The Least Useful Guide to Fukuoka

In my understanding the Itoshima-Age is a slightly thinner version of of thick fried bean curd (Atsuage or 厚揚げ）. Because of its thinness which provide larger surface area in contact with oil, Itoshima-Age is more satisfying than Atsuage and works well as an alternative protein source to meat. 

In order to protect our household budget against ever rising price of meat, I use it to bulk up the amount of protein in place of meat meat. No need the pricy soya meat.

However, this Itoshima-age has recently become increasingly hard to buy, perhaps because more people think the same way with me. It is available, but goes very quickly. 

For example, at my neighborhood Marukyo where I can usually buy it for around 100 yen, the shelves dedicated for Itoshima-Age tend to become empty in the afternoon. Even in the morning, I have to go relatively early to avoid disappointment. At higher-end glossary stores where a pack of Itoshima-Age is priced at around 148 yen, Itoshima-Age tends to be available even in in the afternoon. Plus, I don't know why, but I think that the Itoshima-Age at such stores tend to bear a somewhat longer best-before date.

糸島揚げは、私の中では薄目の厚揚げ。薄い分中身に対する皮（？耳？外側の茶色い部分）の面積が広く、その分食べ応えがあるような気がします。

肉が高騰しているので、家では肉を減らし、その分糸島揚げでかさ増しするようにしています。安い大豆ミートという感じです。

同じように考える人も大勢いると見え、最近糸島揚げが買いにくくなってきました。ないことはないんだけど、すぐに品切れになってしまうのです。

近所のマルキョウ（大体100円前後で売ってる）では、昼過ぎに行くともう買えません。午前中でも比較的早い時間に行かないとダメ。比較的高い店（1パック148円くらい）だと、午後でも買えます。また、どういうわけかそういうお店の糸島揚げは賞味期限が長いような気がします。