Dreams on a platter? Try the Japanese caviar spaghetti and Shanghai soft shell

Fish roe and soft shell crabs have always been treasured by my family. Raised as we all were on the bountiful harvests from the open sea, mangrove forests, and fishponds around our village, we have deep appreciation for rare and seasonal food items and prepare them with much respect.

Grandma taught me how to carefully separate the egg sacs from the fish innards and set them aside to be cooked separately from the rest of the fish. The eggs, scraped from their thin sacs, were often simply sautéed fresh in garlic, onions, and tomatoes. On very rare times when there was a lot, they were carefully brined in sterile glass jars overnight with “angkak” (fermented Chinese red rice), cooked the next day with pork drippings, later served with sliced fresh kamias, green mangoes, and steamed vegetables.

Soft shell crabs are another special treat. Shunned by fish vendors as rejects, they are practically given away to be used as flavoring for “ginataan” dishes. I always buy them for their sweet taste and plump, creamy flesh. They are great additions to pinakbet, dinengdeng, paella, and bringhe.

JAPANESE PASTA—My favorite Manila-based Japanese chef Mizumoto “Hiro” Masahiro, the spirit behind Kitsho Restaurant and Sake Bar, surprised me last week with two dishes that he called new classics. The first was Japanese spaghetti with fish roe.

Pasta in a serious Japanese res- taurant? Yes, if it is the very Japanese Tarako spaghetti made with mullet roe, currently one of the most popular dishes for young and old all over Japan.

Made with spaghettini (thinner than spaghetti, thicker than angel hair) pasta, the dish is tinged red by the sparingly used sauce flavored with precious preserved mullet eggs that cling to each noodle strand. No salt, no cheese is added; all the deep layers of flavor come from extra virgin olive oil, fish roe, and Japanese spices that surprise the palate with a mild zing. A layer of toasted seaweed confetti crowns the pasta instead of grated Parmesan.

The second surprise was Shanghai soft shell crab sushi featuring crispy crab tempura rolled in sushi rice and drizzled with mild, creamy Japanese mayo. The dish offered contrasting textures and taste nuances that diners welcome with gusto.

ICE CREAM EXTRAVAGANZA— The rest of our meal featured other new classics: Diced steak, salmon with tartare sauce, scallops with sea urchin, grilled Norwegian salmon, shredded coleslaw.

A vast selection of homemade ice cream concoctions wrapped up the long leisurely lunch. Using nothing but fresh ingredients, Chef Hiro creates Italian gelato-style wasabi, green tea, and black sesame ice cream that are at once intriguing but light and refreshing.

I thoroughly enjoyed Chef Hiro’s colorful ice cream extravaganza of crunchy oreo, nuts, and sprinkles that was a feast to behold and to savor. It made me feel like a child in a carnival.

Chef Hiro promises to make his sauces and special ingredients available for aspiring cooks soon.

Kitsho Japanese Restaurant & Sake Bar is at the ground level of Hotel Jen Manila, right across the CCP on Roxas Boulevard. For reservations and details call hotline 02 994 36 23 or 02 795 888 extension 2312