Dinner at 鮨 あお

Dinner at 鮨 あお

at Sushi Ao (鮨 あお) on 8 May 2024
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Sushi Ao, January 2024. Jiro-san is widely credited as one of the creators of the "progression" that now feels familiar in a omakase course - first lean white fish, then some fatty white fish and squid, then (depending on season) red fleshed fish or silver fish, and finally clams/shellfish. The meal culminates in the fattiest, richest items, often grilled or topped with tsume. Of course, there are exceptions. Ultra fatty iwashi might appear late in the course, or crunchy, briny clams might appear earlier. But the logic is consistent.
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I'm fairly sure that if one were to compare Jiro-san and Okazaki-san's menus month-to-month they would be close to identical. One giveaway in this picture grid is the presence of boiled tako, a relative rarity these days. As an American, the rubbery vacuum-sealed never-order-this-voluntarily item that is familiar from your local suburban spicy tuna roll factory comes to mind. But in this format it's a study in texture with incredibly subtle flavor and just a bit of salt and citrus on top. Every element from the slicing to cooking time needs to be calibrated perfectly to make the right impact.