Toro Toro Toro

Do you know what Toro is? Toro and chu-toro are the fattiest cuts of bluefin tuna. It’s considered a delicacy in Japan, and here in the U.S. as well. But that wasn’t always the case, many years ago, it used to be thrown away or given to restaurant staff because it was considered scraps. The most desirable cut was the Akami or the lean red meat of the tuna. Soon restaurant patrons got hip to the melt in your mouth luscious flavor of toro and chutoro. 

Guess what? We have both Chutoro and Akami on the menu at Tampopo Kitchen, because we butcher our own tuna loins!  I dare you to try chutoro with our house aged soy sauce and not fall in love with the melt in your mouth flavor (check out our tuna don- we serve tuna 3 ways). This is what people wait in line for five hours at Tsukiji Market in Tokyo for, and we’ve brought it here where you can get it down the street. 

Another fun fact about tuna: a lot of tuna sold in Japan actually comes from New England! It’s always fun to look at the invoice on the fish and see where it came from. Last week was the Mediterranean, maybe next week we will get Maine or Massachusetts, that is, if Japan doesn’t get it first. 

Anyway, we love the robust melt in your mouth flavor of Toro and Chutoro, and we hope you try it someday soon!