Style-testing Manma’s premium onigiri in Shinjuku.
It wasn’t all that way back that almost all onigiri (rice balls) at Japanese comfort shops had been round 120 yen (US$0.85). Following a string of fast value will increase, although, 120 yen is now a discount value for onigiri, and lots of them are actually within the 160-and-up value vary.
However at the same time as we’ve braced ourselves to see larger and better onigiri costs, we had been nonetheless shocked once we discovered a single rice ball that sells for a whopping 2,000 yen (US$14.30)!
What’s extra, this isn’t an onigiri that’s solely obtainable as an eat-in merchandise at some unique members-only gourmand restaurant in Ginza. It’s provided by Manma, an unassuming-looking onigiri specialty store in Tokyo’s Shinjuku neighborhood, not removed from SoraNews24 HQ.
▼ Manma
At greater than 10 instances the worth of a median onigiri, this was going to must do one thing particular to persuade us to present it a attempt. So what was the particular factor? Properly, Manma used to function below the title Bongo, a small chain that makes among the best possible onigiri round. We’ve been followers for years, and so once we noticed that they’re promoting one thing referred to as the Particular 20-year Miso Onigiri, we determined to open our pockets and preserve an open thoughts till after we’d taste-tested it.
Miso is made by mashing soybeans right into a paste and letting it ferment, a course of which often requires round six months. For this premium onigiri, although, Manma makes use of an extra-fancy number of miso which takes 20 years to make. The aroma is wonderful, with the scent of miso so pronounced that we might scent it even earlier than we take away the rice ball’s plastic wrapping.
Loads of onigiri have a darkish outer coloration as a result of they’re wrapped in seaweed, however not the Particular 20-year Miso Onigiri, because it has no seaweed in any respect. As an alternative, that deep brown, near-black hue is all from the miso it’s coated in.
Due to how robust the scent of miso is, we puzzled if perhaps this onigiri has a particular liquid miso core too, so earlier than we took a style we determined to take a peek, however to our shock, there’s no filling of any variety. The Particular 20-year Miso Onigiri offers you rice, miso, and nothing else.
If something, although, this simply raised our expectations larger for the consuming expertise. Like we stated, Manma/Bongo has proven they know what they’re doing in the case of rice balls, so in the event that they stated this one doesn’t want something apart from rice and miso to justify its value, they have to be very assured within the high quality of these elements, proper?
Getting into for a chew, we anticipated the miso to announce its presence with a wealthy sweetness and sharp saltiness, however that’s not how issues performed out. Sure, the style of miso was quick and intense, but it surely had an intriguing trace of sourness, adopted by a slowly however steadily constructing umami sensation as we chewed. It’s a classy taste that we discovered scrumptious, and positively conveys a way of high quality and uniqueness, but it surely’s most likely not for everyone.
Then once more, a 2,000-yen onigiri isn’t for everyone both, and it will truthfully be a reasonably large let-down to pay that a lot for one and have it depart us with nothing greater than “Certain, good orthodox miso taste.” So whereas we don’t see the Particular 20-year Miso Onigiri going into our every day weight-reduction plan, it’s a luxurious we’re completely satisfied to have splurged on this time, and perhaps we’ll see them come to Manma’s Haneda Airport sister store sometime.
Location data
Manma / まんま
Deal with: Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku Sanchome 14-23
住所 東京都新宿区新宿三丁目14-23
Open 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
Pictures © SoraNews24
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