"Fugu is a Japanese delicacy made from pufferfish, notorious for containing a deadly toxin (tetrodotoxin) in its liver, ovaries, and other organs, requiring highly specialized, licensed chefs to prepare it safely. It's served in various forms, including thinly sliced sashimi (tessa), hot pot (nabe), fried, or in sake (hirezake), prized for its unique texture and the thrill of its danger, though the flavor is often described as mild."

After meeting up with a friend for appetizers and some drinks in the Gado-shita area of Tokyo, we made our way to a nearby restaurant named "Guenpin Shibuya" to eat some fugu. After hanging out in the more laid-back izakayas on Gado-shita, I was a bit surprised by the restaurant. The interior was nicer than expected. This gave me some relief, since an upscale restaurant will be more likely to have higher standards for food safety than a run-of-the-mill restaurant.

We bought a package deal where we could try the fugu prepared in a few different ways. I had fugu sashimi, in a small salad, fried, in hot pot, in porridge made from the broth, and infused with sake. The texture of the fish varied wildly depending on the part of the fish and its preparation. Sashimi was the toughest, and fried was the most tender. The flavor of the fish itself was mild, so the seasonings did most of the heavy lifting.