Last year, I went on a family trip to Nagoya with my child. On the day before our return journey, we planned to visit the Nagoya Aquarium in the morning. In this post, I want to share how we enjoyed a dreamy treat at the Nagoya Aquarium: a lobster burger set made from fresh seafood caught in Ise Bay!
he Nagoya Port Aquarium is located at Nagoya Port Station. To get there, take the Meitetsu Line from Oe Station directly to the terminal station. We took the Meitetsu Line from Nagoya Station to Kinjo Station and transferred to the Meiko Line, getting off at the terminal station, Nagoya Port Station. It’s more cost-effective to use the SHORYUDO Nagoya Subway + Bus One-day Pass for ¥620, which can also be used to discount the aquarium ticket!
The focusdetails will be covered in the next article.
After spending the entire morning exploring the aquarium and covering a lot of ground, it was past 11 o’clock and we started feeling hungry. We heard there’s a Red Lobster restaurant here, an American chain. They have branches in other parts of Japan, including American Village in Okinawa. Each restaurant is located by the waterfront for easy access to fresh seafood for the day’s dishes. Before we knew it, we found ourselves at the Jetty building with a large red sign that read “Red Lobster” right in the center.
The Jetty is right next to the entrance and exit of the aquarium, and it’s filled with many restaurants. There’s a variety of options available, including Japanese cuisine, tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet), ramen, Italian food, and more.
We went straight up the escalator to the second floor, and right away, we saw the large lobster sign at the entrance of the restaurant! Here, besides lobster, you can also enjoy many authentic American dishes.
Even though it wasn’t yet lunchtime, almost all the people who, like us, arrived early to dine here had filled up the seats.
The waiter seated us by the window, where we could enjoy views of the sea and ships. We were excited to try American cuisine by the Nagoya port and see how it blends with the fresh seafood from Ise Bay.
In the evening, it transforms into a seafood restaurant and bar. They offer a wide variety of drinks, with the most popular being the bartender’s special fruit-infused cocktails.
The entire restaurant is spacious, with tables and chairs arranged in a wide layout throughout.
Before heading to Nagoya Port, we heard about this “Antarctic research ship” docked at the shore. Many locals from Nagoya would bring their children here specifically to see this cool ship. Now we can see it by our window.
The research ship is parked right next to the blue bridge pillar of Nagoya Port. Upon inquiry, we learned that we need to purchase another ticket to enter the research ship.
Just looking at the ship’s bright orange color against the blue sky and white clouds is really eye-catching.
Let’s take a look at the menu again. The lunch set is great for small groups of 2 to 4 people, with many popular dishes served in smaller portions, making it affordable and allowing you to enjoy a variety of flavors.
The prices are also reasonable! They also offer seasonal menus. When we came in February, we were lucky to enjoy the fresh seasonal seafood from Ise Bay in winter.
You chose the lobster first and then decide whether we want it steamed or baked.
The three of us ordered two set meals to share. Before the appetizers, we had crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside French rolls, served with delicious Hokkaido butter. It was so satisfying! This kind of butter often appears in breakfast at some Japanese hot spring resorts, and seeing it here was a small delight.
Appetizer – Thousand Island Shrimp Salad:
There’s a generous portion of shrimp, and they’re deliciously firm and sweet to chew.
This plate is so tempting ! A must-try for seafood lovers. The ingredients here are so fresh that you don’t necessarily need sauce; just a squeeze of lemon juice and it’s delicious!
Back to my trip to Okinawa many years ago, I also ate at Red Lobster in the local American Village. This dish has always been a signature lunch item, especially enjoyable when paired with Mexican salsa as a seafood appetizer.
Fresh scallops topped with a generous layer of thick salsa, and even the salsa itself is rich in ingredients. It’s made with various types of aromatic vegetables like onions, sweet red and yellow peppers, tomatoes, and celery, all mixed together to enhance the succulent and chewy freshness of the shellfish.
Scissors and picks are available on the table for cracking crab and other shellfish easily.
We really enjoy ordering fried food when we eat out. I’m a big fan of fried fried oysters. The dipping sauce that comes with it has a slightly sweet and tangy flavor that complements it really well.
The whole oyster is huge and plump, with a really crispy exterior. It’s not fishy at all; instead, it’s really sweet. When you take a bite, the rich seafood flavor of the oyster bursts in your mouth, making it incredibly juicy and moist.
It serves food pretty quickly. Finally, the highlight, the hamburger steak set, is here! This dish is like a dream combo for me – seafood lobster with delicious Japanese-style hamburger steak.
I’ve got to have a big bowl of rice to go with it to really enjoy it. Even the corn kernels are all gone in no time!
