工藤明生 本物
Do you all think that Sushi Yoshida is just a place for Instagram-worthy photos? I can assure you that it is an amazing sushi restaurant.
At 20:15 in Hiroo, I visited the top-notch Sushi Yoshida, which is currently the best sushi restaurant in Japan. The owner, Yoshida-san, is originally from Kyoto and has blood type O. Here are some highlights from my visit:
1. Aka-ika (red squid) aged for 1-2 days with Osetra caviar sliced to about 8mm thickness, delicious.
2. Toro (fatty tuna) from Choshi, Chiba, weighing 164.4kg, Yoshida-san joked about our similar heights, making us laugh.
3. A dish with Aomori flounder, Toyama white shrimp, and incredible ankimo (monkfish liver). It was pure bliss.
4. The salt-grilled nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) was exceptional.
5. The appearance of the fatty tail meat of a whale, known as "Okonomi ni Dari Kujira," which is three times more expensive than tuna. The perfect sushi with melting fat and meat flavor, showcasing Yoshida's skill.
6. Tiger fugu (blowfish) shirako (milt) with sansho pepper and large cucumber.
7. Uni (sea urchin) from the Northern Territories, described as "drowning in uni," showcasing the restaurant's uncompromising commitment to quality.
8. Sake-steamed uni (sea urchin) from Toyama with shiso flowers blooming from the flow of the dish. A special course by Chef Kawada, featuring a tipsy cuttlefish. It was amazing.
9. Hokkaido Botan ebi (spot prawn) aged for 2 days, perfectly paired with sake, leaving a lasting impression.
10. Anago (sea eel) from Tsushima, delicious.
11. Salt-grilled kinmedai (golden eye snapper) topped with homemade karasumi (bottarga), with Yoshida-san in front of me, rubbing off the karasumi. It was a memorable scene.
12. Echizen crab ohagi (rice ball), the last of the season, incredibly delicious with the refreshing taste of sudachi citrus.
13. The back toro (fatty tuna) was paired perfectly with shochu, a great combination.
14. The grilled eel was cooked with care by the apprentice, showing the love put into it.
15. Kohada (gizzard shad) from Kumamoto, a topic of discussion about not tightening it too much to keep it plump. It was a learning experience.
16. The hand roll was exceptionally delicious, with the top layer being Italian caviar, showcasing the unique taste of Sushi Yoshida.
The restaurant exudes a sense of dignity, as confirmed by a customer who said, "I've been a CEO for 30 years and have been to many sushi restaurants, but this is the best in Minato-ku." Sushi Yoshida has been open for 2.5 years since April 3, 2019, and has become a popular spot. Yoshida-san's hospitality is enchanting, and his background is impressive. His life journey from Michelin-starred restaurants like Yoshikawa Yoshitaka and renowned chefs like Komatsu Yasuke and Fujinaga Sushi, to obtaining a sommelier qualification in the US, and setting up his restaurant and home in Hiroo, is truly inspiring.