“Saba-ga-” from Tosashimizu

Of Kochi’s mackerel, Shimizu mackerel or Shimizu saba is the most famous.

Blue mackerel, which is caught and offloaded at Tosashimizu Port, is branded as “Shimizu Saba”. Creatively, they made a burger out of this fresh saba! This wonderful idea was the fruit of three local ladies in Tosashimizu City who were responsible for inventing a local specialty for the area, which became a hit at a local bakery. The name “Saba-ga-” came from combining saba and “burger” (ba-ga-).

Fried saba is dipped in soy sauce with ground ginger and garlic, with homemade pickles, mayonnaise and lettuce sandwiched between buns. It’s hearty and the combination of bread and saba is good! For a double patty the price is ¥380, which can be pronounced “sa ba” in Japanese. What an artful pun! (A single-patty burger is ¥200)

This burger has been made with the love and enthusiasm to enliven Tosashimizu and to provide mothers with something for the kids to consume that is healthy and safe. It is well and truly worth the travel to go to Tosashimizu just for this burger.

●Shop: Bake Shop Pommier
1-16 Tenjin-cho, Tosashimizu City
Tel: 0880-82-0143
(orders by phone available if you’re afraid of it selling out)

●Tosashimizu is located at the southern most point of Shikoku. Famous tourist places are Cape Ashizuri and Kongofuku-ji Temple which is the 38th temple on the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage. Also, it is known as the birth place of John Manjiro, who is one of the most famous historical people. There are many other attractions too. (Around 3 hours from Kochi City by car)

Taken and modified from vol.40 (February & March 2011. Kochi’s Original Dishes)