1. Watanabe-san, who speaks English quite well, quickly warmed up to us and was funny and entertaining. All images and text copyright © 2015-2020 The Sushi Geek - All rights reserved. Create Account in OMAKASE (High-end Restaurant Reservation System) OMAKASE →Input of mail-address and password, then you can create new account. Aji Fukushima ... Sushi / Tokyo BRONZE. Actually the only sushi yasan in style close to Shimizu san that is accepting non Japanese speaking is sushi Arai, but now you need to be a regular to go there ! ï¿¥4,000. All rights reserved. If you dine in the evenings, you will be served a delicious array of sushi, and you can also enjoy tsumami of abalone, simmered fish or a luscious piece of monkfish liver topped with a traditional Japanese pickle called narazuke. I’ve seen a lot of comments online from people who think this is a racist practice. In Arai-san's case, it was more than 15 years of working in some of the most prestigious sushiya in Tokyo - Kyubey and later, Sushi Sho under Keiji Nakazawa (in fact, during my visits to Sushi Sho a few years ago, Arai-san was there at the counter). We strive to create a comfortable space for you to enjoy and relax. Sushi Arai is in the basement of an office building called Ruan in the Ginza, accessible via a lift from street level. While preparing my trip to Tokyo this spring, I couldn’t resist compiling the 50 best list once again. The maguro I was served, from Aomori prefecture, was very good but not particularly memorable - and it certainly was not a particularly rare or prized cut. The recipe is as follows… Fry onion with Wagyu fat, add 35 g of sugar, 500 ml sake, 15 ml mirin and Shiitake mushroom. Last year, we shared an article on the highly-rated Yakiniku restaurants in Tokyo among local Japanese. 2020 Also, only one option is offered to foreign tourists at lunch, a ¥20,000 lunch that includes both otsumami and nigiri. And a rich brown bowl just deep enough to hold the simmered fish, with a smooth edge perfect for sipping every last drop of the delicious dashi. The vibe definitely changes if half of the customers at the counter don’t speak Japanese. Octagonal dishes in beige with a brown rim or a burnt red-brown hue that highlights the creamy color and decorative knife cuts of the abalone. So you will find Arai at Tsukiji Market early every morning building those relationships and ensuring the best products are served to his customers each day: golden yellow sea urchin roe (uni), glistening silver gizzard shad (kohada), saltwater eel (anago) two ways, and not forgetting the many parts of the tuna like maguro and chutaro, among many others. Other than these few issues, the food is outstanding. It should be noted that the first counter with Arai-san is now almost exclusively reserved for regulars. Cost: JPY 21,500 before drinks Size:& The second counter, which is manned by a young chef by the name of Watanabe-san, is very tiny and intimate, seating only five. The chain sushi restaurants (called kaiten sushi) in Tokyo such as Sushiro, Kurazushi, Hamazushi, Kappa Sushi, etc. I returned to Sushi Arai for a second visit on a recent trip to Tokyo, after having had a great lunch there last year. Indeed, this shop, owned and operated by Yuichi Arai-san, has only been around since October 2015, but in that short time it has earned a Michelin star and is now ranked as the #7 best sushiya in Tokyo on Tabelog, earning an impressive 4.45 ranking. I’m happy to report that overall, the quality of the food at Arai's 2nd counter is very good. twitter. Newcomers and regulars alike love it, especially having a say in the line-up in their sushi course – a rarity in this age of omakase. Sushi Arai 8-10-2 Ginza, Ruan Building B1F, Tokyo, https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1301/A130101/13188186/. Tabelog has become the leading directory of restaurants in Japan, even launching its own awards in recent years. Some notable changes since last September – Hatsunezushi climbed from 40th to 2nd place, while Miyakozushi’s Sugita Taka-aki has reopened in the new location and is 22nd best in Tokyo at the… So popular that Arai opened a second counter a few months ago. Stepping into Sushi Arai, it feels brand new with the clean, crisp smell of Kiso Valley hinoki. As does the fact that this chef likes flexibility and welcomes customer input in a style called okonomi, or âas you likeâ. Sushi Arai (along with Amamoto) is the new darling of Edomae Sushi in Tokyo. I’d like to provide some explanation as to why sushi restaurants in Tokyo are adopting this practice. The chef-owner Arai-san has a strong background of working at the famous sushiya Kyube in Ginza as well as Sushi Sho in Yotsuya, no wonder it becomes a topic in town since it opened in late 2015. Now, it is time to present “The Tabelog Award 2020” Yes, Yamane Ryusuke san & Arai san were at sushi Kyubei at the same period. Saito, Sugita, Mitani, Sukiyabashi Jiro, Arai, Sushi Sho, Sawada, Kimura, Tokami etc. I’ve received at least a dozen messages in the past few months from readers regarding Arai - … Watanabe-san's nigiri molding technique is maybe not quite as refined as a top echelon chef like Arai-san (see images of nigiri below) - but this had a fairly negligible effect on the flavor of the sushi. Tucked away is an entirely private room that also seats seven people offering the perfect place to relax and deepen personal friendships or business relationships. Sushi Arai (鮨あらい) Sushi Arai is currently one of the hottest sushiya in Tokyo. Newcomers and regulars alike love it, especially having a say in the line-up in their sushi course â a rarity in this age of omakase. BEST NEW ENTRY. Chef Arai is completely unwavering in his belief that the sushi master should visit the market every day to select the best ingredients. This is the annual restaurant award on the basis of evaluation by ordinary customers, not by industry experts. TABELOG GOLD (RATING 4.25) NEWEST HEAVYWEIGHT IN TOWN - OPENED MARCH 2018. sushi namba . Therefore, if they have a capable chef on staff who is more fluent in English, and the space for a second counter, the idea to open a second counter starts to make a lot of sense. During my visit, I lunched along with two chefs from Australia, and the three of us had Chef Watanabe’s undivided attention for the duration of the meal. Sushiya Ichiyanagi, Ginza: See 31 unbiased reviews of Sushiya Ichiyanagi, rated 4 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranked #550 of 3,658 restaurants in Ginza. Here are the award winning stores for Gold of “The Tabelog Award 2020”. twitter. The colors and textures of the nigiri sushi, however, are best highlighted by the soft hinoki hues of the counter where Arai places them directly, one-by-one, just before you partake in them. facebook. Arai san, opened his sushi yasan at Ginza in following Shimizu san nigiri style, but now after his star is serving a lot of maguro. The chef stands behind the beautiful unvarnished seven-seat hinoki counter under soft lighting, pleased with the authentic atmosphere he has achieved. Here are the award winning stores for each award of “The Tabelog Award 2020”. Because the most important thing is that the customer goes home happy. If a chef doesn’t speak much English, it it very difficult for him or her to engage foreign customers in conversation in a meaningful way. Chef ichjijo Satoshi-san took over the building after Sugita-san moved out, and opened his … He was truly one of the most legendary sushi chefs in Japan, and his departure leaves a distinct void in this universe. I wouldn’t say that the meal, priced at Y20,000, is a great deal, but I do feel that the pricing is fair considering the amount and quality of the food that is served. Just like at the main counter, I found the nigiri to be delicious - bold shari that is strongly seasoned with a blend of komesu and akasu, and uniformly high quality neta. TABLEALL. INGREDIENTS Today, we’ll share the list of genuinely popular (and the most exclusive, I should say) Sushi restaurants in Tokyo among local Japanese people. Sushi Arai. I was a little apprehensive about it, but it turned out to be an enjoyable (albeit expensive) lunch. Sushi - Ginza, Tokyo. I’ve personally witnessed this many times. Sushi Ichijo (sometimes also spelled Ichijou) is located near the Higashi Nihonbashi station, in the location that used to house Sugita-san's famous Miyakozushi restaurant. In late-2016, Mizutani-san closed his shop. Despite being one of the youngest sushi chefs in town, Chef Arai has already forged his own style. A pretty steep increase in price, since last year my lunch (which, to be fair, was nigiri-only) at the first counter with Arai-san was only ¥10,000! JP EN. It should also be noted that foreign customers very frequently misbehave in sushi shops in Japan. And more importantly, how's the food? Cost: JPY 25,000, before drinks Size: <12 seats Reserved: About 5 weeks in advance Miyaha came recommended by a sushi chef whom I hold in high regard. ... A visit to the second counter at Sushi Arai in Ginza, Tokyo. How to reserve. Having gained his cooking license during high school, Arai began training at Kyubey immediately after graduating. Yuichi Arai is just 33 years old and originally from western Tokyo. A sushi apprentice refers to the master as oyakata, which includes the characters for ‘parent’ and ‘the way’. ... Sushi / Tokyo GOLD. And yet there are touches that are throwbacks to sushi restaurants of old: a majestic ice box built into the rear wall and a row of handwritten wooden plates displaying the freshest fish each day. are about $1.00 per plate — plus tax. Arai Sushi / Tokyo GOLD. He is especially proud of the pot that has prize of place on the counter behind him. According to Tabelog, there are over 350 kaiten sushi restaurants around Tokyo. A note about the “tourist counter” concept: this is a concept that other sushiya have adopted as well (Iwa, for example, frequently groups foreigners together at their second counter). This person is intended to be a father figure, guiding the way for his apprentice. Tokyo Restaurants, Ginza, Tabelog Tokyo Top 20 The Sushi Geek August 09, 2018 Tokyo Restaurants, Ginza, tabelog Tokyo top 20 4 Comments. Kyubey Ginza Honten, Ginza: See 874 unbiased reviews of Kyubey Ginza Honten, rated 4.5 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranked #7 of 3,661 restaurants in Ginza. Diverging from the more typical pattern of omakase where the sushi master determines all your sushi bites, Arai asks what and how you would like to eat. And for this reason the pieces are slightly larger than most â another indication of the chefâs leaning to a more classic style. Stepping into Sushi Arai, it feels brand new with the clean, crisp smell of Kiso Valley hinoki. Fujioka Soba / Nagano SILVER. You can check out my review of that experience here. Sea urchin and bluefin tuna are the two delectable icons of the Sushi Takamitsu menu. Sushi - Ginza, Tokyo. Despite being one of the youngest sushi chefs in town, Chef Arai has already forged his own style. He built his skills over eight years at the Kyubey locations in the Hotel Okura and Keio Plaza Hotel. And the tough times there instilled in him the idea that young people should go through hard training to gain experience and maturity. Sushi Matsumoto is located in Akasaka, Tokyo. A most enjoyable sushi experience right in the heart of Ginza, the atmosphere at Sushi Arai is friendly and comfortable, even if you are dining solo. I’ve posted already about the exellent Sushi-ya, which quality and chef’s skills wise reminded me greatly of the great Sushi Saito. Sugita is said to be one of the hardest sushi restaurants to make a reservation at. And yet there are touches that are throwbacks to sushi restaurants of old: a majestic ice box built into the rear wall and a row of handwritten wooden plates displaying the freshest fish each day. Could anyone recommend a sushi restaurant that will accept my reservation? Sushi Arai is massively popular these days - not only with Tokyo residents but also with foreign visitors. The fishmongers simply wonât sell the best products to individuals they donât have a relationship with. This time shaped his more classic perspective on sushi. In peak summer season, sea urchins appear as many as six times throughout the elaborate omakase meal, made up of 25 small dishes and nigiri. Sushi Sugita is a 1-Star Michelin restaurant in Tokyo run by Takaaki Sugita-san. (justonecookbook.com) We hope you will fully enjoy our food without worrying about time. $(function(){ $(".info .more").on("click", function() { $(".info .gallery.hidden").fadeIn(); $(".info .more").hide(); }); }); As the chef at a sushi restaurant, Chef Arai wants you to feel like you really ate your fill of sushi. Cost: JPY 31,000, before One of the sushi restaurants that I had the pleasure of dining at is run by a relatively young chef, Yuichi Arai, who is a mere 33 years old and already has his first restaurant in Ginza, which was awarded One Michelin star and highly ranked on the Tabelog (Score: 4.41/5.0). The lunchtime menu is all nigiri sushi chosen from the market-fresh fish selection displayed on wooden menu plates on the wall behind the chef. And while the chef adjusts the amount of rice if people would like to drink more, he never compromises on the generous size of the ingredients that top the rice. The tableware here has all been collected from Fukui Prefecture, each perfect for its role. Below you’ll find a gallery of photos taken during my lunch at Arai’s second counter, with items shown in the order they were served. To these restaurants, the second counter exists not only to keep their regular Japanese customers happy, but also to improve the experience of foreign customers. One of the important aspect of the sushi dining experience is the interaction between chef and customers. Omakase lunch course served by Sous chef at Sub counter, The price includes our booking fee of Wagyu sukiyaki rice by the chef-owner ofHannahDaisuke Shimoyama. Nothing flashy, just genuinely delicious sushi. Itâs those kinds of details that make you feel really looked after. The sushi-yasan there is 9th generation at his craft and rumored to be hanging up his knives in the near future. The award started in 2017 with a catch phrase “Let’s praise the great taste!”. This places stress on the chef, who not only feels that the foreign customer is being neglected, but also feels that it affects the experience for their regulars as well. CHIUnE Innovative/Fusion / Tokyo GOLD. The focus here is on nigiri sushi in which tasty fish and shellfish slices are gently pressed on to a bed of delicately-flavored rice made with akazu red vinegar. Note: No photos were taken during my meal at Sushi Mizutani, as they were prohibited at the time. Aside from my usual Tokyo sushi spots like Harutaka, this time I was after sushi shops I’ve never been before. Sushi Arai. facebook. It's a perennial Tabelog Tokyo top 20 (currently ranked as the 16th best sushi shop in Tokyo with a very respectable 4.25 score) and it is helmed by a legendary, 3rd generation sushi chef, Nazuo Nagayama, who is highly respected for his encyclopedic knowledge of sushi. Foreigners, by all accounts, are only able to book the second counter. I’ve seen shocking behavior from foreign customers at counters of well-known shops (women doing their makeup at the counter, men playing games on cell phones and picking the rice off their nigiri... ) - no wonder then that a separate counter for foreigners becomes even more appealing under these circumstances. His sushi is in the classic Edo Mae style, and is very well executed with great flavour. I've been doing my research on tabelog but I keep reading that most of these places do not take reservations for new or foreign customers. Also, I assume that the super-rare cuts of maguro (like senaka akami, a cut from the back of the tuna just under the dorsal fin) that Arai has recently become famous for are only served to Arai’s regulars at the main counter. Foreign customers are then able to fully enjoy the sushiya experience, chatting with a chef who can understand them. Unlike my previous visit though, this time, I only managed to book a seat at the second counter - which I’ve dubbed “the tourist counter”. So, how’s the experience? Looking for something $300 and under. Sushi Take is a timeless sushi yasan, for this reason the concept is good : old size nigiri, good kohada, choice very limited to some of the classics, good knife work. I greatly enjoyed my lunch with Watanabe-san and would return for another lunch at the second counter without hesitation. It has two small counters, the chef preparing the sushi in front of you as is traditional. Sushi Ryusuke is already difficult to reserve.., so even I want to go back this is not easy. The article has been quite popular since then. Sushi Namba has been a well-known sushi-ya in the Asagaya area for quite some time. Note: Since my visit to Hatsunezushi in mid-2015, the shop has exploded in popularity (you can blame some hyperbolic instagrammers for that) and is now quite difficult to book - supposedly, as of end-2016, all of 2017 is already booked for non-regulars! He opened his restaurant at the age of 32, and while that may sound young, he trained under other sushi masters for 15 years. Newcomers and regulars alike love it, especially having a say in the line-up in their sushi course – a rarity in this age of omakase. I don't know what is doing ? ... Aji Arai Japanese Cuisine / Oita BRONZE. Despite being one of the youngest sushi chefs in town, Chef Arai has already forged his own style. The shari really stands out, it is sharp and sour, and works really well with the neta. It was gifted to him to commemorate his restaurant opening, by the serious, classic Edomae sushi Chef Shimizu at Shimbashi Shimizu, whom Arai has long respected. Please enjoy Edomae sushi. As your eyes browse the row of sea urchins, you can see how each variety is unique in color, size and texture. Its chef is relatively young but is a rising star of the Tokyo sushi scene, and reservations are already nightmarish. The small round plates with a sea bream design and different seasonal motifs of sakura, bamboo and pine are especially lovely. JP EN. If you plan way ahead of time and with the help of a hotel concierge, you might be able to book a reservation. We also have great sake that goes well with the food, and we will serve you with all our heart. 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