Etouke

You could walk past Etouke’s wood-slat exterior several times in the residential area of downtown Fukuoka and not realize it’s a big-ticket restaurant with a formidable spread of Japanese cuisine. Make no mistake: Etouke’s freshly prepared medley of seafood is some of the city’s best-loved. Trained since the age of 16 at renowned seafood establishments, the owner ventured independently at 28 years old and spared no expense for Etouke. The restaurant welcomes guests along an atmospheric stone path leading to its noren-draped entrance. Inside, the stunning all-wood furnishings, crafted by skilled shrine carpenters (miyadaiku), adhere to the owner's strict insistence on no concrete. Two features immediately capture attention: a smooth, single-plank ginkgo counter lined with custom-made chairs from Hoshino Mingei, signaling luxury and becoming a hallmark of the opulent space, and a larger-than-life fish tank housing colossal long-tooth groupers, or “kue." Also known as “ara” in the Kyushu region, these premium groupers inhabit the rocky coastal areas of southern Japan and the South China Sea, growing over a meter in length. Despite their rough appearance, they are considered one of the most prized, high-class fish, with fatty white meat comparable to tuna and a delicate flavor that makes them ideal for hotpot and shabu-shabu. Sourcing from trusted fishermen, the chef insists on groupers weighing over 20 kilograms and line-caught to preserve quality, rejecting those harvested with electric reels. They are kept alive in the tank for diners to admire until they are ready to be taken out for preparation. Beyond kue, all ingredients are fresh, seasonal and absolutely delicious. The squid sashimi is prepared live, so pristine that the meat remains exquisitely translucent. Other ingredients, sourced from Kyushu or obtained through daily visits to Nagahama Market, are crafted into hotpots and grilled items. For adventurous epicureans, Etouke also offers one of the deadliest fish on earth: the pufferfish, or fugu, served as sashimi with ponzu or gently cooked in shabu shabu broth. Service is warm and attentive, with kimono-clad hostesses — and sometimes the chef himself — bidding guests farewell.