This established restaurant has long been a favorite among Japanese expats when it comes to hitsumabushi. Here, unagi can be cooked either kabayaki-style (soaked in sweet unagi sauce) or shirayaki-style (marinated with salt and wasabi). We recommend the hitsumabushi set, which is served with unagi liver soup and pickles. The eel, though cut in thick slices, comes with a flaky tenderness, while the sauce boasts an on-point sweetness. A set usually starts at the rather steep price of B2,000. For a cheaper alternative, the restaurant also offers a cheaper unagi set with Taiwan-imported freshwater eel.
While Thai freshwater eel usually incite mild revulsion from locals, Japanese eel or unagi is worshipped in sushi restaurants and teriyaki grills across Bangkok. Brushed with sweet sauce and grilled over burnt charcoal, unagi, if cooked right, boasts a tender meat and crispy skin. The delicacy is traditionally enjoyed in Japan during the summertime (it’s believed to help ward off heat and boost stamina), and is usually served as sushi or hitsumabushi (served on rice in a bento box). If you’re looking to sample the best eel meals in the city, these are the unagi specialists that do the most justice to the slimy creature.
