Special occasions should always be celebrated.

But if your big birthday or anniversary plans have been scuppered by the latest lockdown, there’s still a way to serve a truly memorable meal in the comfort of your own home.

Japanese chef Takashi Miyazaki has dreamed up an exclusive new cook-at-home takeaway menu at the Michelin-starred restaurant ichigo ichie.

While the much-lauded dining room is currently closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, “Nabeya” is the unique ichigo ichie take on the takeaway. The name is a portmanteau of the words “Nabe” which means “hot pot” in Japanese, classic comfort food in Japan and “Ya”, which translate as “house” in Japanese.

‘Comfort food is exactly the hug that we need’

“Nabeya’ is typically a stew where ingredients like meat, fish, and vegetables are boiled together in a broth, but there are many different versions of this delicacy,” said Chef Miyazaki.

“Different ingredients are added, so the resulting soup will always be rich and tasty. Plus, in most cases, you get to finish off the remaining soup with rice or noodles. Comfort food is exactly the hug that we need to keep us warm for the cold days ahead.”

If your idea of the perfect takeaway is a three-in-one with extra crispy chicken balls, you should be aware this might not be your cup of tea.

There are three options to choose from; from the ‘Hakata Mizutaki’, which is an organic chicken broth with white sole, tofu, inaniwa udon, purple sprout, hakusai cabbage, shiitake, carrot, rocket and leek, finished with truffle zo-sui, rice, egg, scallion and black truffle, to the ‘Kaisen Miso Nabe’, a miso dillisk butter broth with Donegal deep-sea langoustine, Harty’s oyster, crab claw, organic salmon, yuba sheet and a mix of veggies.

How do I order?

The Nabeya ichigo ichie is €60 and designed to be shared by two people. It will be available for collection on Friday, October 23rd and Saturday, October 24th, 2020 between 4pm and 7pm at 5 Fenns Quay, Sheares Street.

Orders will only be taken over the phone (021- 427 9997) on Wednesday, October 21st and Thursday, October 22nd between 10am and 4pm and local foodies are already setting their alarms so set a reminder if you want to nab one for yourself.

In the meantime, the full menu will be revealed this week so keep an eye on Takashi Miyazaki’s Instagram feed.