黄色のたぬき
This is a sushi restaurant located in Azabu-Juban. The owner, Mr. Hatano, uses seasonal ingredients and adds his own unique twist to traditional Edo-style sushi. The dishes are meticulously prepared to bring out the aroma, texture, and umami of the ingredients. They offer a wide selection of sake and you can enjoy Mr. Hatano's entertaining stories. The restaurant opened in July 2019 after relocating. There is a sister restaurant called "Sushi Tonari" on the 3rd floor of the adjacent building. It is located about 3 minutes from Azabu-Juban Station Exit 4. You can find it by walking along Azabu-Juban Avenue, turning left at the intersection with Mamegen, and going to the 2nd block (opposite Kibundo) in a building where Mitsui Sumitomo Bank is located on the 1st floor. The stairs are long, so take the elevator. I visited at night. The menu is only an omakase course (29,700 yen including tax). I made a reservation online about 2 weeks in advance. The course starts at 18:00. The approach from the entrance to the seats has a luxurious feel with dim lighting. Once you enter the main floor, it is bright with an 8-seat counter made of a single board. The clientele is diverse and the restaurant was full. Mr. Hatano and the staff are friendly, talkative, and provide excellent service. The atmosphere is pleasant and each dish or sushi piece creates a relaxed mood throughout the floor. I left the drink selection to them and enjoyed half a cup of chilled sake with wasan (water). The first was a slightly sweet "Choyo Fukumusume," followed by a dry "Ugono Tsuki." The dishes I had are as follows: (● appetizer, ■ nigiri, □ non-nigiri sushi) I requested smaller portions of shari. They blend several types of vinegar for the shari. ■ Fried Eggplant Eggplant from Kumamoto fried to perfection. The crispy eggplant texture paired well with the strong vinegar-flavored shari. The shari was glossy, plump, and melted in the mouth. It's recommended to eat it by hand. ● Grilled Alfonsino Alfonsino from Abashiri marinated in kombu and served as cold sashimi. Served with ponzu sauce. The crispy texture of the alfonsino goes well with the ponzu sauce. □ Thread-sail Filefish Filefish from Oita aged for 3 days, served with liver sauce. The shari was hidden underneath. The flavorful filefish with liver sauce pairs nicely with the shari. The beautifully cut glass plate adds to the presentation. ● Oyster Nanbanzuke Large and impressive oyster fried and marinated in Nanban sauce (soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, red vinegar, white vinegar, sake lees vinegar). The oyster's surface is crispy and packed with umami. The vinegar is strong (goes well with alcohol), as expected. This dish left the strongest impression and I still crave it. ● Ankimo Ankimo from Yoichi cooked in ginger and sweet-savory soy sauce. It was inspired by buri daikon. It was delicious even without the salt and wasabi provided. ■ Young Snapper Young snapper without kombu yet still has a hint of kombu flavor. According to Mr. Hatano, young snapper eat kombu, which explains the flavor. ■ Firefly Squid Thick, chewy, sweet. ■ Horse Mackerel Seared horse mackerel from Sakaiminato. The charred skin adds a smoky flavor. ■ Medium Fatty Tuna Tuna from Kesennuma. Smooth texture and delicious. ■ Akami Zuke Tuna with hidden yuzu for a refreshing taste. □ Sea Urchin Sea urchin from Esashi near Hakodate wrapped in shari and nori. □ Blackthroat Seaperch Enjoy the blackthroat seaperch by mixing it with the shari below! The vinegar rice enhances the richness of the blackthroat seaperch, leaving a refreshing aftertaste. This dish showcases Mr. Hatano's theme of "oil and vinegar" in sushi. ● Kohada A classic Edo-style sushi. □ Snow Crab Snow crab wrapped in shari. Handle with care as it is delicate. The crab vinegar gives a rich flavor to the snow crab. ■ Conger Eel Grilled conger eel. The surface is crispy and the flesh is plump. ● Tamago Yaki Sweet omelette with shrimp and Japanese yam. Fine texture like datemaki. Matcha tea was served here, concluding the course. Recommended additional dishes include toro taku and kanpyo maki (with wasabi).