Shimbashi Hoshino is consistently ranked among the top 1 or 2 restaurants nationwide on Tabelog, a regular Gold award winner, and is highly regarded even among the legendary Kyo-mi restaurants. This time, I enjoyed summer delicacies such as sweetfish, abalone, and sea urchin.The grilled sweetfish was prepared with great care, and Hoshino himself taught me how to remove the bones. Perhaps he is a great teacher, as I was able to remove the bones perfectly, which usually doesn’t go so well for me. There might also be a special technique in the grilling method that makes it easier to debone. I took a big bite of the deboned sweetfish along with its liver, which is the best way to enjoy it. This year, there’s an added service where they turn the removed bones into crispy snacks. Knowing that I deboned them myself makes them taste even better.The tempura abalone was fluffy and had a nice bounce, while the sea urchin was paired with a refreshing jelly made from akou (kijihata) broth, perfect for summer.The classic Yoshino-ni of taro stems, a staple of Kyo-mi cuisine, never fails to impress me. Hoshino takes the time and effort to turn a bundle of taro stems, which costs only a few hundred yen, into an exquisite dish, showcasing the strength of Kyo-mi cuisine.Once again, I had a delightful meal.Omakase Course: August 2026, certain day- Chilled Somen- Steamed New Ginkgo Rice- Grilled Hamo (Pike Conger)- Yoshino-ni Taro Stems- Sea Urchin with Akou (Kijihata) Broth Jelly- Tempura Abalone with Liver- Tempura Kisu (Japanese Whiting) with Corn- Washed Akou (Kijihata)- Unagi (Eel) with Winter Melon Soup- Grilled Sweetfish with Crispy Bones- Simmered Herring with Eggplant and Snow Peas- Okra with Grated Daikon- White Rice with Beef Shigureni, Chirimen Jako, Pickles, and Miso Soup- Bonito Flake and Egg Yolk Rice, Sansho Kombu Chazuke, and Rice Crust- Kuzukiri* We shared 4 go (720ml) of Japanese sake, costing just under JPY 60,000 per person.
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