Tai Meshi: Ehime's Sea Bream Rice, Two Very Different Styles

Ehime has two distinct dishes both called tai meshi, and they're prepared nothing alike. The Uwajima-style version, from the southern city of Uwajima, is essentially a raw-fish donburi: thin slices of sea bream sashimi are marinated briefly in a sauce built from raw egg, sesame, and dashi, then poured over a bowl of hot rice and mixed together at the table. It's fast to eat and closer in spirit to a rice bowl than a formal seafood dish, which surprises visitors expecting something more elaborate.

The Matsuyama-style version is the opposite approach: a whole sea bream, or large fillets, is cooked directly in a pot together with rice, dashi, and seasonings, closer to a takikomi gohan than a rice bowl. Once cooked, the fish is flaked and folded through the rice before serving. Because both dishes share the same name, it's worth checking which style a menu means before ordering. Sea bream is considered an auspicious fish in Japan, so both versions traditionally appear at festive meals in Ehime.