7/30/2008

Isshinkan, Kinugawa—鬼怒川一心館

In March 2007, M & A-Mao were visiting some customers in Tokyo for few days. M returned to Taiwan in advance, while I started my two-day travel, without plans in detail, in Nikkou & Kinugawa by a World Heritage Pass. I encountered Koos from Netherlands, and both of us happily spent a whole afternoon in Nikkou. After that, we said goodbye and then were on "different trains"—somehow it reminded me of this Reich’s music. He got to go to Tokyo, whereas I had to continue my travel. It was snowing in Kinugawa at night, and I found no cheap hotel or guest house there. Well, what could I do? I went to an “onsen hotel” and negotiated by my poor Japanese. Finally, it took 20,000 yen “only” for one-night stay as well as dinner & breakfast at this Isshinkan.

2007年3月到東京出差數日後,A-Mao便利用東武鐵道的「世界遺產通票」,展開為期兩天一夜、日光暨鬼怒川、事前“沒有”規劃之旅。與在路上撿到、來自荷蘭的Koos同遊日光一下午後,兩人就在東武日光駅分道揚鑣:可愛的Koos要去東京;我則是到鬼怒川繼續未完的旅程(不知為何,心中竟響起Reich的Different Trains)。一出鬼怒川温泉駅,媽啊!都已經3月了咧,天空竟下起雪來。在這個溫泉區像頭喪家之犬尋覓了快一個鐘頭,完全找不到便宜的民宿可以投宿;在饑寒交迫下,硬著頭皮走進了一家溫泉飯店。用破爛日文及裝可憐的一番交涉後,最後「只」以兩萬日鋃,一泊二食入住這家一心館

As soon as loosing my backpack in my personal, exclusive Japanese-style room, I enjoyed Kinugawa hot spring. Their appointment is pretty good, and the feeling is so gorgeous & tranquil that my body & mind totally relaxed. And then, foods again! The appetizers came with a doburoku (or home-brew style of sake). A young waiter was fast describing all ingredients in Japanese. As long as I had a question, amazingly, he could answer immediately—but I could understand 40~50 percent only. The fried shrimp and fish from river is the best, the tofu with green source made from something is not bad, but the beef is overcooked. Regarding the others, I forgot.

在一個人獨享的日式房間放下背包,A-Mao馬上衝去泡溫泉。鬼怒川溫泉不像陽明山的有明顯的硫酸味;一心館的硬體算是非常OK的,泡起來整體的感覺高雅寧靜,肌肉、神經和思緒都得到全然的放鬆。再來……就是吃囉!首先是這前菜,附帶一小碟甜甜的濁酒(どぶろく);年輕的侍者小哥很仔細地介紹每一種食材的來頭(可是真的是說得太快了)。每當我當用幼稚園日語提問,他還真是有問必答喔(不過也只聽懂四五成)!炸溪蝦和炸溪魚最棒、豆腐配不知啥咪碗糕做的綠色醬料也很讚、那牛肉煮的有些老,不是很優;其他的,本少爺忘了。

Then, a soup and sashimi was served. Everyone can image that the soup is pure Japanese traditional type. As for sashimi, the two shiromi (or white fish) with skin is very fresh, but the akami (or red fish) of tuna is not defrosted yet (minus), and, even though I paid 20,000 yen, there is one small, delicious amaebi (sweet shrimp) only (minus). However, the piece of konnyaku goes very well with wasabi soybean source.

接著是吸物和刺身:那湯頭就是道地的昆布柴魚味啦,大家都知道的嘍;兩種帶皮的白身都很鮮美、遺憾的是,正中間的鮪魚赤身竟然沒有完全解凍(當下熊熊想不出怎樣用日文complain,扣分)、只有一隻小甜蝦也讓貪婪的A-Mao好惆悵(本少爺可是花兩萬日鋃咧!扣分)、但最右邊的蒟蒻搭上山葵醬油的口感與風味,可說的上是相得益彰。

This nimono, the waiter's favorite, is simmered with pork, burdock, carrot, green bean & ganmodoki (a fried tofu). A simple but impressing dish.

小哥說這到煮物是他的最愛。哼!不過就是豬肉、牛蒡、紅蘿蔔、四季豆跟がんもどき(漢字:雁擬き)用醬油料理罷了吧?但,豬肉肥瘦適中、每樣蔬菜都保有強烈的田野風味,がんもどき更是滿滿吸收了湯汁的好味道。樸拙,卻讓人印象深刻的料理。

This wild ayu (or sweetfish) is grilled just with salt. Its posture is so vivid, and the whole fish is eatable with a special aroma, but I left its head alone.

嘿嘿,這可是野生的香魚(アユ;漢字:鮎)喔!看這純粹的鹽燒,真的是又殘忍、又靈動啊!小哥說整條香魚從頭到尾都可以嗑;尾巴的部份最好吃,魚鰭與魚皮特別香脆;身體的部份因為沒有剔除內臟,感覺有些毛毛的、不過嘗起來馥郁豐腴;魚頭的部份因個人偏好,就沒膽品嚐嘍。

Next, A-Mao enjoyed a "toubanyaki" of mushroom, asparagus & Tochigi beef as well as a French-style soup made from yuba which is famous there. Hum, I started feeling it is worthy of 20,000 yen, a little bit.

呼!還有啊?花這兩萬日鋃開始有那麼一丁點沒被敲竹槓的感覺。小哥解釋了半天,A-Mao享用了栃木養殖,滿佈油花的和牛陶板焼き,以及用派皮包覆料理的當地名產—湯葉(生豆皮)。嗚,吃完人家就滿足地想睡了。

My God! This tempura is as crispy as splendid! With the green tea flavor salt, I was almost full up then but still chewed it within loudly crunchy sounds.

哇~~~!還有啊?天啊!這揚物炸的極其酥脆,客倌您看這華麗的樣子,有誰能按捺不動嗎?反正食材就是新鮮兩個字來形容,伴著綠茶調味過的鹽,已經十分飽的A-Mao,還是在超響的喀啦喀啦聲中嗑完它。

After another nice hot spring, I had this delicate overture as breakfast. Even though my appetite is not always good in the morning, I finished one bowl of oishii rice along with spicy mentaiko & grilled, dried horse mackerel. While I was leaving for Ryuuoukyou, their staffs were seeing me off in the front of hotel. Well, it is really touching. (You artificial Japanese! I'll be back!)

這是隔日泡完溫泉後的早餐,那小哥還現煮了味增湯。A-Mao起床第一頓總是吃不多;但那開胃的明太子跟烤竹莢魚乾,讓我過量地完食一整碗好吃的日本米飯。離開一心館前往龍王峽時,在場的員工列隊在門口揮手送別,讓孤單的我淚水差點就要飆出來(你們這些做作的日本人,我會再回來的)! 【鬼怒川一心馆】

Can you see three monkeys?—看的到有三隻猴子嗎?

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