I've been looking forward to this restaurant for months! We ordered the chef's special course (20 items) with a selection of Japanese sake including Shimotsuzuki, Hikari-Masu, Horinoi, and Momosuke. The meal started with a luxurious sea urchin hand roll, packed with rich Bafun sea urchin from top to bottom! It was incredibly indulgent. The appetizers were delightful, especially the whitefish with plum sauce. Despite its cute appearance, the smooth texture was irresistible. We enjoyed a variety of dishes including fresh spring flavors like firefly squid and bamboo shoots. Each sushi piece was a delight from cherry blossom sea bream to sweet shrimp and egg omelet. The rice portion was just right, balancing perfectly with the appetizers and sake. We savored every bite and before we knew it, we had finished all 20 courses! The finale with sardines was both interesting and delicious.

I continue to visit this place because they always serve different appetizers, and the sushi rice is delicious. On this day, I had dinner with two young staff members, starting at 8:00 pm. The highlight was the new menu item, shabu-shabu with golden-eye snapper, which was outstanding. The soup was delicious, almost like ramen broth. Recently, many sushi places have started serving vegetables, and this place also offered a dish with sea urchin. Besides sushi, they had excellent dishes like shrimp, octopus, and barracuda. The shabu-shabu with golden-eye snapper had a rich paitan soup that could rival ramen. Other dishes included bonito salad with a dressing made from bonito broth, blackthroat seaperch rice bowl with plum and perilla, premium dish of grilled Pacific saury, striped jack, ark shell, horse mackerel, sea urchin, and half-cooked egg with salmon roe for a unique texture. The sushi lineup featured needlefish, marinated fish, striped prawn, conger eel, and additional items like flatfish. The white sweetfish was particularly recommended for its lack of strong flavor and rich fatty taste. The fatty tuna had a generous amount of fat, and the rice was as good as always, slightly firm with a rich flavor. However, the chef says there is still room for improvement.

I visited for a regular meal today. Opted for the 14,300 yen course, with the option to add more if needed. The value for money is excellent. The sushi rice is delicious, and they've been adding more varieties of fish lately. Combining the cheaper course with add-ons might be a good idea. The chef always provides polite and satisfying answers to any questions. Customer satisfaction is crucial, indeed. Apart from sushi, they served: whale, Ishigaki shellfish (no smell), sweet vinegar-marinated mackerel, simmered abalone with liver, bonito with salt and soy sauce, grilled cutlassfish, white-spotted flute fish, sandfish, surf clam, bonito, hand-rolled sea urchin and salmon roe, flounder, fresh squid, seared fresh squid, marinated salmon, striped shrimp, conger eel, and additional items like kelp-snapper, golden eye snapper, white sweetfish, black Japanese bluefish, and tamagoyaki (rolled omelet).

This sushi restaurant is truly delicious! It's exactly the kind of place where you can enjoy superb sushi without any pretense, with a friendly owner serving up delicious bites. They lightly sear summer fish and shellfish, making every piece a delight to eat. I brought some friends from Tabelog this time, and I'm genuinely happy that they enjoyed it! Everything we had was delicious, but the Murasaki Uni from Rebun Island was exceptionally tasty. It's rare to find sea urchin this good.

A standout sushi restaurant in Sumiyoshi, adorned with a modern logo on its noren (entrance curtain), caught my attention. The chef's skill, enveloped in a refreshing ambiance, showcased a diverse range of flavors in the course menu. The impressive array of five main dishes served first captivated my gaze. Beyond just introducing nigiri, each delicacy presented meticulous and rich tastes. The nigiri set consisted of ten pieces. The slightly fluffy shari (rice) initially gave the impression of a robust red vinegar presence, but it turned out to have a surprisingly moderate acidity, resulting in a gentle texture that allowed the flavors of the toppings to shine. Encountering unique ingredients like the seasonal and elusive Ishikage shellfish (from Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture) added an element of excitement, showcasing a well-thought-out composition with a seasonal touch. The pricing was reasonable, contributing to a highly satisfying evening.

This week, for the second time, I treated a young lawyer who has been helping me a lot. Although this is around the fifth time for Mr. Kaio, he mentioned that he has never been to a place with better sushi than here. Even with the 19,800 yen course, it's quite appreciated that you can enjoy it to the fullest, and it's just a bit over 50,000 yen. ● Shako, Grouper ● Ebotai ● Abalone with clam broth ● Timeless and delicious with rich flavor ● Yuzu-flavored grilled dish (no photo) ○ Bonito ○ Flatfish ○ Young Tilefish ○ Stonefish ○ Striped Jack ○ Hand-rolled sea urchin from Okujiri Island - exceptionally delicious, a seasonal specialty ○ Kohada ○ White Sweet Snapper aged for a week - the ultimate dryness, so tasty ○ Hokkyokugai (North Clam) ○ Sardine - rich in flavor ○ Striped Prawn ○ Nodoguro (Blackthroat Seaperch) - excellent fat content ○ Tamagoyaki (Rolled Omelette) added ○ Harusakana (Spring Child Snapper) ○ Sakura Tai (Cherry Blossom Sea Bream) The sushi rice is delicious.

We visited the restaurant with a group of four on a very hot day. As soon as we arrived, we ordered two glasses of draft beer to cool down. The sushi was not only delicious, but the conversation flowed with the different perspectives of the four of us, making it a very enjoyable time. The appetizers are consistently tasty, and they are always coming up with new ideas, so it never gets boring. Some highlights included: - Iwamotozuku (seaweed): Thin like threads, with a slightly sour seasoning that warms the heart. - Button shrimp and Mirugai: The largest button shrimp of the day from the market. - Shiroamadai (white sweetfish): Gentle and delicious. - Katsuo no zuke (marinated bonito) with okra: Interesting combination with sliminess and onion soy sauce. - Kinmedai no yu-an yaki (grilled golden eye snapper): Simply delicious. - Other selections such as Tokijirazu, Kiss, Sekiisaki, Ishikagegai, Aji, Iwashi, Murasaki Uni, Shinko, Makogarei, Kitayorikai, Iwashi, Shima Ebi, Pickled items, Chutoro, Nodoguro, Anago, Uni Gunkan, and Tamago Yaki.

Incredibly delicious sushi! I tried the chef's choice at a local sushi restaurant ranked among the top 100 on Tabelog (a Japanese restaurant review site). The young chef's skilled handcrafted sushi surpassed those of other sushi places. From sashimi to the last piece, it was outstanding. Oh, it was so delicious! The golden-eye snapper sushi and the seared Hokkigai (northward-tilted) clam sushi were exceptional!

I found this place on Tabelog with a high rating, and it caught my interest, so I decided to check it out (^·^). It's located right in the middle of a residential area, so you might have to walk a bit from the station. Wanting to enjoy a relaxed meal, I visited right after they opened (^-^). They were thoughtful enough to turn up the air conditioning since I had walked there in the heat, which I really appreciated. I started with a beer to quench my thirst and then moved on to the course menu, starting with some appetizers. I had 16 pieces of sushi, and by the time I finished them, I was really full. I thought the appetizers were a bit scarce, but once I had the sushi, I was satisfied.

The chef constantly pursues perfection in the sushi rice, with no specific goal. This day marked the start of a two-day weekend, resulting in fewer additional items, but the addition of "kohada" was noteworthy. The balance of saltiness, vinegar, and umami was impeccable, unlike anything you'd find elsewhere. Even having 12 pieces of just "kohada" would be acceptable. Apart from sushi, the broccoli sprout-topped soup with "menuke" (blowfish) was outstanding. Other highlights included "aburabouzu" (fried monkfish liver), grilled scallops, fatty bonito, hot swordfish with miso, and more. The warmth of the dishes, such as "tachiuo" (beltfish) with yuzu-flavored sauce, added to the experience. Sushi offerings included striped jack, marinated gizzard shad, golden-eye snapper, blackthroat seaperch, sea urchin, "kohada," North snow crab, white sweet shrimp, lean tuna, medium-fatty tuna, fatty tuna, striped shrimp, and conger eel. Additional servings of tamago (sweet omelet) and "kohada" were recommended. The meal concluded with hoshigaki maki (dried persimmon roll).

It's delicious. Somehow it got selected as one of the top 100 restaurants, and the price has gone up a bit, but the taste is worth it. The sushi rice is outstanding. The owner is not the type to talk a lot, but creates just the right atmosphere. I'll definitely go again!

This is a cozy sushi restaurant located about a 5-minute walk from Sumiyoshi Station on the Hanzomon Line. It was newly selected for the Sushi Tokyo Top 100 in 2022, and I've been wanting to try it out due to its reasonable prices. You can make reservations through Tabelog, and if you're dining solo, it's relatively easy to secure a booking even at short notice, as long as there's one seat available. Though it normally seats 8, they seem to be spacing out diners, with a current setup of 7 seats arranged in an L-shaped counter (3 vertical, 4 horizontal). It doesn't start all at once; when I arrived at 6:30, there was already a group of 4 starting, while the remaining 2 arrived an hour later. The omakase course comprised 15 items (tax included, ¥14,300), including: - Sashimi: Tsubugai (whelk), Shiraganodai (white croaker) - Sashimi: Masunosuke (sea trout), Suji-ko (salmon roe) - Steamed Kinmedai (golden eye snapper) - Seared Kuromutsu (black gnomefish) - Grilled Tachiuo (belt fish) with yuzu sauce - Shima aji (striped jack) - Karei (flatfish) - Isaki (grunt) - Haruko-dai (young sea bream) - Uni (sea urchin) hand roll - Kobashira (adductor muscle of scallop) - Aburi (torched) Hokki-gai (surf clam) - Akami (lean tuna) - Shima ebi (striped shrimp) - Anago (sea eel) The head chef, who goes by Tamadai, is 38 years old, and it's amazing to think he achieved the title of a top 100 restaurant just five years after becoming independent. The appetizers, consisting of 5 dishes, were all small portions but each delicious, building anticipation for the nigiri. The nigiri rice had a crispness with a gentle spread of red vinegar in the mouth. The rice was slightly firm, adding to its texture. Each piece of nigiri had a beautiful form and melted in the mouth wonderfully. While all the toppings were delicious, the most memorable for me were the grunt, uni hand roll, and striped shrimp. It's a bit uncommon to find grunt served as sushi, but it was thick, with a good texture and delicious flavor. The uni was served in a hand roll, generously filled with about 1.5 pieces worth, rich and velvety, it was exceptional! As for the striped shrimp, it's not often you get the chance to have it as sashimi or sushi, but here it was. Again, it had a velvety texture and rich flavor. It was very delicious! I had two drinks, and the total bill came to just over ¥16,000. With such reasonable prices, I definitely want to come back again. *I've added some comments to the photos.

I went to Sushi Kaiu, a restaurant listed in the top 100 sushi places on Tabelog. The sushi, skillfully crafted by the young and delicate-handed chef, is truly delicious. The balance of fish and rice, along with the temperature, is superb! The Sayori (halfbeak) and Kohada (gizzard shad) were particularly tasty.

Visited "Sushi Kaiu" in Sumiyoshi. It's a popular sushi restaurant in Koto Ward. The exterior with sharp white curtains and a sleek logo caught my attention, so I made a reservation through Tabelog and decided to check it out. The overall exterior is tasteful and well-coordinated. Upon entering, I found a spacious counter in an inviting atmosphere. The master exudes sharpness as a skilled chef, and the staff are polite and leave a positive impression. I pre-ordered a course consisting of 5 appetizers and 15 pieces of nigiri (¥19,800). Here's a rundown: - **Appetizers:** 1. **Menuke:** Light and refreshing Menuke. Served with concentrated broth extracted from Menuke's head. 2. **Scallop and Kinmedai with Sudachi:** Scallop and Kinmedai sprinkled with Sudachi and wasabi. Rich flavors concentrated. 3. **Snow Crab, Uni, and Ikura:** A dish with Snow Crab, Uni, and Ikura that is rich and satisfying. 4. **Black Sea Bream with Ume Sauce:** Black Sea Bream with a generous amount of plum sauce. Exceptional. 5. **Salt-Grilled Beltfish:** Tender and fluffy beltfish. Enjoyed with daikon grated with yuzu. - **Nigiri:** 1. **Sardine:** Perfectly sliced Sardine with an exquisite cutting technique. Generous portion, very satisfying. 2. **Ark Shell:** Firm-textured Ark Shell. Excellent pairing with firm rice. 3. **Japanese Whiting with Kelp:** Japanese Whiting with a refreshing touch of Kelp. Ideal for the warming season. 4. **Thread-Sail Filefish:** Flavorful Thread-Sail Filefish. Unity in the mouth, delightful. 5. **Seared Sea Bream:** Seared Sea Bream Nigiri. Sweetness and richness spread in the mouth. 6. **Uni Hand Roll:** Exciting hand roll-making process. A voluminous Uni hand roll. Highly satisfying. 7. **Flathead:** Flavorful Flathead. Substantial and satisfying. 8. **Bonito:** Delicious Bonito Nigiri. Well-cut and presented. 9. **Charcoal-Grilled Squid:** Crispy Charcoal-Grilled Squid. Balanced with the rice. 10. **Striped Jack:** Light yet assertive Striped Jack. Delicious white-meat nigiri. 11. **Northern Clam:** Thick and sweet Northern Clam. Captures the sweetness of the clam, delicious. 12. **Tuna:** Tuna Nigiri with a fantastic blend of umami and unity with the shari. 13. **Medium-Fatty Tuna:** Medium-fatty Tuna with rich fat. Harmonizes well with firm shari. 14. **Shrimp:** Sweet and succulent Shrimp. Exciting texture, delicious. 15. **Grilled Eel:** Nigiri with Grilled Eel. Concentrated sweetness and richness. - **Additional Item:** - **Tuna Roll:** Large-sized Tuna Roll. Overflowing with tuna goodness. In summary, the master's sharpness is impressive, maintaining a modest and composed demeanor with a touch of wit. The interactions are sharp and delightful. The shari, seasoned with red vinegar, isn't overpowering, contributing to a holistic sushi experience. Overall, the satisfaction level with the food, service, and atmosphere is high. It's a fantastic sushi restaurant, and I genuinely enjoyed it. Paid with a credit card, and the price is reasonable. Will definitely return. Thank you for the delightful meal!

Located a 5-minute walk from Sumiyoshi Station in the downtown area of Koto Ward, this restaurant may not seem like a high-end sushi place with its neighboring dental clinic, dry cleaner, and bike shop. Despite its paradoxical location, I visited the popular restaurant Kaiu. The L-shaped counter with seven seats was bustling, almost full. The chef, in his late thirties, had a calm demeanor and engagingly casual manner. The staff, surprisingly, were from Romania but spoke fluent Japanese, and one was even a sake advisor. Let's look at the food. The sushi was good, but the appetizers were outstanding! - The Menkue (flounder) is seared thickly with a firm and juicy texture, served with a rich broth made from Menkue's bones. - The scallop in sashimi marinade is lightly seared, with a burnt flavor complemented by the fragrance of kabosu (citrus fruit). The kabosu adds a refreshing touch. - The kinmedai (golden eye snapper) is simply enjoyed with a light soy sauce. It's in season now. - Snow crab with sea urchin sauce and salmon roe is luxurious. The unique taste of the crustaceans is balanced by the rich sea urchin sauce and salmon roe, creating an exquisite harmony. - The black sea bream with plum sauce is mixed with plum sauce to neutralize the strong fat of the black sea bream, making it smoother on the palate. - The grilled beltfish with grated daikon radish and yuzu pepper is refreshing with the yuzu pepper mixed in the grated daikon radish. There are 15 sushi rolls, making it a sushi marathon. The vinegar used is red vinegar, which is not too harsh, blending perfectly with the sushi ingredients. The variety includes horse mackerel, ark shell, sandfish, and sea eel, all with excellent sushi craftsmanship. The large ark shell and perfectly balanced sandfish were particularly impressive. There are many items, so you may feel a bit full, but they are all delicious, so I recommend everyone to try them all. The prices are reasonable, influenced by the location. Eating sushi in the downtown area, different from the bustling city centers like Roppongi or Ginza, is a nice change of pace. However, being an urbanite, I couldn't be satisfied with just the downtown experience and went on to have a second round at a high-rise building along the coast, with the night view of the Rainbow Bridge in the background.

Today's appetizers were 'Sea urchin sauce with snow crab and salmon roe' and 'Grilled "幸神目ぬけ"'. The sushi of the day was 'Isaki from Oita'. The meal included grilled "幸神目ぬけ", sashimi of Kaname madai from Tateyama and scallops from Hokkaido, sea urchin sauce with snow crab and salmon roe, black Japanese bluefish with plum sauce, small swordfish with yuzu pepper and grated daikon, nigiri sushi of Akagai from Shimane, Kisu from Ube, Isaki from Kagoshima, Murasaki uni, Small skin from Rebun Island, Katsuo from Omaezaki, Hokkigai from Kesennuma, Striped shrimp from Tomakomai, Eel from Hokkaido, and Tamago from Omaezaki.

We visited the restaurant with three people at 7 p.m. It's a bit difficult to converse when seated side by side with three people. I, in the middle, found myself swaying left and right strangely, feeling a bit dizzy. Nonetheless, the sushi rice was still delicious as ever, though I felt the previous visit had more depth of flavor. When I inquired with the chef, he mentioned he had slightly altered the recipe again, showing his dedication to perfection. Today, there was an unusual addition of conger eel, which had a crispy skin and tender flesh, just perfect. Apart from sushi, we enjoyed various dishes including sazae shellfish, button shrimp, sweet simmered ayu fish, sake-steamed golden eye snapper, and grilled belt fish. The balance of appetizers was impeccable, with a mix of sweet, salty, and savory flavors. We also savored other sushi items like swordfish, ark shell, young snapper, grunt fish, and others, all of which were delightful. Additionally, we ordered some tamagoyaki (rolled omelette) as an extra treat. Overall, it was a satisfying dining experience.

I made a reservation for Mother's Day dinner, and it was truly delicious! My mother loved it. The chef put a lot of effort into each dish, and it's exciting to see how they handle the ingredients and cooking techniques. Every fish was cooked perfectly, and the rice was very fluffy. We could taste the sweetness, tenderness, and texture of each dish. Even though I don't understand Japanese well, the waitress and chef still paid a lot of attention to us. I'm really glad we visited this restaurant!

I was able to get a reservation for 18:30 because there was one spot available when I checked the day before. It was nice to enjoy sushi alone after a long time; there's a certain freedom to it. The head chef here is very dedicated to his craft and is always evolving. I've been coming here for a while, but tonight's sushi rice is the best I've ever had. It's tangy, firm, and incredibly flavorful. When I asked what changed, he mentioned being inspired by another sushi restaurant where he was blown away by their rice. Since then, he's made improvements, resulting in today's outstanding rice. I'm also impressed by the variety and balance of flavors in each piece of sushi. From the refreshing flavor of the first bonito to the delicate seasoning of the simmered octopus, each one pairs beautifully with the expertly prepared rice. The hand-rolled sea urchin is a specialty and a must-try. The cured fish roe is a perfect ending to the meal, leaving the essence of the fish lingering on the palate. Overall, it was a delightful dining experience, and I can't wait to come back again.

On this day, I visited Sushi Kaiu near Sumiyoshi Station on the Hanzomon Line. The restaurant has a small, clean interior with only 6 counter seats. I reserved the omakase course for ¥19,800, consisting of about 20 dishes. The offerings included appetizers such as red snapper, firefly squid, and bamboo shoot; grilled items like sea bream and abalone; nigiri sushi with various toppings such as cherry salmon, horse mackerel, and sea urchin; hand rolls with mackerel and egg; and more. Overall, I was satisfied with the portion sizes and quality of the dishes. The pace of service was just right, and the owner's hospitality left a positive impression. The selection of drinks complemented the meal well. Thank you for the wonderful dining experience!

Saturday evening in Sumiyoshi, Koto-ku. It's my first time at this station, but I've been invited by a group of friends to an off-meeting at a renowned sushi restaurant in town. There are four of us attending, in pairs of one male and one female, but we've all dined together before at places in Machida and Sagamioono. It promises to be an enjoyable evening. Despite the icy rain this morning, I'm eagerly donning my boots and heading out like an otter. We start with lunch at a Sanuki udon place in Ningyocho, then head to Kiyosumi-Shirakawa. We take a break at Kiyosumi Gardens, and immerse ourselves in the ambiance of the Edo period at the Edo-Tokyo Museum. By the time our reserved slot at 5:30 arrives, our organizer is already waiting outside the restaurant. Soon, the curtain is drawn, and we're seated at the counter. Shortly after, a couple and a solo diner join us, making us a party of seven to begin our feast. The restaurant expects a second round of customers at 8:00, so our meal lasts about two and a half hours. Now, onto the main topic. Here's the rundown of the course we received. I've included comments for each dish in the photo captions, so please enjoy them together. And thank you for the wonderful meal. P.S.: I've added some pictures of the scenery and flowers at Kiyosumi Gardens at the end, if you have the time to take a look. Summary: The masked head chef seems modest, though he's honed his skills at a few establishments, he's not overly famous. He's chosen to raise his curtain here in Sumiyoshi. While the front is managed by a Romanian lady (not the proprietress), handling drinks, the appetizers and sushi are a one-person operation. With five appetizers and fifteen pieces of sushi, it might be the limit for one person to handle the preparation alone. However, seeing each piece of fish carefully wrapped in absorbent paper and neatly arranged in a box shows the chef's sincerity. Appetizers: The white fish and first bonito appetizers rival those of sushi shops in Chuo and Minato wards. Sushi: The rice is made with diluted red vinegar. It's flavorful but not overly sour, which might be a matter of preference. Sake: We had about three cups of sake.