Kawaramachi Izumiya — Restaurant in Gifu

Here's the place to go if you are craving for noodles and at the same time, interested to try Ayu (sweetfish), Gifu's local specialty. The noodles at Kawaramachi Izumiya are springy and they are topped with a perfectly grilled Ayu and there's a light hint of smoky flavor in the soup base - a perfect light lunch. The chef must have spent 15mins grilling the Ayu. A bowl costs about 1250 Yen. All that heart and soul into preparing food makes simple food taste fantastic. There are also souvenirs for sale such as Ayu and pickled foods (tsukemono). About 5mins walk from the nearby...

Adieu mon amour, Ayu... Parting is such sweetfish sorrow... Yikes, my wallet feels 3,000 yen lighter.

Izumiya, renown for its unique take on the local bony river fish, the ayu/sweetfish, proudly demonstrates how versatile this ingredient can be as a ramen-topping, a pate, a mousse, and more.

Needless to say, such craft does not come cheap, as a few bites of "lunch" can easily set you back 2,000 yen... but oh, is the quality and care worth all the money in all of Gifu.

The ayu ramen featured a satisfyingly balanced broth, topped with a masterfully-roasted and butterflied slab...

We didn't know dinner required prior reservation, but they were kind and welcomed us. The ayu fish was excellent. They not only have English menus, they also have explanations on how to enjoy the food. The meal sets are designed just nice to provide a good experience of the local food. We also bought some food products we...