Murakami is now the top sushi restaurant in Kumamoto, and arguably the best in the city across all genres. I had heard that it was difficult to get a reservation unless you were a regular, but I surprisingly managed to secure a spot easily by registering for a waitlist on Pocket Concierge. It seems the reservation barrier has lowered. The restaurant is located on a quiet street opposite the shopping district from Sakuramachi. There are a few other charming restaurants in the area as well.The sushi course is priced at JPY 22,000.~ Appetizers ~- A variety of broths with a fragrant aroma of shellfish.- Tempura of anago (conger eel) with a sauce made from kinome (Japanese pepper leaves), blending Japanese and Western flavors.- Steamed abalone with a sauce of shiitake mushrooms, a delightful fusion of Japanese and Western styles, enhanced by the richness of the abalone liver.- Grilled sawara (Spanish mackerel) with myoga (Japanese ginger) and daikon radish in ponzu sauce.- Karasumi somen (dried mullet roe with thin noodles), featuring homemade karasumi and Shimabara somen, perfectly salted with a satisfying texture.- Squid ink mixed with sushi rice, resembling risotto but distinctly flavored with sushi rice.~ Nigiri ~- Purple sea urchin, meltingly tender.- Aori ika (bigfin reef squid), with perfect knife cuts.- Isaki (grunt fish).- Ishidai (stone bream), known for its rich fat content.- Marinated red fish, noted to be not from Kyushu.- Toro (fatty tuna).- Aji (horse mackerel), a staple in Kumamoto sushi, rich in fat.- Kuruma ebi (sweet shrimp), with a rare texture and flavor I had never experienced before.- Nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch).- Negitoro maki (tuna and green onion roll).~ Sweets ~- Minamata Japanese black tea.- Higo green melon ice cream, incredibly smooth with no graininess.The pace of service was relaxed for the appetizers, while the nigiri was served at a perfect tempo, with impeccable timing for tea and gari (pickled ginger). The dishes were a creative blend of Japanese and Western influences, yet they felt completely natural and well-executed. The quality of the sushi, both the ingredients and the rice, was impeccable. If I had to nitpick, I would have liked to have had a few more pieces of sushi. The attention to detail in the ingredients, preparation, and service was remarkable, and the appetizers showcased originality, making this a sushi restaurant with no complaints.
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