aceto
Italian Cuisine and the Tango Terroir
Tango rice vinegar maker Iio Jozo owns and operates Aceto, a restaurant in central Miyazu that serves southern Italian cuisine. The restaurant, which opened in 2017, is situated inside a renovated 120-year-old townhouse. Akihiro Iio, the head of Iio Jozo, wants to “further revitalize the town of Miyazu through food.” Although Miyazu is known for its great produce, the local restaurant scene is still not well known due to the large number of day-trip visitors. Iio sees aceto as an opportunity to increase the number of people who visit Miyazu for the purpose of dining.
Chef Yasuhiko Shige took up the challenge laid down by Iio, and his creative cuisine is pleasing the palates and winning the hearts of visitors to Miyazu. After training in Sicily, Shige spent a long time in Tokyo, and is a leading authority on Sicilian cuisine in Japan. “When I came to Tango, I was surprised by the freshness of the ingredients. The fishermen even deliver the fish directly to the restaurant,” says Shige. In order to bring out the best in the local produce, which he says are both “fresh and delicate in flavor,” Shige’s approach is to “make the most of the terroir of the Tango region, from the ingredients to the seasoning”.
For example, the fresh fish is salted with Tango seawater, and the fish intestines, which are usually discarded, are simmered to create a rich broth. So as not to spoil the simple sweetness and texture of the local ingredients, Shige uses nuka (rice bran) instead of butter or fresh cream. To give a gentle richness and body to sauces at aceto, he also adds leftover sake lees from vinegar production at Iio Jozo. Their specialty risotto made using fermented brown rice is “a culmination of the flavors of Tango”.
This is the antipasto from the day we visited aceto. Fresh morsels such as sea bream and sweet shrimp are prepared as carpaccio or tartar and beautifully arranged. Seasonal vegetables are grilled to bring out their sweetness and prepared as a caponata.
Iio Jozo rice vinegar adds light acidity and aroma to dishes, while giving a dish a more polished appearance. There is also a bright red vinegar made from sweet potatoes that can be enjoyed as a refreshing cocktail.
This is the primo piatto on the day of our visit: Squid Ink Tortellini and Tagliatelle Miyazu Pescatore. The aroma of the sea and the rich umami of the fresh seafood ingredients will bring a smile to your face.
“The bounty of the region gives us hints on how to combine ingredients and create our menu,” Shige says. “I want my dishes to tell the unique story of Miyazu.” As they want diners to stay overnight in Miyazu and fully experience the charm of the region, aceto is open only for dinner. Those that visit know that it is well worth it.
