6-12-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032 Jiro Ono and his restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro have achieved a sort of legendary status. The documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi added to the attention and seemed to really put him onto the radar of Westerners (particularly Americans). Having seen the film, I can see why; Ono’s relentless pursuit of the perfect sushi (and countless shots of food porn) sounds like any sushi lover’s dream destination. Sukiyabashi Jiro became my #1 restaurant destination in Tokyo. My perception of the restaurant has changed dramatically during my stay here. First, the restaurant is not nearly as well-known as I thought it would be. Sure it’s known among the ‘foodie’ culture, but I’ve gotten countless blank stares from others. Second, from what I’ve gathered from those who have heard of it, my general impression is that it’s known to have good sushi but not the best; if anything, it’s more well-known for being one of the most expensive sushiyas around.

On Yelp-like restaurant rating site Tabelog, the main Sukiyabashi Jiro scores a very pedestrian 3.54 stars out of 5. His son’s outpost in Roppongi rates an even lower 3.14. Having said all that, Sukiyabashi Jiro remained my #1 destination to try (albeit less enthused); jiro dreams of sushi cathayI was not able to score a seat at the Ginza location, but did manage a seat at the son’s outpost in Roppongi.sushi delivery london e16 Located in the foreigner-friendly Roppongi Hills complex, Ono’s younger son Takashi opened this location since his elder brother is in-line to take over the main branch. sushi grade fish manchester nhIt’s supposed to have the same flavors and techniques as the main (since Takashi did train under his father for decades), so I guess this is the closest to dining at the Ginza Sukiyabashi Jiro without actually doing so.umi sushi menu shelter island

Lightly salted, warm ginkgo nuts were the first thing served before a number of sashimi courses. My favorite of the sashimi courses was probably the horse mackerel. Tender, yet fatty and rich in flavor, I really savored these bites. jiro dreams of sushi descargar gratisThe sweet shrimp is usually one of my favorites too and this was no exception.jiro dreams of sushi walmart 18 courses of sushi came next in quick succession. The fish quality was, as expected, excellent. I loved the progression of tuna from akami to otoro and I thought they were all some of the best examples I’d had on the trip. The uni sushi was fantastic too, overflowing with cool, sweet sea urchin. The smoked bonito had a great balance of smokiness and rich meatiness, while the anago was amazingly creamy with just the right amount of sweet eel sauce.

There was only one that I didn’t like which was probably more of a personal preference – the shako shrimp had a sort of dense and mealy texture I wasn’t expecting…nor acquired. In terms of the overall sushi, the rice was seasoned with more vinegar than I would’ve liked. I think this is another personal preference thing, but it really got in the way on some pieces (kohada, abalone, mirugai). The meal lasted about 50 minutes from start-to-finish, which seems a bit longer than the main branch. Service was good but not in a noteworthy way. With one beer, this meal came out to ¥35,700, by far the most expensive of the trip. From everything else I’ve heard/read, I expected the meal to be around ¥26-27,000 without the beer so I think there was a big mistake or I was simply ripped off (sushi at the main branch is ¥31,500). The diner next to me ordered a bunch of extras so it’s possible it was the former. There was no menu or bill itemization, just a number written on a piece of paper at the end of the meal.

Needless to say, this left a bitter impression and I still regret not inquiring deeper about it. Aside from the billing issue I think I’d have to side with a lot of what I’ve heard here. It was a good sushi meal, sure, but far from the best (this was borderline top 3 sushi of the trip) and definitely overpriced.  And even if it was at the mid-¥20,000 price level, it’s still more expensive than most sushiyas. The page /journal/?currentPage=3 could not be located on this website. We recommend using the navigation bar to get back on track within our site. If you feel you have reached this page in error, please contact a site operator. Return to the Front Page » HomeDiningStoriesFirst Look at Sushi Yoshitake First Look at Sushi Yoshitake We speak to the award-winning chef about his move to Hong Kong, and why beauty lies in simplicity Jiro Ono, of Ginza’s Sukibayashi Jiro in Tokyo, may have made headlines and silver screens the world over with his blockbuster documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi, but less is known about chef Masahiro Yoshitake, who quietly ran his own award-winning sushi bar in the same district.

Sushi fanatics, however, speak glowingly of Yoshitake’s unwavering skill and generosity; his creations are from the classic Edomae sushi tradition, with simplicity at its heart. Now, local diners who have travelled to Yoshitake’s Tokyo restaurant will be able to experience the same quality in their own backyards. In an unprecedented move, chef Yoshitake has decided to open his second restaurant in Hong Kong, choosing Sheung Wan’s Mercer Hotel as his base. The chef will still maintain his restaurant in Ginza, but aims to be in Hong Kong a lot of the time from now on. When asked why he chose the city over other cosmopolitan culinary centres such as New York, London or Paris, he praises Hong Kong’s collective palate. Apart from the obvious proximity allowing the chef to still import the best fish daily from Tsukiji Market, Hong Kong, to him, is a city of gourmands. On the day we visited, the restaurant was a quiet oasis amidst the chaos of still-ongoing renovations; like his original sushi bar, the décor is bluntly plain and understated.

The only accents of colour come by way of forest-green fabric curtains and, in a more metaphorical sense, the boyish banter between chef Yoshitake and his sous chef and protégée, chef Yoshiharu “Kaki” Kakinuma. They make silly puns (calling a golden eye snapper “the James Bond fish” and imperial prawns as “car shrimp”, as the name kuruma-ebi literally means just that). Only eight seats are available at the pale blond hinoki wood sushi counter, allowing diners to experience complete and utter dedication from Yoshitake and his team, and to interact more fully with the chefs. Set menus start from around HK$2,500 per person and go up to around HK$4,500 per person. In the video above, chef Yoshitake speaks about his sushi philosophy, why the restaurant has a drinks list heavy on French bottles as well as Japanese koshu wine, and why simple is best. Read more about the opening of Sushi Yoshitake here Videography by Tyrone Wu Be part of the in-crowd and receive exclusive party invitations and fabulous offers.