Been trying to play with local ingredients i came across in the market and here is a platter of a variety of dishes as an appetizer
Top to bottoms, right to left:
East Coast Canadian Unagi Battera
East Coast Canadian Mud puppies Nikogori (Jelly)
Shojin dashi poached Fava Beans
Devils Club Bud Tempura w/ Matcha Salt.
Mud puppies nikogori was a lot better than i thought it would be didnt expect some customers actually asks for more. It was more or less inspired by suppon nikogori (soft shelled turtle jelly) i recently have had in Japan (had a suppon themed dinner, best meal in jp, owner chef gramps and gran was so nice, learn lots from em)
Unagi was broiled in kansai manner (broiled from raw to cooked, skins crispy instead of the tenderness you get from kanto style unagi) since its a battera (ie kansai sushi)
Devils club bud tastes very similar to a japanese mountain vegetable called taranome or the bud/shoot of a angelica tree. Acquired taste but thats what great about mountain vegetables.
