Unacho うな兆櫃まぶし, Plaza Senayan, Jakarta

Unacho is one of the newest Japanese restaurants in Jakarta that I had been expecting for quite a while. Whenever I went to Plaza Senayan, I would normally check whether it had been operating or not. Last weekend, I found out that Unacho is open so without hesitation, I decided to have late dinner there.

The first thing I want to know is the origin of the restaurant, whether it has any connection to any chain in Japan or not.

Of course, right?

From some Japanese blogs who live in Jakarta, I concluded that Unacho opened since late October, and as quoted from the website, Unacho offers Nagoya’s Specialty Eel dish or popularly known as “Hitsumabushi”. Apparently this Unacho is connected to the one in Japan, brought to Indonesia by Indonesian owner but the head chef is Japanese. That brings quite a relief for me, at least.

Located in the most corner of 2nd floor in Plaza Senayan, it will be easier to spot that from ZARA store. From outside, it looks so simple, just typical Japanese fine dining restaurant around the block. We were greeted by polite waitresses dressed in kimono, for a while, I was taken away by the ambiance and warm welcome that remind me of Japan.

Definitely not a bad starter! 🙂

The restaurant is not spacious kind, but the excellent usage of space needs to be acknowledged. It’s Japanese-style of partition that makes the place looks even more elegant and private, super ideal for business meetings, casual gatherings or even private dates. Still with the same ol’ wooden furniture, the interior is simple yet sleek, made me feel comfortable the moment I stepped in.

Beside unagi dishes, Unacho also offers many “lighter” dishes that can be enjoyed as appetizers or even main course.

Of course, my recommendation is, if you decide to stop by, you should try their Hitsumabushi as it’s the signature dish and as far as I know, it’s the first (and currently, the only one) in Jakarta.

Hitsumabushi is Nagoya-style charcoal-grilled eel put on top of hot piping rice. Nagoya-style of cooking eel is slitting the eel open along the belly and grill whole without steaming. The eating procedure is also unique.

1. Divide the whole eel dish into four portions.
2. Put the first portion into a separated bowl and enjoy as it is.
3. Put the second portion and put on some condiments (spring onions, wasabi, seaweed, sansho pepper) to your taste and enjoy the new flavor.
4. Put the third portion and pour the broth over it to make a soupy dish.
5. Put the forth portion and enjoy it the way you like.

Isn’t it interesting?

Since I ordered this for myself (technically hitsumabushi also can be shared because of its big portion), I chose the one single layer. There are also options of One and Half Layer (IDR 275K) and Double Layer (IDR 350K), which is probably a good idea if you wanna share with others. The portion is literally big, and the unagi really covered the rice, which is a good thing. I did my homework and followed the instruction thoroughly, and I couldn’t be more impressed.

First of all, the unagi itself is thick, soft and chewy, very delicious. The sauce was also perfectly spread, making it sweet and savory, giving it the best taste possible. Irresistibly addictive!

My favorite is just enjoy as it is, no additional condiments, no broth, nothing else. Because the bowl is already perfectly delicious just the way it is. But of course, it depends on one’s preference so I still recommend you to try following the steps to complete your hitsumabushi experience 🙂

A little tips though: if you feel that the sauce is too strong for you, pouring the broth over it will help a lot in neutralizing the taste!

 

Unajyu Tororo Gake IDR 170K
This rice topped with charcoal-grilled eel and Japanese grated yam is another version of Unacho’s unajyu. Unagi was excellent and the grated yam gave totally different taste into it. To be honest, it was not that tasty, but had little hint of sweetness and combined perfectly with the seasoned unagi. It is refreshing and unique, to be exact.

This was our pick for the side dish, which was superb. I love cold Japanese side dishes or appetizers, and this complimented our unagi dishes perfectly. The egg tofu pudding was soft and smooth but not too fragile, slides nicely in the mouth. On the bottom, there is the seasoned kanten jelly, which added texture and light taste to the plate.

All I can say is: Well-executed dish! *thumbs up*

Warabi Mochi is mochi made from bracken starch and typically covered by kinako (sweet toasted soybean flour). Yes, the kinako version is available too in Unacho but we preferred the matcha one. It is different from mochi that is made from glutinous rice.

This Warabi Mochi has softer, stickier texture than usual mochi. It almost has no taste (sweetness) so usually it is served with brown sugar syrup. With it, the taste is perfect and more enjoyable as a dessert.

This seasonal fruit jelly served with vanilla sauce can be a good option for dessert. Maybe it’s not that special but I found it extra refreshing and fruits are ALWAYS nice to end the meal. The vanilla sauce was a bit milky for me, though, but still acceptable.

From my first visit, my experience was totally great and it lived up to my expectation. Great food, excellent ingredients and servings, informative and helpful service, beautiful ambiance and peaceful surroundings. Definitely recommended although the prices are not too pocket-friendly. But trust me, it’s worth every cents you spend.