History

Mizutaki traces to the late-19th-century Meiji era in Hakata, when Western influence brought the practice of simmering meat for stocks. The form codified at Suigetsu, founded 1905 in Hakata, and now runs through Toriden and Hakata Mizutaki Hanamidori. The cook is single-product fine dining: a whole chicken plus water and salt simmered six to seven hours, served with the broth as the first pour and the meat as the second course. Zosui rice porridge closes the meal. Today the dish is a Fukuoka winter signature though Toriden and Hanamidori run it year-round.

Common allergens: Egg, Soy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 6 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken (around 1.5kg), brand-chicken if possible
  • Sea salt
  • Spring onions, green parts only
  • 30g ginger, sliced
  • Cabbage, garlic chives, mushrooms, tofu, daikon: 800g vegetable mix
  • 400g Japanese short-grain rice (for zosui finish)
  • Yuzu ponzu and yuzu pepper, for serving
  • Eggs, for the zosui

Method

  1. Joint the whole chicken into 8 pieces. Reserve the carcass.
  2. In a stockpot, cover the carcass plus drumsticks with 3.5L cold water, two pinches of salt, spring-onion tops and ginger. Bring slowly to a bare simmer, skim, then hold at 90C for 6 hours. The broth must not boil hard, only quiver.
  3. Strain. Return the broth to a clay pot or shallow casserole over the table burner.
  4. Add the breast and thigh meat to the broth, simmer 6 minutes. Skim. Lift the cooked meat to a side plate.
  5. Add cabbage, mushrooms, daikon and tofu to the broth. Simmer 8 minutes. Add garlic chives at the close.
  6. Serve broth in cups first as the appetiser, then chicken with ponzu and yuzu pepper, then vegetables. For zosui, finish with cooked rice and beaten eggs in the remaining broth, cook 3 minutes.

Tip from the editors. A bare simmer at 90C is the difference between mizutaki and a chicken stew. Use a thermometer and never let the broth boil.

Where to eat mizutaki

Mizutaki in Fukuoka

Hakata Mizutaki Toriden Honten ★ 4.6

JapaneseChef Toriden team¥¥¥¥¥6,600-12,100hakataMon-Fri 11:30-14:00, 17:00-22:00, Sat-Sun 11:30-22:00Book 1 to 2 weeks ahead

Toriden's mizutaki course is single-product fine dining: home-bred Kyushu chicken simmered six to seven hours into a creamy yellow broth, with golden ponzu.

Tip: TENJIN course at 6,600 yen per person is the most-ordered entry; the premium course adds more chicken cuts.

Hakata-ku, Fukuoka 812-0027, Japan Book →

Mizutaki Ryotei Hakata Hanamidori Tenjin ★ 4.3

JapaneseChef Hanamidori team¥¥¥¥¥7,500-12,000imaizumiSat-Sun 11:30-15:00, Tue-Sat 17:00-23:00, Sun 17:00-22:00Book 1 week ahead

Single-product mizutaki room in Imaizumi using the Hanamidori chicken raised on seaweed-and-herb feed at the operator's own northern Kyushu farm.

Tip: Weekend lunch is the easier entry; weekday dinner takes a day or two ahead.

Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-0021, Japan Book →

Hakata Hanamidori Hakata Ekimae ★ 4.5

Japanese¥¥¥¥hakataMon-Sat 17:00-23:00, Sun 17:00-22:00

Hanamidori at Hakata Station sits in JR Hakata City, within walking distance of the shinkansen gate. Same kitchen as Imaizumi flagship, faster turnover.

Signature: Mizutaki chicken hotpot, Yakitori starter platter, Zosui rice porridge

Order: Mizutaki course with the rice-porridge zosui finish.

Tip: Reserve through Savor Japan; weekday lunches are easier than weekend dinners.

Hakata-ku, Fukuoka 812-0012, Japan

Hakata Mizutaki Toriden Yakuin ★ 4.6

Japanese¥¥¥¥yakuin

Toriden's Yakuin branch is quieter than the Hakata flagship and runs the same six-hour chicken broth. Tatami rooms upstairs, counter on the ground floor.

Signature: Mizutaki six-hour chicken broth, Goma saba mackerel, Chicken zosui finish

Order: Mizutaki TENJIN course at 6,600 yen per person.

Tip: Reserve through TableCheck; weekday dinners are easier than Saturday nights.

Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-0022, Japan

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