"Bolga rice" is a popular dish in Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture. The unfamiliar word "Bolga" makes it hard to imagine what kind of food it is.

However, it is a local B-class gourmet food that is eaten on a daily basis, and is sold in local supermarkets and even included in school lunches.

Let's explore the characteristics and history of the mysterious "Volga rice."

Characteristics of Volga rice

Volga rice is a hearty dish of omurice topped with pork cutlet and sauce. It is a one-plate dish of popular Western dishes. Sometimes vegetables are served on the side. There is no strict definition of Volga rice, and the variety is one of its charms.

The rice in omurice can be ketchup rice or pilaf. Volga rice is often topped with pork cutlet, but depending on the restaurant it can be chicken cutlet or fried shrimp.

There are various sauces such as demi-glace sauce, tomato sauce, white sauce, etc. However, curry sauce is not allowed because pouring curry over it makes it into a different dish.

You can enjoy the different appearances and flavors of Volga rice depending on the restaurant. Every restaurant serves Volga rice using their own special omelet rice and sauces.

There are various styles, but the one to try is the "Premium Volga Rice," which uses more than three types of local ingredients. It's a luxurious dish that allows you to enjoy local ingredients.

The unique Volga rice is also popular

Volga ramen and Volga ice cream are being created one after another. There are also some easy-to-eat products, so I'd like to introduce a few of them.

"Bol-ka" is a type of rice cracker that recreates the flavor of Volga rice. The aroma of ketchup and demi-glace sauce and the light, crispy texture are addictively delicious.

There is also a pressed sushi type called "Dokodemo Volga Rice." The cut cutlet and omelet rice are soaked in demi-glace sauce, so you can eat them on the go.

They also sell "Volga Rice Sauce," which was developed in collaboration with Otafuku Sauce and can be used to recreate the taste of Volga Rice just by pouring it on.

Origin of the name Volga rice

The origin of the name Volga rice is shrouded in mystery and there are several theories about its origin.

There is a Russian dish called "Bolga" that uses eggs, and it was named "Bolga rice" because it is the same egg dish. Another theory is that it was named "Bolga rice" because it resembles a dish eaten in the Bolgana region of Italy.

Another popular theory is that the name "Volga rice" comes from the image of the omelet rice, which is the Volga River in Russia, and the raft crossing the river, which is the image of pork cutlet.

History of Volga rice

It is said that Volga rice was already around as early as 1980, but the details of how it came about and the shop where it originated are unknown, and there are various theories about it.

The owner of Ishikawa, a Western restaurant founded in 1981 (now closed), says that he started making omurice after a local customer asked him, "If they have omurice, you can make it, right?"

Also, it is said that Kusunoki-ya (now closed), which was located on Hisago Street in Asakusa, Tokyo, made a Western-style katsudon named after the Volga-Don Canal in the 1950s. Later, a chef who worked at Kusunoki-ya came to Fukui and taught how to make it to Cafe de Imari (now closed), which was founded in 1986, and it became a popular menu item and spread widely.

In 2010, the Japan Volga Rice Association was established. The Japan Volga Rice Association disseminates information about Volga rice and introduces delicious restaurants. Currently, the number of restaurants serving Volga rice has increased, and it can be eaten all over Fukui Prefecture.

Although Volga rice is loved in Fukui, according to Hatano Tsubasa, president of the Japan Volga Rice Association, there are currently no plans to enter a stall at events such as the B-1 Grand Prix. This is because Volga rice is a time-consuming dish to make and difficult to serve to a large number of people at once. So, if you want to try Volga rice, you should come to Fukui to try it.

Tourist information and access for Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture

Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture, where you can eat Volga rice, has many tourist attractions. The most famous tourist spot in Echizen City is Gotanjoji Temple.

Famous for its matchmaking, Gotanjoji Temple is a popular temple for couples. Gotanjoji Temple also takes in stray and abandoned cats, and is popularly known as the "Cat Temple" because many cats live there. It's soothing to watch the cats spend their time freely.

We recommend visiting Gotanjoji Temple at around 8:00 and 15:30, which are cat meal times. When meal times come, cats gather from nowhere. The monks' jobs include taking care of sick cats and cleaning the litter box. If a cat doesn't come to eat, the monks will go around knocking on the bowl of food to call it over. Tourists can be seen watching this.

Gotanjoji Temple is popular with cat lovers as it offers cat-themed goshuin notebooks, goshuin stamps covered in cats, and beckoning cat fortune-telling slips.

Fukui Echizen City, an attractive city for both gourmet food and sightseeing, can be reached in about 3 hours and 40 minutes by train from Tokyo Station. It takes about 2 hours from Osaka Station and Nagoya Station. From Kanazawa Station, it takes about 1 hour by express train.

We also recommend taking a leisurely drive there by car. Try finding the best way to get there.

Location of Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture

summary

Volga rice, which is an omelet rice topped with a cutlet, is very filling and perfect for lunch. The number of restaurants where you can eat it is increasing, so you can taste a variety of Volga rice. You can also have fun searching for your favorite Volga rice, such as the type of rice in the omelet rice, the type of cutlet, and the combination of sauces.

If you visit Fukui, be sure to try Volga rice.

\ We are looking for Tempo Star affiliates! /