Akio I
This is a hidden gem sushi restaurant on the 6th floor of a building in Susukino. The counter has 12 seats, with more than half of them being foreign customers. I was a bit worried at first, but the owner was very skilled in handling the customers, even mixing in English. The food and sushi were fantastic. A variety of delicious fish, carefully selected from Hokkaido, kept coming out one after another. The ones that left a lasting impression were the hairy crab miso, Ezo abalone, cod milt, kue (half-boiled fish), kinmedai, and kanpachi, as well as the miso soup. The dishes included hairy crab miso salad, Ezo abalone (very tender, served with liver), cod milt (large and delicious, with a hint of nori), flatfish (with a matured flavor), kue (half-boiled in hot water), scallop hand roll, kinmedai (well-prepared, served on vinegar rice), and various sushi such as sumiika, squid, red snapper, horse mackerel, squid, kanpachi, flounder, shrimp, scallop, sea urchin, conger eel, and tamago. The miso soup was like a bouillabaisse, rich in flavor from shrimp, crab, and fish broth. Despite being busy, the owner took the time to chat with us, sharing interesting stories about fish and sushi. It was a very enjoyable experience.