Murata Restaurant：Hailed as "Japanese Food Ceiling"🇯🇵 Monkfish Liver

🐟 Hidden Menu Hit: Steamed Monkfish Liver, Creamier Than Foie Gras The unlisted Steamed Monkfish Liver was the biggest surprise! Served in a tiny lacquer bowl, the thick slices of liver glowed pale pink, like frozen cream. Spooning a bite into my mouth, I nearly closed my eyes in delight—it was as silky as "foie gras from the sea," melting on my tongue with a clean briny freshness, no fishiness at all. Compared to what I’d had in Seattle, this liver was richer, with a sweet aftertaste. I practically licked the bowl clean🥹. 🍤 Fried Dishes: Tempura as "Japanese Food Litmus Test," Tonkatsu with Sauce for Three Bowls of Rice The moment the fried platter arrived, I got why people say "tempura is the test of good Japanese food"—the shrimp tempura had a coating as thin as a cicada’s wing, crunching when bitten, while the shrimp inside was tender enough to bounce, fresh as if just pulled from the sea. Vegetable tempura was equally great: pumpkin soft, eggplant soaked in oil but not greasy, dipped in light tentsuyu sauce, perfectly refreshing. The tonkatsu was even more impressive: sliced "just right" in thickness, golden and crispy outside, with tender pork inside that pulled apart in strands, meaty aroma. Drizzled with special tonkatsu sauce, sweet and salty, it went with white rice so well I polished half a bowl without thinking. The only funny part? The wasabi mayo, squeezed into a wobbly little blob like a sleepy fat kid—surprisingly good for cutting greasiness🤣. 🍣 Sushi: Order What You Love—Scallop and Chuu Toro Won My Heart The sushi bar displayed fresh fish of the day, and the chef happily recommended, but ordering by preference paid off : Uni was decent, piled high in orange mounds—sweet, but overshadowed by the monkfish liver; Scallop sushi was a must! The scallop was thicker than a coin, chewy with sea sweetness, pairing with tangy vinegar rice for a burst of freshness; Eel sushi was glazed in thin teriyaki, the meat tender enough to mash, sauce sweetness taming any fishiness, with a hint of char; Chuu Toro (medium fatty tuna) stole the show, with marbling like marble, melting on the tongue, fatty richness mixing with vinegar tang—I wanted to borrow the chef’s knife to slice fish at home～ 🅿️ Bonus: Cheaper Than Seattle, Free Parking Most surprising? The price—with monkfish liver, fried dishes, and 6 pieces of sushi, the per-person cost was less than similar spots in Seattle. Plus, the parking garage next door is free with a receipt—total win for drivers! Staring at the sukiyaki picture on the menu as I left, I’m already planning my next visit: come hungry, eat from monkfish liver to sukiyaki, and try everything I missed. Eating such good Japanese food in a tax-free state? Pure joy. No wonder locals say, "No need to drive to Seattle for good sushi"—Murata really delivers. #PortlandEats #MurataRestaurant