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Sushi Shiro is co-owned by Owner Chef Takaguchi and a passionate food lover from Hong Kong. Being born and raised in Fukuoka, Chef Takaguchi began his sushi journey at the age of 16 before joining the pioneer of high-ended sushi in Fukuoka, Kougyoku [高玉], working alongside the head chef of Kikuzushi. An opportunity knocked in early 2010s - Chef Takaguchi embarked on his overseas sushi venture in Taiwan. During this journey, he met Chef Masuda [增田] of Sushi Masuda who entrusted him in numerous projects like the opening of Wakon [和魂] in Tokyo. Prior to opening his own sushiya in Fukuoka, he was the head chef of Zhiting [植庭] in Shenzhen where he built a trusted team of supporting cast.

The co-owner is experienced in interior design so it is totally understandable that the décor of Sushi Shiro is way better than most of the top sushiyas in Japan. Each glassware and tableware was carefully selected as well - cost was essentially the last thing that the team considers.

Thanks to the well-equipped kitchen, including a kappo-level grilling station at the center, the tsumami session was an impressive start. I had the most delicious mehikari in my life at Sushi Shiro – the owner subsequently told me it was the second most costly item right behind maguro. The homemade karasumi mochi was flawless in terms of mouthfeel and balance of flavors.

Sushi is undoubtedly the focus of a sushi omakase which largely hinges on the consistency of shari. Sushi Shiro perfected it despite the fact that it’s just soft opening. The shari recipe was very unique that I was unable to relate to any notable school, allowing the natural umami of rice to shine with the support of balanced salinity and acidity. I was particularly impressed by the kawahagi and kuruma ebi.
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Let’s not forget about the sake selection which was collaborated with Shuho [酒峰], a famous sake bar in Fukuoka. The premium Kinpa [光武] from Saga was comparable to Nizaemon [二左衛門], which paired well with the sophisticated and savory tsumami.

Reservation is still relatively easy. I can tell this sushiya will exceed Tabelog 4.0 soon so do try it out before it becomes hard to book.
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💴Budget: 30,000 yen⁣ Less

Tabelog 4.31🥈⁣
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Sonoji was established by Chef Suzuki in 2000 in a city called Shimada [島田] in the Shizuoka Perfecture. It used to be a casual tempura and soba eatery which offers a la carte. In 2016, Sonoji was relocated to Tokyo as chef has accumulated enough wealth to step up his game. Chef Suzuki picked Ningjocho [人形町] because it’s believed to be the origin of tempura soba. ⁣
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The new location does not stop Chef Suzuki from sourcing his seafood and vegetables in Shizuoka. In fact, Shizuoka Prefecture is hailed as the city of seafood as Suruga Bay [駿河湾] is the deepest bay in Japan that lands all sorts of rare deep-sea fish and crustaceans. Needless to say, the tempura featuring ingredients from Shizuoka was particularly delicious, including the moist tachiuo [太刀魚], meaty tamangei [新玉蔥], flaky kisu [鱚魚] and flavor-packed megochi [目鯒]. Let’s not forget the soba with sakura ebi – it’s such a satisfying finish to this rich meal. Do note that the batter is quite heavy, definitely not the modern style that emphasizes thinness. If you like Kusunoki [くすのき], you may not enjoy Sonoji’s take on tempura and batter. Reservation is completely regulars only and you should plan your visit 6-9 months in advance. ⁣
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💴Budget: 35,000 yen⁣⁣
🥘Food: 9⁣⁣
🍹Drinks: 9⁣⁣
🏢Vibes: 9.5⠀⁣⁣⁣
⚖️C/P: 9 Less

Tabelog 4.49 🥈⁣
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Sushi Takamitsu is certainly the most entertaining and exciting sushi restaurant in Tokyo. Chef Yasuda San will keep you entertained from start to finish from displaying his collection of luxurious tableware and cute handmade iPhone case to showing off the uni and maguro of the day. ⁣
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This restaurant is not for the gram only – some dishes were truly delicious such as the mehikari, unagi temaki as well as uni gunkan. If you are looking for a delicious and fun sushi dinner, you have to put Sushi Takamitsu on your to-go list. Reservation is limited to regulars only and you should plan your visit 6 to 9 months in advance. ⁣
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💴 Budget: 40,000 yen Less

Tabelog 4.16 🥉

1) Kita-murasaki Uni[北紫雲丹] from Hatate [羽立水產]

Our visit was in late Nov so we didn’t expect to see so many types of uni. Thanks to the special arrangement by Obana San, we got to try the no.1 kita-murasaki uni from 3 best producers. Without a shadow of a doubt, Hatate was textbook kita-murasaki uni, which was packed with ocean flavors and delicate sweetness to finish. The freshness was also outstanding as the uni was firm and creamy.

2) Kita-murasaki Uni from Tachibana [橘水產]

Tachibana has always been my favorite. The nicer ones usually come with a unique peanut butter attack and a floral finish. Again, it’s a completely new box. Hands down the best piece of uni of this winter trip.

3) Buri from Hokkaido [北海道], Ginger Shoyu

First time having buri zuked with ginger shoyu and it worked for me. To be frank, the ginger flavor was very mild but it managed to bring out more meaty flavors so that our palate would not be dominated by the fattiness of buri. The warmer shari was equally sensational.

4) Kuruma Ebi [車海老], Kuruma Ebi Shoyu

5) Kohada [小鰭]

6) Anago [穴子]

Crispy outside and velvety inside – my favorite rendition of anago nigiri.

8) Sawara Zuked with Secret Shoyu

Hard to explain the sensation – just imagine the meaty flavor of sawara crossing over with the finish of smoked salmon. The zuke process also softened the flesh. All of us were impressed by such an extraordinary interpretation of sawara.
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8) Uni Parfait

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Sushi Obana commenced its legend in Tatebayashi 32 years ago. Taisho, Obana San, is one of the most respected sushi chefs by industry people. In fact, Obana San was also one of the 3 masterminds behind Sushi Tokami [鮨とかみ]. Needless to say, Obana San has exclusive access to the best maguro offered by Yamayuki. Reservation is only open to regular customers only, and you are advised to make your reservation 9 months in advance.
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💴Budget: 33,000 yen⁣
🐟 Neta: 9.5
🍙 Shari: 9⠀⁣⁣
🦪 Tsumami: 8.5⠀⁣⁣
🍹Drinks: 10⠀⁣⁣
🏢 Vibes: 10⠀⁣⁣
⚖️ C/P: 10 Less

Tabelog 4.51 🥇⁣
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1) Kinmedai [金目鯛] from Shizuoka [靜岡], Urokoyaki [鱗焼き], Mizansho [実山椒] Shoyu⁣
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It is the signature dish of Onjaku which is also the only dish that exists throughout the year. It is my 4th time trying this dish and I was amused by the consistency of Chef Sugiyama’s cooking. Scales were savory and crispy whilst the meat was moist and cooked to perfection. The cooking process was also a joy to witness, which stimulated our sight and smell simultaneously. ⁣
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2) Shiro Amadai [白甘鯛] from Yaizu [燒津], Kamouri[冬瓜], Dashi [出汁]⁣
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Such a thick filet that’s packed with deep flavor and fattiness. The dashi was comforting, making it a magical match with the shiro amadai.⁣
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3) Ama-gatsuo [甘鰹], Tamanegi [新玉蔥] Shoyu⁣
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Relatively firm texture which demonstrated the freshness. The tamanegi shoyu was seasoned perfectly to neutralize the potential unpleasant blood aftertaste of katsuo. ⁣
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4) Charcoal Grilled Figs, Peanut Miso⁣
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This is the best piece of figs I have ever had in my life. So impressed by the synergy with the unconventional flavors of peanut miso.⁣
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5) Kabura [蕪菁]⁣
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6) Tachiuo [太刀魚] Renko Mochi [蓮根餅]⁣
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7) Aonori [青海苔] Senbei [仙貝], Hamaguri [蛤] Dashi [出汁]⁣
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Shizuoka Prefecture is hailed as the city of seafood as Suruga Bay [駿河湾], which is the deepest bay in Japan (approximately 2,500 m deep), lands all sorts of rare deep-sea fish and crustaceans. In particular, all seafood used at Onjaku is sourced from the nationally renowned Sasue Maeda Fish Shop, which has supplied fish to the restaurant since it was run by Chef Sugiyama’s grandfather. This fish shop is also a pioneer in shinkeijime [神經締] that maximises freshness of the catches when they arrive at the restaurant. I strongly recommend visiting Onjaku for lunch as the sunshine behind your back will make it a very pleasant dining experience.⁣
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🥘Food: 9⁣
🍹Drinks: 8.5⁣
🏢Vibes: 9.5⠀⁣⁣
⚖️C/P: 10 Less