Seven years ago, I bit into a delicate variety of seaweed called 耻尘颈-产耻诲ō, or “sea grapes.” I remember sampling a few dishes at Unjami, an Okinawan-style izakaya off Nakano Broadway in Tokyo (5-55-1 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo; 03-5345-5836), but the umi-budō stood out as something special. These tiny, grape-like beads are eaten fresh with vinegar sauce, and are unforgettable once you’ve had them.
So, on a recent business trip to Okinawa, I made it my goal to savor this delicacy on its island of origin. Ryukyu Dining Yamoriya in Nago (5-14-24 Agarie, Nago-shi, Okinawa; 0980-52-3008) did not disappoint. Superbly crisp, the little translucent green beads tasted as fresh as I’d hoped. The refined taste and delicate popping sensation confirmed my love for this treat.
Umi-budō have a shelf-life of only around a week, which is perhaps one reason you won’t find them in regular Tokyo supermarkets. At the airport in Naha they are available in souvenir boxes for around ?500 to ?1,000 (labeled as “green caviar,” though I much prefer the plant-friendly term “sea grapes“). I’ve since learned that you can buy them at Washita Shop in Ginza (1-3-9 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo; 03-3535-6991; and they are indeed staples at other Okinawan izakaya around the capital, such as Ryukyu Sakaba Gachimaya in Ebisu (1-13-3, Ebisu-Nishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; 03-6415-3708).
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