A note on the words: motsunabe is a Hakata hotpot of simmered beef or pork offal, and mizutaki is a Fukuoka chicken hotpot built on a rich poultry broth; both are served here as part of the morning buffet for guests who missed them the night before. Natto are fermented soybeans, pungent and sticky, unohana is simmered okara (the nutrient-rich soy pulp left from making tofu), and tamago-dofu is a chilled savory egg custard, distinct from the hot chawanmushi it is easily mistaken for. Japchae is a Korean stir-fry of sweet potato glass noodles, ajinori are seasoned sheets of nori seaweed, and Itoshima vegetables are produce grown in nearby Itoshima, Fukuoka Prefecture.
Trattoria W Hakata ten on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
Everyone in Hakata, thank you for waiting! It is time for Hangover Meshi!
The hotel I stayed at in Hakata this time was KOKO HOTEL Premier Hakata. It seems there are a lot of KOKO HOTEL locations, and I even ended up taking a taxi to completely the wrong one, but the one by the Chikushi exit of Hakata Station, next to Yodobashi Camera (an electronics chain), is KOKO HOTEL Premier Hakata, so make sure not to mix them up! I was out drinking late in Hakata last night, but since the hotel had breakfast, I figured I had to go!
I summoned up my willpower, dragged myself out of bed at seven, and went down!
Now, when I actually got there, it turned out I had apparently received a voucher when checking in… I had not been aware of any such thing at all, but there it was inside the keycard holder! This time I managed to get in just by giving my room number, but keep an eye out, everyone.
I was still hungover after all, ha, but I was awake! Let’s go take a look at the buffet right away!!
Ah! Natto! Having these packs of natto (fermented soybeans) out is just the best!
Speaking strictly for myself, a pack of natto really seems to help with a hangover. There is also unohana (simmered okara, the soy pulp left from making tofu), simmered daikon, ajinori (seasoned nori sheets), and things like that!
Around here is the yoshoku (Japanese-style Western food) zone. Scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, sauteed pork, and so forth. Everything looks delicious, but with the state of my stomach right now it seems like a tough ask, ha ha.
Miso-grilled pork loin, japchae (the Korean glass-noodle stir-fry)!
I thought it was chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), but it turned out to be tamago-dofu (a chilled savory egg custard)!
Wait, ha, motsunabe? ha, wait, ha, mizutaki?
Mizutaki (a Hakata chicken hotpot) and motsunabe (a Hakata hotpot of beef or pork offal) right from the morning! How kind can people in Kyushu be, ha ha. For people who partied too hard and greeted the morning without managing to eat local specialties like mizutaki or motsunabe, they have motsunabe and mizutaki available right from breakfast. But since they are fairly oily and rich in flavor, might they be even better for a hangover than miso soup?! Taking some of this too!
The bread zone. A bit tough from the morning, maybe…
And this, I think, is probably the real highlight! A salad buffet featuring rare Itoshima vegetables (grown in Itoshima, Fukuoka Prefecture)!!! What a treat!! They really are thinking about hangovers!!!
Things like tomatoes and green salads are easy to eat even with a hangover, after all. This makes me happy.
So there you have it: the breakfast buffet at KOKO HOTEL Premier Hakata was a wonderful spread with a huge variety that even considers those with hangovers. I mean, if a buffet this good comes with it, why would anyone choose the no-breakfast plan! In the end, I had my fill of salad, motsunabe, and natto before heading out.
Here’s hoping for another encounter with delicious food today!
Trattoria W Hakata ten (Italian / Hakata Station, Higashi-Hie Station, Gion Station)
Tabelog lunch rating ★★★☆☆ 3.5
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
