and a tea to cap it all off.

I pride myself on being able to eat most things – raw horse meat, uni, lambs brains, chicken sashimi etc. But to be honest, my heart raced a little when my Dad suggested we go to a fugu restaurant on his latest visit to Tokyo. I said yes, because I don’t like to say no, but I admittedly was a little nervous. Upon doing some research, I decided that if I was going to eat fugu anywhere, it should be in Japan and at a well known fugu restaurant.

We turned up to Genpin Fugu in Kagurazaka on a Friday night and were greeted by our future meal in a large fish tank at the entrance to the restaurant. How could something so somewhat normal looking be so poisonous?!

We were taken to a little alcove where we took off our shoes (always make sure you’re wearing matching socks) and sat at low tables on cushions with little pufferfish printed on them. Dad and I opted for a fugu course – a 6 dish course consisting of fugu prepared in various ways. We also tried hirezake – sake with the fin of the pufferfish which they dramatically light on fire when they bring it to the table.

As soon as the first dish arrived, I totally forgot that this little guy has killed before. I just enjoyed all the ways they prepared the fish – sashimi, grilled with ponzu sauce, in salad form, thinly sliced. The food was expertly created and it was a completely new experience for me. Would I go again? Yes, but only if someone else is paying.

Genpin Fugu’s details:

Nearest station: Numerous branches, but we went to the Kagurazaka one.
Address: 5-35 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Telephone: 03-5225-3029
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 12:00 to 15:00 (last order 14:00); 16:00 to 23:30 (last order 22:00); Weekends 16:00 to 23:30 (last order 22:00)
Website: http://www.tettiri.com/index.html (English section)