ORTO

A hot pot starring rare badger makes a distinctive choice. ORTO’s menu, under the name Hōbi Nabe orto., includes badger hot pot in a miso broth with vegetables such as rooted Japanese parsley and burdock. It comes with udon or fried rice cakes to finish the meal. The menu lists it at ¥6,000 and notes that it is available in limited quantities, until sold out.

One diner who tried the badger hot pot recalled that, despite its rich appearance, the meat had a sweetness and was easy to eat without feeling greasy. Spring rolls and seared mackerel sushi were also ordered as small plates. If you would like something to start with before gathering around the pot, the menu also lists spicy Kuma shrimp and mountain vegetable spring rolls and seared mackerel sushi with blue cheese. The spring rolls are listed at ¥800, and the sushi at ¥1,000.

There is also a choice of ingredients and finishing dishes. One spring hot pot brings together firefly squid, clams, surf clams, mountain vegetables and seaweed; it comes with either a grilled rice ball with butterbur miso or nyūmen, warm somen noodles in broth. Another features cherry sea bream briefly dipped in a sesame broth made with grilled sea bream bones, alongside rich sea bream milt, bamboo shoots and spring vegetables. Its finishing choices are tantan noodles or sea bream dashi ochazuke. Both are listed at ¥5,000; the pot you choose also determines how the meal ends.

For a set meal, the menu materials list a ¥5,800 course with 2–3 individual dishes, a seasonal hot pot, a matching finishing dish and dessert. A seasonal hot-pot course at ¥10,000 combines 5 small plates with a hot pot, a finishing dish and dessert. Dishes may change with the seasons, so check when booking if there is a particular pot you have in mind.