kuroda
Located just to the south of Kintetsu Osaka-Abenobashi Station, between Abeno Harukas and Abeno Hoop, I visited a sushi restaurant that opened on September 25, 2024. This place, called "Sushi, Sake, and Appetizers Sugitana," is part of the Sushiro chain, which has been rapidly expanding its locations and has finally entered the Abeno and Tennoji areas. The interior features around 60 seats, consisting of an L-shaped counter in front of the chef and table seats behind, looking bright and clean due to its newness. As expected from a major chain, they have implemented solid COVID-19 precautions.
The lunch menu includes options like "Lunch Sushi" (1,000 to 1,800 yen), "Tempura and Sushi Set" (1,400 to 2,200 yen), "Udon and Sushi Set," and "Ramen and Sushi Set" (both 1,200 to 2,000 yen), as well as various seafood bowls (990 to 1,380 yen). The highlight of the lunch menu is the "Boat Sashimi Bowl" (990 yen), which is available in a limited quantity of only 10 servings per day. I arrived right after the shop opened at 11:30, and decided to try this "Boat Sashimi Bowl."
On the tray, I received a boat-shaped platter of sashimi, a bowl of rice, and red miso soup. The tea was served in a large cup adorned with fish-related kanji, typical of a sushi restaurant. The sashimi included tuna, squid, yellowtail, horse mackerel, and salmon, along with toppings of salmon roe, egg, and minced tuna. It turned out to be more lavish than I expected.
First, I enjoyed the sashimi by itself. Each piece had a firm texture and excellent freshness. Next, I placed the sashimi on the rice to make a seafood bowl. The rice was slightly warm, and adding a bit of the table's dashi soy sauce enhanced the flavor even more. The generous amount of minced tuna was also a nice touch. The rice had a reddish hue, indicating the use of high-quality red vinegar often found in upscale sushi establishments. However, as the sushi rice had been sitting for a while, it had lost its luster and developed a slightly soggy texture, which was disappointing.
Nonetheless, the fact that I could enjoy such a meal for under 1,000 yen is hard to believe in terms of cost performance. It's understandable why there are only 10 servings available each day, as it hardly seems sustainable for profit.