Tamago kake gohan is fairly simple Japanese dish. Simply take a raw egg and put it on some rice. If you’re feeling extra adventurous you could always mix some soy sauce in with the egg for an added zing.

Being so simple you’d think it doesn’t really matter how you get it. However, our ever-plumping reporter Kuzo recently found a place that serves up a tamago kake gohan like no other. For starters, the eggs have yolks so strong that you can pick them up with your fingers.

■  Give it a pinch!

The first surprise of this shop called Tamago Kake Gohanya Akane Nojo is the raw egg that comes with your tamago kake gohan. This egg is called Tsumande Goran, whose name – with “tamago” (egg) sometimes being read “ran” – means both “Pinching Egg” and “Give it a pinch!”

If you follow what the name says you’ll be surprised to find that you can lift the yolk out of the white part of the egg simply by giving it a pinch and lifting it up. Kuzo tried it for himself and sure enough he could hold the yolk in his fingers for quite some time!

Japanese people tend to be bolder than others when it comes to eating raw egg, but even if you’re squeamish about it, there’s no need to worry. These eggs are certified by the Ministry of Health and Welfare who state that “at this time even if salmonella is contained in Tsumande Goran it is not enough to cause food poisoning.” Actually, in recent testing there has been zero trace of salmonella or campylobacter found in these eggs.

■  The dining experience

Pinching egg yolks is fun and all, but the point of going to a restaurant like Akane Nojo is to have a good meal. Luckily, they deliver on all fronts when it comes to quality too. The thickness of the yolk has a surprisingly mellow flavor but tasted much fresher than other eggs. Kuzo had expected it to leave a filmy sensation on his mouth but he felt clean as a whistle and the egg had a pleasant aftertaste.

This unique yolk also matched perfectly with the miso soup they served, which had a deep heartiness to it. The rice was firm and perfectly cooked, and there was a wide selection of fresh toppings to add to the tamago kake gohan if desired.

All in all, Akane Nojo was one pleasant surprise after another that just kept getting better and better. Tamago kake gohan is a rather simple dish but one that this shop took to the limits of greatness in what Kuzo himself describes as “truly exquisite cuisine and quite possibly the best tamago kake gohan I have ever eaten.”

Information
Tamago Kake Gohan Akane Nojo
9-154 Kamikawabata, Hakata, Fukuoka, Fukuoka
11:00am – 8:00pm, seven days a week

Original report by Kuzo
Photos and video: RocketNews24

***All of the photos in this article can also be viewed in high-quality 3D. You can download the .zip file here then unzip and enjoy. The files are .mpo format and can be viewed on a Nintendo 3DS or 3D capable television or computer.***


[ Read in Japanese ]