Nongoro

For seasonal dishes, look to tecchiri hotpot in winter and hamo in summer. At Nongoro, a meal centred on a pot of fugu (pufferfish) offers a different experience from one featuring hamo. Diners have mentioned tessa (thinly sliced raw fugu), lightly blanched hamo and an assortment of three kinds of sashimi. Menu options also include hamo hotpot, tessa and tecchiri. Make the hotpot the centrepiece, or add sashimi and blanched hamo to sample a range of fish dishes. A tempura assortment and seared bonito are other choices to build a meal around.

Some diners have paired a tecchiri course with milt and fried fugu, a choice for an evening when you want to try several fugu dishes rather than just hotpot. Fried fugu, grilled fugu and fugu rice porridge to finish are also menu options. Alongside a meal devoted to fugu, you could choose sashimi of sea bream or greater amberjack, or grilled turban shell.

Beer and other alcoholic drinks are available to accompany the fish dishes. The izakaya serves small plates and takes reservations, making it a practical option for a group dinner. Nongoro is in Orinosato, Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka City, and closes on Tuesdays. Dinner is served on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 17:00 until 0:00 the following day.