Harutaka (1*,Kawabata Building 3F, 8-5-8 Ginza, tel. 03 3573 1144 )- the last sushiya from the sushi from Tokyo series this year. And my favorite so far. Harutaka Takahashi ( left) comes from Sukiyabashi Jiro "school", so you can see many similarities with Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi(and, i would guess with the original branch too). The rice was almost identical – each grain was very firm and separate.So different from another legendary sushi master Hachiro Mizutani , whose rice was much less al dente. The fish at Harutaka couldn't have been fresher or higher quality.Many people i spoke to ( Tokyo chefs or waiters), named Harutaka sushiya as their favorite. The chefs can't be wrong, no?

Harutaka's omakase…

The appetizer

Flounder

Tuna

Chutoro

Otoro

Eel

Squid

Sea urchin roll

Shrimp

Salmon roll roe

Ark shell clam

Clam

Scallop roll

Yellow tail (?)

?

Sea bream

Octopus

Egg omelette for a dessert

The father and the son – Jiro Ono and Yoshikazu Ono 

Those who have ever been eating out in Tokyo might know the difference between “Sukiyabashi Jiro Ginza” (Tsukamoto Sogyo Building, B1F. 4-2-15, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo ,tel. 03-3535-3600), 3 Michelin stars  and “Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi” (2*). You can quite easily get a booking at the latter, while if you are gaijin, a  foreigner who doesn’t speak Japanese, you have little chance of getting a reservation at Sukiyabashi Jiro Ginza. And you shouldn’t even try walking in as  you will be most likely turned away.If you do want to eat sushi made by the hands of the “Japan’s living national treasure”, 86 year old sushi master Jiro Ono , you must speak Japanese or be accompanied by a fluent Japanese speaker. Claims of rude service and even foreigners discrimination at Sukiyabashi Jiro Ginza have been surfacing on the internet. Therefore i was a little nervous before going there, especially that the night before i read about  Andy Hayler’s  unfortunate experience.

In fact, I was treated really nice and  it was one of my best sushi experiences in Tokyo ever.

But first of all, how i got the reservation. The lunch for one was reserved by my Japanese friend. As i understood, the biggest Sukiyabashi Jiro reservation person concern was that i might not show up.( Let’s be fair, this happens in Europe or the US, people just don’t bother to cancel their bookings.) Once my friend guaranteed via her company that the cost of the lunch (31 500 Yen, the same price as dinner ) would be covered anyway, i got the confirmation.

Back to the basement next door to the Gap store in Ginza. When i entered the tiny, only ten places restaurant i was greeted by a lady ( who took my coat) and one of  the Jiro Ono’s  assistants. I was expecting icy expressions on everybody’s face, but that was not the case. The lady greeted me with a smile, so as the first assistant of Jiro Ono  and Ono’s son Yoshikazu Ono. The first thing the assistant asked me was if there was something i don’t eat. I don’t  eat eel,  i said in my poor Japanese. Almost immediately after i got my first sushi (which i will describe later in this post).  The intervals between each sushi piece were very short, 20 sushi meal took about half an hour. ( According to the Michelin Tokyo  guide ” one shouldn’t be surprised to be finished within 30 minutes”). Jiro Ono’s work discipline is incredible, once he is behind the counter, he operates like a  Swiss watch.

At one point, the son of Jiro Ono asked me where i was from. I said that i am originally from Lithuania. “So you must speak Russian, then”, – he answered in Russian. Suddenly the communication got a lot easier as i do speak Russian a little bit. And Yoshikazu Ono san , and Jiro Ono san were relaxed, pleasant and eager to chat. They didn’t seem to be  bothered at all about my basic Japanese or about me taking pictures of the sushi. Jiro Ono san even tried to place sushi in a way so it  looks more flattering in front of the camera. Without any hesitation he agreed to take pictures together and before leaving personally gave me the little menu with all the fish i had.

Speaking of the sushi, one thing that struck me was the sourness of the rice; it was much more vinegared than at other top Tokyo sushi restaurants I’ve been. The fish quality was amazing and I did eat the eel nigiri after all. Jiro san insisted i should try it and I just couldn’t say no to the legendary sushi master.( Actually i find eel very tasty, i don’t eat it purely because of psychological reasons.)

Lunch at Sukiyabashi Jiro Ginza was a lifetime experience and i can’t wait to see  “Jiro dreams of sushi” ,a documentary about the man who has been making sushi since he was nine yet never ceases to search for perfection.

The omakase images

Karei (flatfish)

Hirame (fluke)

Sumi-ika (cuttlefish)

Buri (Japanese amberjack)

Akami (top loin of Bluefin tuna)

Chu-toro ( medium fatty tuna)

Oo – toro (fatty tuna)

Kohada (gizzard shad)

Mushi awabi (steamed abalone)

Aji (horse mackerel)

Akagai (ark shell clam)

Sayori (halfbeak)

Kuruma-ebi (Japanese imperial prawn)

Katsuo (skipjack tuna)

Hamaguri (clam)

Saba (blue mackerel)

Uni (sea urchin)

Kobashira (mactra clam)

Ikura (salmon roe)

Anago (salt water eel)

Tamago (sweet egg omelette)

Melon

It never ceases to amaze me the quality of the products  in Tokyo. Sembikiya is the oldest fruit shop in Japan selling fruits of unbelievable quality you will get nowhere in the world. The fruits at the Sembikiya shops are so expensive that usually you buy them by units and often Japanese offer these muskmelons, mangoes, apples and oranges as gifts. Muskmelons cost from around 100 to 200 euros a piece, mandarins -a little over than 2 euros each, one orange costs from 4 to 15 euros depending on the quality. No, you don't make your fresh pressed orange  juice with these!

When you sit at  a 7 places sushi counter, you will most likely end up making conversations with your neighbours. My neighbours at  Sushi Saito ( Jidousha kaikan Bldg. F1, 1-9-15 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo,tel. 03-3589-4412 ) - a nice Japanese couple who comes to this sushi bar regularly and who also spends their summer holidays in the South of France. We spoke about sushi,fish in Japan,in France and  " why don't Europeans like their fish"  as they "overcook it and cover in sauces","so you can't even see which fish you are eating". This point of view was particularly interesting as somehow it's true.The philosophy of Japanese cuisine is the complete opposite. It is all about respecting  ingredients and instead of overcooking them, emphasising their freshness and natural texture.

Takashi Saito is just 39 years old, but already runs one of the best sushiyas in Tokyo. He used to work at Kyubei, now he stands behind the sushi counter of his 3 Michelin starred,  pocket sized restaurant, located in  a garage in front of the American Embassy. What makes Sushi Saito so special? The "mind blowing" quality of the fish;  the fact that every morsel of the fish is served at a certain temperature; or that some of the fish is "aged", so all it's best flavors are brought out.( This pushes the Edo-mae sushi method even further.)

Most of all, Takashi Saito is known for being outgoing and friendly with his guests. You can even order champagne or wine with your meal- I have never seen that before at any other traditional sushi restaurant in Tokyo.

Pre sushi courses

Salmon roe with yuzu zest

Steamed octopus,abalone and shrimp (i can't remember the exact species of the shrimp)

Fresh oyster with a dash of soy sauce

Bay scallops (slightly grilled)

Japanese amberjack ( grilled)

Monkfish roe ( slightly grilled)

Monkfish liver

Simmered fish ( can't remember the name)

Sushi

Takashi Saito at work

 Fluke

Japanese amberjack

The leaner part of tuna

Medium fatty tuna

 Fatty tuna

Squid

Imperial shrimp

Horse mackerel

Blue mackerel

Ark shell clam

Sea urchin sushi

Dried gourd strips maki (kampyo)

Sweet omelette (tamago)

The location

Akagai

Eating the freshest fish possible is part of the fun when visiting  the biggest fish and seafood market in the world. Daiwa Sushi (Tsukiji Market Part6 Bldg. 5-2-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo,tel. 03-3547-6807) hides in one of the busy alleys of Tsukiji  and is definitely worth the over an hour wait- the fish is unimaginably fresh and much cheaper than at the best sushi places in the city. 

More pictures after the jump

People queuing ( mostly locals, always a good sign)

I paid over 4000 Yens-  a bargain in Tokyo for top quality fish.

Uni

Ika

O-toro

Soba – traditional Japanese buckwheat noodles that can be eaten cold or hot, alone or in a broth. The soba at Tajima( 1*) was delicious, but sometimes I wonder if Michelin guide makes any sense in Japan. If to be fair, all the decent restaurants in France,serving fresh,cheap and delicious French food should be Michelin strarred as well!

Whether it's a sushi- ya, or tempura-ya, one of the main characteristics of Japanese restaurants is  that a  chef  cooks food in front of you.Some products, like shrimps for example, are still moving moments away from cooking. There can't be any hiding or cheating. At high end tempura restaurants  food preparation show is particularly fun to watch. Only a narrow counter separates you from the kitchen.

Kondo (2*, Sakaguchi Bldg., 9F, 5-5-13 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo;tel.03-5568-0923) was my second time at a high end tempura restaurant in Tokyo and my expectations were really high because the first time i tried tempura in Tokyo was at  7 Chome Kyoboshi two years ago. 7 Chome Kyoboshi, which now has 3 Michelin stars, is  in a totally different league from any other tempura restaurant in the world.

Maybe I am wrong, but I heard that super fine tempura batter used by Shigeya Sakakibara of 7 Chome Kyoboshi  is considered "Kyoto style", while thicker batter is "Tokyo style". The perfection created by the tempura master comes at a price. A menu costs  33,600 – 38,000 Yen per person ( Around 330- 370 euros!) that I didn't really want to spend this time. Anyway, tempura omakase at Kondo was not as "out of this world" as at 7 Chome Kyoboshi, but still very good. One of the most interesting products deep fried, was sea urchin in shiso leaf.

The dinner menu costs from 10,500 to 17,850 Yen per person.The menu in the images is the one for 10,500 

Shrimp heads  ( Actually very good!)

Shrimp

Aspargus 

Baby eggplant

Squid

Small onion

Sea urchin (It was extra)

Ten- cha- kakiage on a bowl of rice. Kakiage is a mixture of bits of scallops and  honewort fried in batter. It's served with special Japanese tea.

Slices of oranges for the dessert. These ones were definitely "out of this world". Juicy, sweet, really fine oranges.

This is the knife chef Jun Yukimura (Azabu Yukimura, 3* , Tokyo) uses , particularly  for shearing pike eels (hamo) bones. The knife comes from Aritsugu, a 450 year old producer from Kyoto, who originally produced swords for samurais. When I asked to hold it, I felt I was holding danger – the knife is very very sharp!

P.S. Back to Japan!

If you don’t read at least a little bit of hiragana, you might look for the Suzuryu building for a long time. Like many high end restaurants in Tokyo’s Ginza, Sushi Yoshitake (3F,  Suzuryu Building, 8-7-19 Ginza Chuo-ku Tokyo,tel. 03-6253-7331) is located in an ordinary office building, on an ordinary floor with an ordinary entrance.

You see,if you don’t have a reservation usually you are not supposed to walk into these kind of restaurants in Japan. If you are a gaijin, a foreigner, you will need to ask your Japanese friends or your hotel’s concierge to call for you, get a map with directions ( as basic as possible – here is the Shiseido building, there – Chanel shop) and then, if you are lucky to find the place you will end up sitting in a tiny few places restaurant with the sushi master slicing fish, making sushi and do all the talking with the guests . Sushi Yoshitake, like most, if not all high end restaurant I’ve been in Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka, is  a one man show. The two or the three assistants might prepare some ingredients (like boil a kuruma ebi just before serving ) , cook warm appetizers in the kitchen behind or pour tea and sake once your cup is dry, but it’s the sushi master who will have the last say.

When I finally found Sushi Yoshitake and went up the third floor, the head sushi chef was walking his guest to the elevator. He politely told me to wait outside for a few minutes as I guess he wanted to prepare my place. Once they let me in, I found myself sitting with two Japanese couples behind the 7 places sushi bar. Having a sushi omakase , it’s not only a meal, but a very special experience, especially if you dine alone. For over an hour you sit at the same table with complete strangers. Sometimes I regret that I don’t understand and speak enough Japanese and a little jealous of the locals who can chat and joke with the chef while having their drinks and meal.Luckily, often it’s my Japanese neighbours who can speak English, so I wouldn’t say that I have ever been bored when dining alone.

All my previous 3 Michelin star sushi experiences ( Sukiyabashi Jiro, Sushi Mizutani, Sushi Saito) were during cold months and I can tell now that the fish eaten during hot summer season is quite different (You do get the sushi omakase classics like otoro, uni or kuruma ebi though). August is the time when chefs enjoy cooking unagi (eel),hamo ( pike eel ) , or ayu ( sweetfish)  , a little fish that is  grilled with
salt (or deep fried when at tempura restaurants) with all it’s skin and insides.

Even if I  prefer  fish and crustaceans that are the best during cold season,  the meal at Yoshitake was spectacular. Abalone with it’s  liver sauce that was mild and tasty, smoke flavored, salt grilled skipjack tuna, firm and buttery horse mackerel or shrimp that was sweet and  smoky. The sushi making technique here is strictly Edo mae but, like Sushi Saito, Sushi Yoshitake is the new generation kind of  a sushi shop. Here  you can  have a glass of champagne or a bottle of white wine with your meal if you wish so . And, most of all, the chef is nice and friendly- one more reason to come back to Sushi Yoshitake one day…

The omakase

Crab with summer vegetables

Tako (octopus)

Kinmedai (golden eye snapper)

Abalone

Abalone liver sauce

Slightly smoked katsuo ( skipjack tuna)

Uni (sea urchin) pudding

Ika (squid)

“Akamutco”?

Akame (the leaner sides of bluefin tuna )

Chutoro

Otoro

Kohada (gizzard shad)

Aji (horse mackerel)

Mirugai (giant clam)

Uni (sea urchin) roll

Kuruma ebi (Imperial prawn)

Tamago (omelette)

Kinmedai sushi

Calling a restaurant  “the best in the world” or awarding it with one, two or three stars  is a very Western notion. If you ask any well travelled foodie ( including me ) what is the best sushi shop in Tokyo, she would mention Sushi Saito, Sukiyabashi Jiro or other sushiyas which have 2 or 3 Michelin stars. If you ask that a Tokyoite, she would probably
laugh or look puzzled.

I would have never heard of Sushi Miyako in Tokyo if not an email from one reader living in Japan. He sent me a tabelog link saying “that like many of the excellent restaurants in Japan, this place has no Michelin stars. “  I booked the restaurant immediately I arrived in Tokyo this August ( or rather asked the Peninsula hotel, my favorite in Tokyo, concierge to book it for me ) and, after once again getting lost with my taxi in narrow Tokyo streets, there I was in front of the sliding doors of Miyako sushi.

The little place was full, quite loud and less “temple like” or fussy  than other top sushi shops I’ve been in Tokyo. Like, for example, the fish destined for  that evening’s sushi  was not in a wooden box, but under a plastic cover in front of you , just like you would see at more casual sushi shops. Or, the chef would disappear in the kitchen  for a few minutes to finish preparing his rice… The sushi though was as perfect and irreproachable as at 3 Michelin stars restaurants. The sushi master (quite young, considering that most of the sushi masters in Japan are over 50) is  a perfectionist who I was told by my dinner neighbour sleeps only 3 hours a night. I especially liked his rice – room temperature, just slightly sour, each grain perfectly defined.

The whole omakase , including sake and tea cost me 14 000 Yen, quite reasonable for Tokyo standards, considering that 3 Michelin starred sushi omakases can cost  up to 20 000 – 35 000 Yen…  Sushi Saito is still my favorite sushi shop  in Tokyo, but after visiting Miyako sushi, I have a feeling  that Michelin guide in Japan is sometimes irrelevant. 3 Michelin stars is really not what separates these two restaurants…

The omakase

Edamame 

Kare (flounder) and  katsuo (skipjack tuna) sashimi 

Abalone sashimi 

Hotate (scallop)

Ikura ( salmon roe)

Akamutsu ( yellow stripe ruby snapper)

Ankimo (monkfish) liver

Young kohada ( gizzard shad)

Big kohada

Tai ( sea bream)

Kasugo (baby snapper)

Chutoro (fatty tuna)

Aji ( horse mackerel)

Kinmedai  (golden eye snapper)

Ebi (shrimp)

Uni (sea urchin) from Hokkaido

Uni from Kyushu

Miso soup with clams

P.S. Thanks for the address, Robert!

Lunch omakase at Sushi Kanesaka in Tokyo. It costs 5000 Yen (around 50 euros) and is one of the best deals for lunch at a top sushi shop…

Michelin Tokyo 2013 is out and once again the Japanese capital has kept it’s position as the most Michelin starred city in the world. Azabu Yukimura is one of  the 3 Michelin stars restaurants I’ve been recently. Like so many other top restaurants in Japan,it’s a small, minimalistic and design-wise modest place impossible to find .The chef, Yukimura san,is Kyoto trained, but I wouldn’t say that his cooking is traditional kaiseki. The presentation of the dishes is quite freestyle and some of them,  like spring roll with Azuki beans, could even be considered as fusion. For one thing  Yukimura san is very traditional. The knife he uses for shearing pike bones is made  by the legendary  Aritsugu knife producer ( who used to make swords for the Imperial House of Japan and samurais). The knife as well as  the chef’s shearing skills were impressive!

I was not allowed to any pictures inside of sushi Hashiguchi ( はしぐち),but the fact that it’s the second best sushi-ya in Tokyo (after sushi Saito 3*) on the Japanese language tabelog.com site, but doesn’t have any Michelin stars, either shows that the chef Hashiguchi san has deliberately declined to be in the guide, or that the Michelin guide Tokyo doesn’t have any credibility…

P.S. Was able to take some notes of the omakase, will post all later…

I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard somebody calling my name,”Aiste san”,in Tsukiji market this morning. It was Kimura san , the sushi master from my dinner two days ago. He had done his shopping of the day and was on his way to Tamagawa. All the roads lead to Tsukiji indeed! P.S. Please follow me here http://www.facebook.com/luxeat for more frequent updates.

Today I had an exceptional chance to shop at the Tsukiji market with Sugita Taka-aki who is one of the best sushi masters in Tokyo. I’ve written about  Miyako sushi (or the correct way would be Miyakozushi) restaurant before and I do think that Sugita san art of  sushi making is on the same level of perfection as the very best in Tokyo. (Saito san, Mizutani san and so on !) Will post the images of the entire lunch omakase as soon as I have more time.

Continuous search for perfection is strongly embedded in the Japanese culture and the mentality. Japanese don’t compromise when quality is concerned, whether it’s service at your hotel, cleanliness of Tokyo streets or quality of the Japanese products. Nowhere in the world you will find such amazing products as in Japan, but that of course comes at a price. At the luxurious fruit store Senbikiya in Tokyo (which was founded by a samurai in the 19^th century), 21 000 ¥ ( around 160 €) will buy you 40 cherries, 4 small watermelons or one muskmelon of the highest quality. These flawless fruits are not destined for your daily breakfast though- they are usually offered as gifts for business partners, family members or friends.

Despite of  it’s popularity and fame ( 3 Michelin stars and  number one on the Japanese language restaurants rating site tabelog.com), Sushi Saito is still one of the most exclusive sushi shops in Tokyo. How could it be otherwise? There are only six places at the counter and even when you finally manage to get a booking, you won’t find the restaurant so easily as it’s literally hidden in a parking garage. This was my second time at Sushi Saito and the nigiris were as perfect as the first time.

This time I’ve also revisited Miyako sushi (or Miyakozushi , 4^th  best sushi restaurant on the tabelog.com site) which for me is probably the favorite from all the high end sushi-yas in Tokyo at the moment. Sugita san has this rare ability, even among the best sushi chefs, to bring out the most exquisite flavors of the fish and the seafood he is using. His, favorite, kohada (gizzard shad), for example is pickled in vinegar for 4 days before serving. Kinmedai ( golden eye snapper) is slightly grilled and  smoked  so the nigiri tastes like butter.  And the ika (squid) was so tender and not chewy at all that I couldn’t believe I was eating squid. Surprisingly, Miyakozushi still doesn’t have any Michelin stars, but the quality of the sushi and the fact that you need to book the restaurant weeks in advance shows that real masters don’t need any medals.

You don’t need to feel as if you are dining at a temple is the motto of Zaiyu Hasegawa, the chef of a modern kaiseki restaurant called Den (2-2-32 Kandajinbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; tel.03-3222-3978 ). His “counter” restaurant has  2 Michelin stars and ranks very high on the Japanese language site tabelog.com. Nothing surprising about that – apart of the really delicious food , you will also have a really good time at Den. Zaiyu’s san cooking  is inventive and playful, yet it’s not just a game. No compromises are made when the quality of the ingredients is concerned and the cooking techniques (Japanese and French) are mastered to perfection.

The images below are from my two recent dinners, so some dishes might look similar…

One the biggest pleasures of traveling is the wonderful people you might come across. American-Japanese  Yukari Sakamoto is a sommelier, a chef and an author of a book called Food Sake Tokyo. We did the Tsukiji tour together – Yukari’s knowledge of Japanese products and cuisine is just incredible. After the tour we went to have a lunch at Sushi Dai ( Chuo-ku, Tsukiji 6-13-3). Not the one very close the outer market, but it’s sister restaurant 5 min walk from Tsukiji. This place is much more local and not touristy at all and the nigiris as well as some hot dishes we ordered were just fantastic. One of the dishes we had was Saikyo miso marinated gindara , which is basically “black cod” , mainly known outside of Japan thanks to Nobu Matsuhisa.