On this trip to Nagoya, I ate at three famous eel restaurants. Sumiyaki Unafuji is also Michelin-recommended, so this was something of a pilgrimage. I was very lucky to get a last-minute reservation through Tabelog that day, and there was no wait at all when I arrived, which was definitely a big plus!
First, the eel itself. Of the three restaurants, I thought this one had the best-quality and largest eel, with the most pronounced eel flavor. However, it didn't have the same especially fragrant, crispy charcoal-grilled texture as the other two and was instead closer to the Kanto style. I thought the sauce was just average, and overall, the unagi rice felt relatively light.
I ordered the Deluxe and Premium options. The main difference was the portion size, and there wasn't any noticeable difference in eel quality. If you don't have a big appetite, the regular unagi rice is enough. The only condiments were wasabi and green onions, with no nori, and both the wasabi and green onions were fairly subtle. The broth wasn't particularly impressive either, and the portion was a little smaller than at the other two restaurants.
The soup, however, left a very good impression! The clams in it were huge—just one was very satisfying. The limited menu also includes eel liver, but it was already sold out that evening. If you want to try it, you may have a better chance at lunchtime.
