JPN: Suganoya (菅乃屋)

Virgin experience with horse meat!

Kumamoto, Japan is famous for its iconic black bear mascot called Kumamon, but did you know that horse meat is also popular there? The trend of consuming horse meat started after World War II when there was a shortage of beef and pork. For a taste of it, my BFFs and I visited Suganoya near Torichosuji tram station.

Even though we didn't make a reservation, we were led to a semi-private space to enjoy our lunch.

Miso-Based Horse Tartare Sushi ¥1,670 (~S$20.90)

Taste: 9/10

The Japanese name of the dish is なめろう寿司. I found the minced horse meat mixed with miso (Japanese fermented rice, barley and/or soybean) paste to be scrumptious as it melted in my mouth. The red meat tasted somewhat like beef without any gamey smell. Its savoury profile was a nice contrast to the sweet and sour balance rendered by the vinegared rice.

Horse Meat Steak Course ¥3,300 (~S$41.30)

Taste: 8.5/10

The Japanese name of this particular course is ステーキコース.

Appetiser, Salad & Sashimi

First of all, I had the colourful appetisers that didn't only tantalise the taste buds by the interplay of the sweet and the savoury, but also rich in texture. The salad was adequately fresh, accompanied by a bowl of wafu (lit. Japanese style) dressing that had lots of chopped onions. As for the raw selections, I saw three types on the plate: lean meat, fatty meat and brisket fats. I found the fatty meat to be the most pleasant on the palate.

Potato Dish

Next came a rather cute-looking potato dish topped with small ginkgo nuts that was really lovely. Served hot, the potatoes were fluffy, smothered in a kind of creamy sauce that left me craving for more.

Main Course

Once I was done with all the small dishes, the server brought the steak with rice, pickles and miso soup. Portion wise, the main course might not be big, but the earlier courses already filled me up quite a bit.

The grilled version of the horse meat tasted very much like beef. Being pretty much enjoyable on its own without the light brown sauce, it was quite springy, though not the most succulent. The grilled vegetables were executed well too.

Dessert & Coffee

For dessert, I had what I believe to be vanilla panna cotta (lit. cooked cream) topped with a bit of strawberry sauce and blueberries. Having the right degree of sweetness, it was velvety enough for my liking. I also had a cup of hot black coffee, which actually came to the table lukewarm, but it was pretty aromatic.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 8.5/10

Ambience: 8/10

Service: 8.5/10

Overall: 8.5/10

While it was a delectable lunch, I'm certainly not in a hurry to have horse meat again. Pika's advice: If you come early for lunch, you may be able to order one of its Seasonal Colourful Rice Box (季節の桜丼), which ingredients change according to the season as suggested by the name, priced at ¥1,850 (~S$23.20). Only ten portions are available daily.

Suganoya

(菅乃屋)

2-12 Jotomachi

Chuo, Kumamoto

Japan

(Sun-Thu: 11.30am - 3.00pm, 5.00pm - 10.00pm;

Fri-Sat: 11.30am - 3.00pm, 5.00pm - 10.30pm)

https://service.suganoya.com/

*Prices quoted are nett prices.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)