The exact level of consistency and quality we were looking for

I was at another restaurant when I first ate Senrei Scallops. I did not actually cook them, but because they were so delicious, I asked where the chef got the scallops. He told me they were Senrei Scallops – I thought, I have to try this.
Senrei Scallops are always frozen in excellent condition. Compared to what I used to use before, Senrei Scallops do not release water, and it maintained a good texture and fresh flavour. Also, they are juicier and much sweeter. This was the consistency and quality we were looking for – met all our needs. I personally made the decision to start using Senrei Scallops.

Usually, we slowly thaw the scallops by putting them on a rack overnight. When we come in the morning, it’s as if they are fresh. I would say 98% of our guest would not be able to tell the difference between Senrei Scallops and fresh ones. Our guests only have good things to say about them. We are constantly changing – we plan to add more new scallop dishes to our menu.

We chose based on quality and not on name recognition

Local ingredients are naturally fresh, and we can create dishes to highlight the freshness. But in and around Thailand, the sea is warmer; some seafood is good quality, some are not. This makes Japan our closest option, a country which is recognized for its high quality worldwide. We always receive fresh ingredients that are appropriately managed. Anytime we need an ingredient, we feel confident in our choice.

Other than Senrei Scallops, we also import other seafood from Japan, Hokki Gai from Hokkaido, where we also used to get scallops from. Hokkaido is a name that has the presence in the market worldwide. It’s like Kobe Beef. But for me, quality is more important than the area when choosing ingredients. It may be that some ingredients may have unique characteristics due to its location, or may only be available in certain areas – this is something I do take into consideration.

Because scallops are available worldwide, we were not particular about which area of Japan they were from, but instead was focused on the best quality. I know very little about Miyagi – so I would love to visit sometime.

First encounter with an unknown ingredient; sea pineapples

I have never seen sea pineapples before, but I am very interested in them. They smell and taste like sea urchins, but the texture is different. They have a level of elasticity similar to asari clams, and a very enjoyable texture. I intend to create something with sea pineapples in the near future, so I’ll let you know when we decide to include it on the menu. The type of cuisine that I’ll come up with is still a secret, but I am very much looking forward to it.

A new menu dish based on an image of L’Écume des jours (The Froth of Daydream), novel by French author Boris Vian.
A recipe that originally used sea urchin available at J’aime included an arrangement of Senrei’s steamed sea pineapples for industrial use.
It was added to the menu in the summer of 2019.

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