Sushi Nakazawa is a raw delight Never Miss a Story Get The Post delivered directly to your inbox By clicking above you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.So, what is Daisuke Nakazawa doing in Seattle after 11 years under the tutelage of Shiro Kashiba's longtime friend and mentor? Nancy Leson tells all. DAISUKE NAKAZAWA’S grin widened when I ordered “omakase” at Shiro’s last June — giving the 34-year-old sushi chef, newly arrived from Tokyo, the go-ahead to show me what he’s got. What he didn’t have was command of the English language. Smiling and nodding, he presented me with Spanish mackerel (“sawara!”) and fresh Hood Canal shrimp (“amaebi!”), then, at meal’s end, handed-off a pair of tamago nigiri, crowing, “Jiro Dreams of Sushi!” “Yes,” I said, admiring the thick cut of his sweet omelet. “I saw that documentary,” an homage to Jiro Ono, the elderly owner of a 10-seat sushi bar in a Ginza district subway station — and the man some call the world’s greatest sushi chef.

“Jiro Dreams of Sushi!” Daisuke repeated, when it was clear I’d missed his point. I failed to recognize this smiling sushiman as the film’s solemn senior apprentice who famously recounted making tamago under the stern eye of Jiro Ono: months of failure, 200 rejections and, finally, approval. “I was so happy I cried,” the subtitle read. So, what is Daisuke doing in Seattle after 11 years under the tutelage of Shiro Kashiba’s longtime friend and mentor?kato sushi menu kansas cityShiro doesn’t have any,” explains a translator speaking for the majority owner who bought Shiro’s in 2007. ichiban sushi menu bakersfield ca“We want Shiro to keep working,” as he does three nights a week, “but we need a next generation.”sushi kan ottawa menu

“I’m a lucky boy,” adds Daisuke, recruited to sustain the tradition of edomae sushi — the classics, hold the mango-tango roll — under Shiro’s Belltown banner. Since his arrival, he’s been an enthusiastic student of ESL, and learned to chide pickled-ginger-scarfing patrons with Shiro-esque wit, noting that palate refresher is meant “to change taste; it is not a salad!” He’s appeared with Shiro at community events and shared Jiro’s secrets with his colleagues, showing them how to smoke king mackerel over hay. jiro dreams of sushi av clubAnd he expresses his naturally ebullient character, says Shiro, when he jokes, “bluefin, the Wagyu beef of sushi!”jiro dreams of sushi av club Daisuke was 19 when he got his first job at a suburban sushi joint. sushi grade fish east lansing

He gave it up to work as a “salaryman” for an Internet company, leaving that job to take on two more: waking at 4:30 a.m. to schlep tuna carcasses at Tsukiji market, then working nights in a restaurant. He married on his 23rd birthday, about the time Jiro Ono placed a want ad for an apprentice. “Lucky boy” got the job at Sukiyabashi Jiro — which later earned three Michelin stars. For the first three months, he recalls, “It was all cleaning, all obeying, saying ‘Yes, yes,’ and never talking back.” By the fourth month he was allowed to handle fish. It was five years before he stood behind the sushi bar assisting Jiro and his son. Daisuke says working for Jiro gave him the confidence to apply for a job overseas, uproot his wife and children, and embark on a career he loves — but would not wish on his sons. “You work too hard.” At Sukiyabashi Jiro, where patrons pay $300-plus for omakase, the experience is more about reverence than revelry. There, “their ultimate goal is deliciousness,” said Daisuke.

At Shiro’s, “It’s about enjoyment and entertainment.” Shiro, 71, says his ambitious new hire has what it takes to spread the gospel of old-school sushi in America. As for Daisuke, “My dream,” he says, “is to be the No. 1 sushi chef in the U.S.” Nancy Leson is The Seattle Times’ food writer. Benjamin Benschneider is a Pacific NW magazine staff photographer. What's it like to eat at the world's best sushi bar?After 11 years learning from revered sushi master Jiro Ono, subject of the exquisitely beautiful documentary Jiro Dreams Of Sushi, a disciple has begun the ascent to his own fame on a different island over 6,000 miles away. Daisuke Nakazawa, the cherub-faced apprentice seen in the film struggling to perfect tamago, the deceptively difficult egg sushi, opened his eponymous restaurant several months ago. Word travels fast among sushi seekers who'd yearned to visit Ono's legendary Tokyo restaurant; they may not be getting the original, but they're getting something pretty damn close.

Every visitor so far has been quick to point out the differences between the Ginza subway station restaurant and Nakazawa's venture on a quiet, tree-lined block in the West Village. Where Ono's restaurant favored hushed reverence, Nakazawa's ebullient personality cannot be contained behind the counter. The interior has a sleek, contemporary design that fits with the city's aesthetic, down to the black leather barstools equipped with arm rests, like the world's most elegant captain's chair. Prime seating means front row at the large marble bar, where you can watch Nakazawa and his apprentices mold each piece of sushi and remove wriggling shrimp from steaming pots. Those seats are the most coveted, however—in general, the restaurant is booked through December—and the fish tastes just a good at one of the tables in the dining room and it's slightly less expensive, as well. Aesthetic differences aside, the quality of fish and exacting technique show Nakazawa's training and discerning palate.

In the chef's omakase, each piece of sushi gets lovingly tended to by one of the many gentlemen behind the counter. Depending on the freshest catch, you might be treated to Atlantic salmon, which the crew hay smokes on the roof; another night, scallops with yuzu pepper and New Caledonia blue shrimp. After all the time spent perfecting the dish, you can be sure Nakazawa will offer his version of tamago: delicate, sweet and bathed in a satisfied glow. Don't let the $150 omakase price tag shock you; the meal unfolds over 20 courses, from single sushi pieces to the occasional hand roll, all using the highest quality fish and seafood from New England to California to Japan and beyond. Though there's an a la carte wine and sake menu, you'd do well to add the sake supplement to your meal, which includes eight glasses for just $40. At the end of the day, it's still significantly cheaper than a pilgrimage to Japan and, from all reports, might be a little more fun as well. 23 Commerce Street, (212) 924-2212;