Dinner at 鮨 あお

Dinner at 鮨 あお

at Sushi Ao on 29 April 2024
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Supplier relationships are a cornerstone of the sushi business. Loyalty and dependability are always paramount, especially for a shop where the product has a daily variance in quality. Tuna wholesalers are probably the only supplier whom most sushi otaku would know by name, partially because they provide the most expensive fish at most restaurants, but also because all sorts of food tours have started to hype up certain suppliers as well. Yamaguchi-san of Yamayuki is probably one of the best known names, with significant distribution outside of Japan and scores of customers proudly displaying labels of origin with "やま幸" in giant print.
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Fujita-san is a bit of a different type of supplier. You can often hear his name mentioned in the group of "big 4" that supply very high end sushiya, but he selects his customers rather than the other way around. His operation at the high-end is notably smaller than his competitors - he chooses who is worthy of his tuna and even then, chooses who amongst his customers is worthy of the best. He doesn't supply labels or talk about origins because he believes it doesn't matter where a fish comes from or what it ate. All that matters is how it tastes. His portfolio of customers, which includes Amamoto-san and the legendary Jiro Ono, speaks for itself.
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During lunch, Okazaki-san serves two pieces of maguro and usually allows otoro as an add-on. Maguro flavor Is always a function of the seasons, of a chef's taste, and just general luck. But I'm not afraid to say that the tuna I've been served on multiple visits to Sushi Ao is some of the best I've ever tried. It is smooth, firm, and "meaty" while at the same time luscious. Okazaki-san does basically zero tenderizing of the cuts, and he doesn't need to. There is plenty of fatty flavor, but very little oil or mouth-coating grease. It pairs perfectly with the sour shari profile.