02/24/2022
A Slimy Meal at MANEKI with Bizarre Foods’ Andrew Zimmern : 2011 gastrolust.com
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Last night, I had a chance to meet Zimmern at MANEKI, chosen partly due to its heritage of being over 100 years old. Owner Jean Nakayama consulted with me about the menu and decided to do “neba neba” foods, thinking she’d slime Zimmern. He ate at the bar, with Nakayama playing co-star with her usual grace and gift of gab.
With prime seating in the adjoining tatami room, I watched Zimmern work his way through the gooey menu, tantalized by the textures and talking approvingly about the smells and flavors of the dishes. (“It’s cheesy, but in a good way,” he commented at one point.) The man knows food and appreciates Japanese cuisine.
With no fear of bizarre food, I told Nakayama “I’ll have what he’s having” and indulged in the house-made ika shiokara (fermented squid guts). I also enjoyed the rare opportunity to try imogara (dried taro stems), which Nakayama brought back from Chiba, Japan. She also served mekabu (the slimy, flowering sprout of kelp—some call it the ge****ls of kelp with its gooey threads) accompanied by kazunoko konbu (herring roe on kelp), which I’ve savored previously at Shiro’s. The roe is like bubble wrap in the mouth, each bite an explosion full of delicious ocean to swallow.
Motsu ni is a favorite dish I’ve had in Japan, as I’m game for tripe anytime. The meal ended with a neba neba bowl of natto (fermented soybeans), okra, and raw maguro (tuna), and ikura (salmon eggs).
..He (Zimmern) was thrilled with his meal at MANEKI and all of his experiences so far in Seattle, and was looking forward to digging up some geoduck today.
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![MANEKI Karaage Gold 💛 Crispy and bursting with tender seasoned chicken.Thank you Peter Morada Peter Morada] for sharing ...](https://img3.restaurants10.com/265/952/425797832659524.jpg)
