I finally visited Ranmaru in Shimomeguro, a place I had been curious about for a long time. Thanks to my friend, a sushi expert, I was introduced to Mr. Sunpil, one of his apprentices, and this was my first visit for lunch.Opened in 2018 as a sister restaurant to Sushi Linda, Ranmaru has gained popularity, winning the Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze and being selected as one of the Top 100 Sushi Restaurants in Tokyo 2025.When it was time for my reservation, the door remained closed for a while, but eventually opened, creating a special moment as I entered.I had assumed Mr. Sunpil was a woman just from the name, but to my surprise, he turned out to be a handsome star in the sushi world!**Highlights:** ✔️ Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze ✔️ Selected as one of the Top 100 Sushi Restaurants in Tokyo 2025 ✔️ A delightful mix of sushi and appetizers ✔️ Drinks starting from JPY 500, very reasonable ✔️ Ginger and wasabi are not overly spicy, perfectly balanced with the fish **What I had:** Omakase Lunch JPY 15,000 ⭐️ Spring Sea Bream, Kombu-marinated / Kagoshima, Izumi ⭐️ Katsuo, Tsushima / Soy Sauce-marinated Aori Squid Masu, Lake Biwa / with ginger inside ⭐️ Toro Sawara, Charcoal-grilled ⭐️ Scallop, Tempura-style / Black Shichimi Bettara-zuke, Burdock simmered ⭐️ Akami, Marinated ⭐️ Hokkigai, Hokkaido ⭐️ Otoro, Salt-baked Hair Crab and Seaweed Tsukudani Chawanmushi / White Dashi base ⭐️ Sardine Dashimaki Tamago Sweet Shrimp Kuruma Ebi, Aichi / Wild ⭐️ Bafun Uni, Hokkaido, Hamach Town White Miso Soup Anago Makimono, Toro-taku Ice Cream, Mandarin Juice The most shocking dish of the day was the Tsushima Katsuo. Served soy sauce-marinated, it had an incredible richness without being heavy, spreading umami in my mouth. I thought it might be the best sashimi I’ve ever had!Starting with the kombu-marinated Spring Sea Bream, the Masu from Lake Biwa had ginger inside. Both ginger and wasabi were not overpowering, allowing the fish's flavor to shine through, which I really appreciated.The charcoal-grilled Toro Sawara had a wonderful aroma that paired perfectly with the wasabi.One of my favorite appetizers was the Tempura-style Scallop. The outside was crispy like tempura, while the inside remained moist. The black shichimi added a nice accent, creating a delightful contrast in texture.In terms of sushi, I was captivated by the beauty of the marinated Akami. The glossy red color was truly stunning.The Hokkigai from Hokkaido had many ridges, which was exciting! It had a firm crunch, and the more I chewed, the more umami I experienced.From the salt-baked Otoro, I moved on to the Hair Crab and Seaweed Tsukudani Chawanmushi.The sardine had impressively fine cuts, showcasing the skill involved in its preparation.Towards the end, I enjoyed the wild Kuruma Ebi and Bafun Uni from Hamach Town, Hokkaido. The uni had a rich sweetness, and the white miso soup was a comforting finish.I savored everything from the Anago to the Toro-taku maki.With over 20 dishes, the meal was well-paced, alternating between sushi and appetizers, keeping it exciting until the end.When I hear about a Tabelog Award-winning restaurant, I tend to be a bit cautious, but drinks starting from JPY 500 were surprisingly affordable. The quality of the sushi was excellent, and many of the appetizers left a lasting impression. I look forward to visiting again in a different season. It was a great meal!**Restaurant Information** …………………………………………………………… **Ranmaru** Address: 3-16-2 Shimomeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo Phone: 03-5734-1461 Access: About a 6-minute walk from Fudomae Station Budget: From JPY 30,000 at night Tabelog Rating: ⭐️ 4.11 (at the time of visit) ……………………………………………………………
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