Visit Information Date: Friday, around 9 PM Reservation: Yes (8 hours in advance, Tabelog) Wait: None Number of Guests: 1 Seating: Counter Frequency: First Visit Duration: 2 hours 20 minutes Payment: Credit Card (VISA) Food Menu ☆ Omakase Dinner: JPY 30,000 (including tax) 　◎ Water Shield and Sea Lettuce Vinegar 　☆ Blackthroat Sea Perch 　◎ Hairy Crab with Purple Sea Urchin Jelly 　☆ Sashimi of Whelk and Surf Clam 　☆ Tempura of Pike Conger 　☆ Shiro-ika (White Squid) 　☆ Grilled Spanish Mackerel 　☆ Bettara-zuke (Pickled Daikon) 　☆ Lean Tuna 　☆ Chutoro (Medium Fatty Tuna) 　☆ Small Horse Mackerel 　☆ Botan Ebi (Sweet Shrimp) 　☆ Chawanmushi (Steamed Egg Custard) with Surf Clam 　☆ Horse Mackerel 　◎ Egg 　☆ Spring Sea Bream 　☆ Red Sea Urchin 　◎ Kuruma Ebi (Tiger Prawn) 　◎ Soup 　☆ Anago (Sea Eel) 　☆ Kappa, Toro-taku, Negitoro Roll 　◎ Honey Lemon Gelato 　☆ Kanpyo: JPY Ask 　◎ Shiro Ebi: JPY Ask Drink Menu ☆ Tenbi Special Junmai Karaten: JPY Ask ☆ Abukuma Junmai Ginjo Yamada Nishiki Unfiltered: JPY Ask ☆ Saku Gen no Tomo Junmai: JPY Ask ◎ Senkin Modern - Edo Return Volume 2: JPY Ask Expenses, Discounts, Others ・Service Charge (10%) Good Points ・Rich sushi rice pairs well with alcohol Bad Points ・Primarily by referral only Other Notes ・The Tabelog Award Bronze: 2020-2022, 2025, 2026 ・Sushi TOKYO Top 100: 2021-2025 (2023, 2024 not announced) Impressions During my lunch break, I was thinking, "What should I have for dinner tonight?" and found that Ranmaru was accepting reservations for solo diners on Tabelog. Since it’s primarily by referral, it had been on my wishlist, but I quickly made a reservation when I saw a cancellation slot opened up. After work, I enjoyed sushi at Konpira Chaya before heading to Fudomae. I arrived at the restaurant near Meguro Fudoson after a 10-minute walk from the station, right on time for my reservation. The counter has 9 seats, and I shared the space with two men, a group of three (man and woman), and another man. I sat almost directly in front of the chef. The background music was Japanese instrumental. There were five male staff members, including the chef, providing attentive and pleasant service. The course was exclusively the Omakase Dinner. I ordered a glass of Japanese sake. I started with Tenbi Special Junmai Karaten. It had a strong fizz, a sweet and delicious finish. Two types of gari (pickled ginger) were served from the start: thinly sliced red vinegar ginger and chopped new sprouts. The course began with Water Shield and Sea Lettuce Vinegar. I mixed in the ginger on top and enjoyed the refreshing taste. Next, the sushi arrived, starting with the blackthroat sea perch from Kesennuma. The skin was seared, giving it a fragrant aroma, and it was rich and flavorful. The rice was small, with a normal firmness. The sushi was a bit loose for my preference, but the richness of the red vinegar was outstanding. Returning to the appetizers, I had Hairy Crab with Purple Sea Urchin Jelly. The rich flavors of the crab and sea urchin were refreshing with the jelly. For my second drink, I had Abukuma Junmai Ginjo Yamada Nishiki Unfiltered. It had a nice balance of flavor and finish—very enjoyable. Next was the sashimi of whelk and surf clam. The whelk had a crunchy texture that paired well with the citrus, while the surf clam had a pleasant ocean aroma and a slippery texture. The Botan Ebi was served next, which would later be made into sushi. The tempura of pike conger from Amakusa was served with plenty of grated daikon. It was crispy and fluffy—delicious. The second sushi was Shiro-ika from Sajima. I enjoyed it with ginger soy sauce. It melted in my mouth. Returning to the appetizers, I had Grilled Spanish Mackerel. The sweet and savory sauce was delightful. For my third drink, I had Saku Gen no Tomo Junmai. It was consistently delicious. I reset my palate with Bettara-zuke, which was sweet and tasty. The tuna was from Yamakou. Caught with a net in Sakai Port, it weighed 105.4 kg. The last fresh tuna will be frozen for the summer. The lean tuna was rich and sticky. Next was Chutoro. It was also sticky but took a while to melt, allowing me to savor it. The fifth piece was Small Horse Mackerel from Amakusa. I had it with gari in between. The firmness was just right, and the umami was strong. The Botan Ebi reappeared here, sweet and luscious. I had another drink, Senkin Modern - Edo Return Volume 2. It was sweet and sour. The Chawanmushi with Surf Clam was topped with aseaweed sauce. When I scooped it with a spoon, I found plenty of surf clam inside. The liver added a nice bitterness. Next, I was presented with Kuruma Ebi from Karatsu. It would be boiled and made into sushi. The Horse Mackerel was from Donchicchi. I had it with chopped green onion in between. It was tender and juicy. The egg was served at this point, a fluffy and juicy rolled omelet. The Spring Sea Bream was rich and tender, just my type. The Red Sea Urchin was from Suo-Oshima in Yamaguchi, known as the Hawaii of Setouchi. I had it as sushi without seaweed. The harmony with the rice was wonderful. The Kuruma Ebi was plump and juicy. The soup was made with white miso, gently deep and flavorful from the blackthroat sea perch and pike conger broth. The Anago was from Densuke Anago. It was hot, tender, and fluffy. I finished with Kappa, Toro-taku, and Negitoro rolls. I also ordered Shiro Ebi and Kanpyo as extras. First, Kanpyo was served. It had a strong presence and a nice crunch. It was the best Kanpyo I’ve had in the last two years. The Shiro Ebi was sweet and sticky. For dessert, I could choose between Honey Lemon or Milk Gelato. I opted for the Honey Lemon Gelato. It was not very sweet and had a refreshing tartness. Finally, I finished with a comparison of orange juice. After nearly 2.5 hours, the bill came to JPY 39,300. I paid with a credit card. It was a great meal. I originally knew about this place because the chef used to work at Shimazu, and I wondered if the sushi would be similar. However, Chef Tanabe's sushi was completely different. It paired wonderfully with the alcohol and suited my taste. I hope to find another opportunity to visit.