HCMC diners will have the opportunity to savor two unique specialties of Japan available only in autumn, sanma fish and Matsutake mushrooms, which are on offer at the Yoshino Restaurant on level 1 of the Lotte Legend Hotel Saigon this October.
Matsutake, a rare type of mushroom that can only be found in pine forests in Japan, is treasured by Japanese chefs thanks to its nutrition, fragrance and flavor. In Japan and Okinawa, this delicacy is threatened with extinction. The pine forests which are needed for its growth are being decimated by nematodes which attack the roothairs of the trees.
The mushroom can be cooked with rice and soup, or blended well with chicken or fish.
Sanma or Mackerel Pike usually comes with the advent of autumn, but can be found in mid-winter in Shizuoka Prefecture. Known under other names like “Saira” and “Banjyo”, it is a fish with red meat rich with proteins. In season, the flesh is fatty and sweet. The fish is served as sushi, sashimi, grilled with grated daikon and lemon or as deep-fried head and bones.
The promotion is recommended by the hotel’s Japanese chef Shimizu Hiroyuki at Yoshino Restaurant of the Lotte Legend Hotel Saigon at 2A-4A Ton Duc Thang Street in HCMC’s District 1.