Utsuke

For a generous serving of eel, the aptly named ‘Mountain’ is an eye-catching choice. This layered dish uses 2 eel, and diners who have ordered it have remarked on its abundance, with eel spilling over the edges of the box, and the fragrant crispness of the skin. Utsuke serves eel grilled Kansai-style. Those who enjoy a crisp exterior may find its texture a welcome alternative to eel that is steamed before serving. One visitor recalled the contrast between the smoky char and the tender, fluffy flesh, adding that the sauce and sansho pepper on the table let them adjust the flavour to taste as they ate.

For a lighter meal or a change of pace, the menu also features hitsumabushi, eel served with condiments and broth. One diner enjoyed it with both, making it a way to savour the eel while trying different ways of eating it. A visitor who chose unaju—eel served over steamed rice in a lacquered box—reported a softer texture than grilled eel, offering another option for those weighing grilled against steamed. To make eel the centrepiece of a meal with a few small plates, the menu also lists shirayaki, rolled eel omelette and grilled eel liver. One visitor’s account of eating shirayaki with salt, wasabi and lemon offers a useful glimpse of a flavour distinct from kabayaki, eel grilled with a sweet soy-based glaze. Sansho-grilled edamame, yakitori and uni-ika shumai—dumplings with sea urchin and squid—are also available, making it possible to pair eel with beer or sake over dinner.

At lunchtime, there is a lunch menu; in the evening, diners can build a meal around unaju, or add hitsumabushi and snacks to enjoy with drinks. Utsuke offers dine-in and takeaway, and has counter seating. In Nihonbashi-Yokoyamacho, its range of eel portions and preparations gives diners several ways to shape a meal.