Omakase-style sushi is a significant a part of the eating scene in Tokyo and Japan as a complete.
Omakase, which means “I’ll go away it as much as you” in Japanese, is a eating expertise with no menu to select from. As an alternative, you place your belief as a diner within the chef’s expertise, expertise, and understanding of substances to curate the proper meal for you.
As an ardent fanatic of Japanese delicacies, I’ve been eager to dabble with omakase-style sushi for a while, finally hoping to pattern a few of the high high-end sushi retailers in Tokyo.
Sadly, since I had deliberate my September 2022 Japan journey comparatively last-minute, there was little hope of getting a hotly-contested reservation on the high institutions.
As an alternative, I made a decision to start out my omakase journey with a well-respected sushiya the place I may handle to safe a reservation on quick discover, which led me to Ginza Sushiko Honten.
Ginza Sushiko Honten – In regards to the Restaurant
Ginza Sushiko Honten is among the oldest sushi eating places in Tokyo, with over 130 years in enterprise. The sushi store first opened its doorways again in 1885.
The restaurant, tucked away in an unassuming Ginza back-alley, has solely 10 seats at their sushi counter. This enables for a really interactive and intimate sushi expertise with the cooks as they put together your meals.
The sushi store has additionally made its manner into the world of tv, showing on Anthony Bourdain: Elements Unknown, wherein Bourdain visited the store alongside the famend Japanese chef Masa Takayama.
Ginza Sushiko Honten had been labelled as a one Michelin star restaurant previously; nevertheless, it seems to have misplaced this recognition in 2016.
Ginza Sushiko Honten – Reserving
Reservations are advisable at Ginza Sushiko Honten, given its restricted seating. You may both make one by calling the restaurant, or in my case, I booked utilizing the concierge service at Conrad Tokyo.
I had requested the concierge for a listing of advisable sushi choices, provided that essentially the most metropolis’s high institutions had been all booked for my dates.
After taking notes of my availability, the concierge introduced just a few choices, and I mentioned with them the kind of expertise I used to be searching for earlier than deciding on Ginza Sushiko Honten. For the reason that lodge had my bank card on file, they went forward and secured my dinner spot for that exact same night.
Your finest wager for many sushi institutions in Tokyo is to e book by way of a lodge concierge. Many high eating places desire to work solely with lodge concierges or different concierge providers immediately, reasonably than taking reservations from the general public (in the event that they even settle for outdoors reservations from non-regulars within the first place).
Additionally, notice that almost all locations have strict cancellation insurance policies, so that you’ll need to be agency in your plans earlier than making a reservation. Ginza Sushiko Honton prices a price of ¥10,000 ($95 CAD) per particular person for those who cancel inside three days of your reservation.
Ginza Sushiko Honten – Location
This sushi restaurant is tucked away within the alleyways of Ginza, considered one of Tokyo’s liveliest neighbourhoods for high-end eating and buying.
It’s nestled amongst many different eateries and leisure venues that line the backstreets, whereas the flashy retail shops are extra distinguished out entrance.
The house is simple to overlook as a result of its discreet location, and is just marked by a small Japanese signal illuminated to the left of the doorway.
The store is centrally situated only a 20-minute stroll from the Conrad Tokyo, and a fast three- and seven-minute stroll to the Ginza and Shimbashi Tokyo Metro stations, respectively.
Be aware that this restaurant may be simply confused with different venues additionally named “Sushiko” or “Sushiko Honten” in Tokyo, a few of which additionally occur to be located within the Ginza district. Be sure you confirm the restaurant’s tackle earlier than you e book.
Ginza Sushiko Honten – Menu
Ginza Sushiko Honten serves a conventional Japanese type of sushi with slight hints of modernity.
Costs for omakase range considerably in Tokyo, however normally fall within the vary of 10,000–50,000 yen ($95–475 CAD) per particular person. Some locations cost extra for dinner than lunch, whereas others will cost an identical value for each meals.
This restaurant primarily serves omakase lunches and dinners for 25,000 yen ($240 CAD) per particular person. Moreover, the restaurant serves a choice of particular Japanese sake from everywhere in the nation.
I felt this was an inexpensive level on our omakase journey, contemplating the store’s historical past, the concierge’s advice, and the earlier Michelin recognition. It’d undoubtedly be a splurge, however since this was our long-awaited first post-pandemic journey to Japan, that’s precisely what I used to be within the temper for.
Ginza Sushiko Honten – Dinner Expertise
We had been greeted by a restaurant attendant upon arrival, who confirmed our reservation particulars and kindly confirmed us to the steps resulting in the higher ground.
A easy however conventional house surrounding the sushi counter awaited us upstairs.
10 seats could seem intimate, however it’s really thought-about a bigger house in comparison with Tokyo’s top-of-the-line retailers, a lot of that are restricted to only six diners per sitting.
One of many sushi cooks promptly greeted us, talking just a few phrases in English. He requested us whether or not we’d desire to attempt sushi, sashimi, or each (after all, we opted for each), after which supplied us a alternative of drinks for the night.
We determined to go together with some sake, and had been introduced with three completely different samplers of sake to select from. We took just a few sips and chosen our favorite, which was balanced and never too candy, and had been then introduced a full bottle with two cups.
Since we had been at omakase, the chef then merely went forward and commenced making ready our custom-made dishes.
Over the course of the night, we seen that every set of friends was handled to a barely completely different menu, whereas some Japanese-speaking friends (presumably regulars) would communicate to the chef first to allow them to know what they had been within the temper for.
Right here at our first omakase meal, we had been wanting ahead to absorbing the expertise because it was introduced to us, reasonably than dictating the proceedings – so we merely sat again and awaited the primary dish.
For every dish, we keenly watched because the chef ready the merchandise in entrance of us, from finely slicing a contemporary reduce of fish, to wielding fireplace for the torched objects, to fastidiously arranging all the things on the plate.
The chef then positioned every plate on the countertop in entrance of us and briefly described every merchandise in English, earlier than we had been invited to deliver the plates all the way down to our tables and dig in.
1. Crab
The meal started with a crab dish, which was accomplished with a creamy sauce and had pepper sprinkled excessive. It was a superbly wonderful introductory merchandise that opened up our palates for extra to return.
2. Abalone
Subsequent up, a chew of abalone introduced in a soy-based sauce, which was delectable. The abalone was agency and had a refined style, which went effectively with the stronger flavours of the sauce.
3. Bonito, Amberjack, and Grilled Toro Sashimi
This plate of a sashimi trio was pleasant, and was considered one of my favorite dishes of the night.
The bonito was already properly seasoned with soy sauce and topped with onion for an additional sprint of flavour.
The grilled toro was downright decadent, providing the proper combination of wealthy flavour and butter-soft texture that compelled me to shut my eyes and slowly savour.
Lastly, the amberjack was extra rubbery in texture and had a really mild style that balanced out the opposite two.
4. Silverfish
A cooked piece to intersperse the uncooked objects, the silverfish had a light-weight and fluffy texture, and was tasty if not overly memorable.
5. Tuna
I all the time respect a refreshing piece of tuna. The flavour was delicate with a slippery texture, and made for a pleasurable chew, setting the stage for the fattier piece to return.
6. Toro
The toro (fatty tuna) was exquisitely wealthy and buttery, melting in my mouth superbly and leaving delivering wealthy pulses of umami flavour throughout my palate because it did so. The only-best merchandise of the meal.
7. Squid
The squid sushi was additional rubbery and a bit gelatinous in texture. It was dressed with giant salt crystals on high and drizzled with lemon juice, punctuating the wealthy tuna flavours that got here beforehand and the extra modest fish to return.
I’d must say this was considered one of my least favorite plate of the night time.
8. Mackerel
The mackerel was a pleasant change from what we’d been served to this point. It was flaky and gingery, and the fish texture was candy however delicate.
9. Flounder
Following the mackerel, we had been introduced with flounder, evenly brushed with candy soy sauce. This merchandise was nonetheless tasty, however pretty unremarkable in comparison with the remaining.
10. Grilled Toro
We had been then handled to some grilled toro once more, this time served sushi-style. I used to be ecstatic to have yet one more chew of that scrumptious grilled fatty tuna, and the wealthy and buttery tuna meat as soon as once more delivered a melt-in-mouth sensation.
11. Toro-taku
The toro-taku – a combination of toro fatty tuna and chopped takuan, or pickled daikons, rolled along with seaweed within the maki type – was among the many finest dishes of the night.
It was exceptionally decadent in flavour, and I notably appreciated the crunchy texture right here as a welcome complement to the slippery items to this point.
This merchandise wrapped up our sushi for the night, and I assumed it was the proper notice on which to finish.
12. Miso Soup
We started wrapping up our meal with a pleasant bowl of heat and scrumptious miso soup, which was served with entire scallop items and spring onion combined in.
13. Grapes
Lastly, we got some seedless grapes as a candy finale to our dinner, served in a easy presentation with a single toothpick.
And to assist wash down our meal, we ended the night time with a scrumptious cup of inexperienced tea, introduced in a fantastic cup.
Though the parts don’t look like a lot individually piece-by-piece, they had been simply the correct amount in complete, and we left feeling happy however not too full.
Our remaining invoice got here to 59,400 yen ($566), together with the omakase dinner for 2 and our bottle of sake.
It’s in all probability the most costly dinner we’ll be having on this journey, however we had been glad to lastly kickstart our sushi omakase journey on our return to Tokyo, and we each concluded that we had been extremely impressed by with our meal.
Conclusion
In the event you like Japanese delicacies, sushi omakase is definitely one of many must-try gastronomic pursuits in your subsequent journey to Japan, and Tokyo particularly with its excessive focus of top-tier sushiya.
We had a fairly nice first omakase expertise right here at Ginza Sushiko Honten. Based mostly on the restaurant’s historical past, stature, and high quality, I’d advocate this place for those who’re snug with its value vary; nevertheless, I definitely get the sense that there are cheaper Tokyo sushi retailers that may additionally offer you a wonderful introduction to omakase and will supply higher worth for cash.
Nevertheless, I additionally sit up for making an attempt out extra omakase retailers sooner or later, and thereby refining my palate and growing a greater capacity to match and distinction the various omakase experiences out there all throughout city.
