Speaking of Kanazawa’s local delicacies, Kanazawa oden and crab come to mind first. Wanting to enjoy both, we had dinner at Ozeki (大衆割烹 大関), a popular spot near Korinbo. This restaurant is beloved by both locals and tourists, so making a reservation in advance is a must. When we arrived around 7 p.m., almost all the seats were already taken.
Their name “Ozeki” is deprived from Japanese sake “Ozeki”. They don’t have another Japanese sake. They have been serving Ozeki since they have started their business. Ozeki is now very popular Japanese sake. It’s inexpensive but tasty.
The name “Ozeki” comes from the well-known Japanese sake brand “Ozeki.” Interestingly, they exclusively serve this particular sake and have been doing so since they first opened. Ozeki is now a widely popular sake—affordable yet delicious.
We were seated at the counter, right in front of the oden pot! The aroma was irresistible, but we decided to save it for the end of our meal.
Our meal mainly featured Kanazawa’s local specialties. We started with Jibuni, a traditional dish made with simmered chicken seasoned with miso and other seasonings. It had a mildly sweet yet light flavor, and the wasabi added a nice contrast.
We initially wanted to try Kobako crab, but its season had already ended. Instead, we ordered snow crab, which was incredibly fresh and sweet. Though we weren’t sure of the exact price, the staff informed us that it was the same as Kobako crab, around 2,500 yen.
The brown crab meat was rich, and the white meat was delightfully sweet—Kanazawa truly has some of the best crabs! For reference, Kobako crab is available from October to December. Since it was already January, we had just missed the season.
Next, we had grilled black throat seaperch (Nodoguro). This prized fish, mainly caught in the Sea of Japan, is known for its rich, fatty flavor. The fine bones were crispy and added a unique texture.
Finally, it was time for oden. Kanazawa’s signature oden, Kani-men (a whole Kobako crab stuffed with roe and miso), is especially famous. Unfortunately, since Kobako crab was out of season, we ordered a selection of other oden items instead:
* Kurumafu (車麩, 130 yen)
* Kamaboko (かまぼこ, 130 yen)
* Shrimp tempura (えび天, 160 yen)
* Egg (たまご, 120 yen)
* Shinoda-maki (しのだ巻き, 320 yen)
* Daikon radish (大根, 300 yen)
* Whelk (梅貝, 500 yen)
Kurumafu, the large, wheel-shaped wheat gluten, soaked up the broth beautifully. Shinoda-maki, the pink fish cake resembling naruto, was another local specialty. Both were delicious and unique to Kanazawa.
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Name Ozeki (大衆割烹 大関)
Open Dinner
Reservation Available
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