I visited the famous Isshin Sushi Koyo in Miyazaki Prefecture and made a reservation in advance.There is a parking lot across the road. I pre-ordered the 12-piece nigiri course (JPY 18,150). The service does not start all at once; when I arrived, there were about two groups ahead of me. I learned that more than half of the customers are usually from outside the prefecture.The course was served in about an hour. Overall, the freshness of the ingredients was impressive, and I was surprised by the size of the portions. The rice was large-grained, firm, and had a strong acidity with little sweetness. Personally, I didn’t feel a strong harmony between the rice and the toppings.The chef watched over us with a smile as we enjoyed the sushi. The apprentices were friendly and engaged with us, making the atmosphere quite comfortable despite it being our first visit.Here’s the order of the dishes served (⚪︎: nigiri, ⚫︎: side dishes):⚫︎ Chawanmushi (steamed egg custard with clams and sea urchin)⚪︎ Chutoro (medium fatty tuna)⚪︎ Zuke (marinated tuna)⚪︎ Horse mackerel⚪︎ Aori squid⚪︎ Sawara (Spanish mackerel)⚪︎ Akagai (red clam)⚪︎ Uni (sea urchin from Miyazaki)⚪︎ Kuruma ebi (sweet shrimp)⚪︎ Negitoro maki (tuna and green onion roll)⚪︎ Kisu (whiting)⚪︎ Kinmedai (golden eye snapper)⚪︎ Nitsuke anago (braised eel)⚫︎ Soup⚫︎ Tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet)⚫︎ Ice Monaka (ice cream sandwich)Additional:⚪︎ Kanpyo maki (dried gourd roll)All the ingredients were delicious, but the Aori squid and Akagai were particularly memorable. The Aori squid was finely layered, providing a unique, sticky texture. The Akagai had a firm bite with a gradually spreading sweetness that was delightful.Moreover, the Tamagoyaki was fluffier than it looked, with a refined sweetness that was very enjoyable.Although not pictured, the non-alcoholic ginger tonic I ordered was exceptionally refreshing, with a sophisticated sweetness that I had never experienced before. Personally, I thought it paired well with the sushi.I can understand why this place is popular in Miyazaki Prefecture. I sensed that the side dishes might also be delicious. In fact, I found myself more intrigued by the side dishes than the nigiri.It was a great meal!
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