鮨食べる人 アメリカ人

First tsumami plate was a knockout - wara-smoked meji maguro and local baigai. 🐚
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#sushi #sushilovers #omakase #foodporn #sushichef #foodies #eeeeeats #instagood #gourmet #japanesefood #seafood #eater #寿司 #おまかせ #鮨 #鮨スタグラム #クルメ #michelin #netashari_japan Less

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. Less

Sushi Ao, April 2024 (actually, yesterday 😅). Have been here 3 times in the past six months which should really tell you all you need to know how I feel about it.
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Okazaki-san spent 10 years at Sukiyabashi Jiro before opening in 2020. If you believe the press materials, Jiro claims he's his most talented student, which is kinda crazy considering Jiro-san has been making sushi since the 1950s.
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The sushi is exactly what you'd expect from this "school" - a fairly stable seasonal menu and progression, very sour shari with no detectable akazu, and "long" shaping. Lunch is nigiri-only.
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The quality of ingredients here are exceptionally well-rounded, from shiromi to hikarimono to clams. Also of standout quality is the tuna supplied by @maguro.fujita - more on this in later posts. Less

Tsukada-san lays out all the neta in nearly identical slices. I'm going to name this technique the "Saito rainbow". 🌈
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#sushi #sushilovers #omakase #foodporn #sushichef #foodies #eeeeeats #instagood #gourmet #japanesefood #seafood #eater #寿司 #おまかせ #鮨 #鮨スタグラム #クルメ #michelin #netashari_japan Less

Spring course at Kurosaki, to contrast with one of the previous posts. The flat-sliced kanpyo is a fantastic closer to any meal, and is always offered alongside makinono and tamago. Also notable is the "trimmed" kuruma ebi where the head and miso are tucked under the body for nigiri, which changes the flavor but also makes this huge bite more manageable. Many of the neta here are actually on the smaller size, even the clams, but they are definitely at the very high end of the quality range. Less

Spring course at Kurosaki, to contrast with one of the previous posts. The flat-sliced kanpyo is a fantastic closer to any meal, and is always offered alongside makinono and tamago. Also notable is the "trimmed" kuruma ebi where the head and miso are tucked under the body for nigiri, which changes the flavor but also makes this huge bite more manageable. Many of the neta here are actually on the smaller size, even the clams, but they are definitely at the very high end of the quality range. Less

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. Less

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.
.
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.
.
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. Less

Sushi Ao, April 2024 (actually, yesterday 😅). Have been here 3 times in the past six months which should really tell you all you need to know how I feel about it.
.
Okazaki-san spent 10 years at Sukiyabashi Jiro before opening in 2020. If you believe the press materials, Jiro claims he's his most talented student, which is kinda crazy considering Jiro-san has been making sushi since the 1950s.
.
The sushi is exactly what you'd expect from this "school" - a fairly stable seasonal menu and progression, very sour shari with no detectable akazu, and "long" shaping. Lunch is nigiri-only.
.
The quality of ingredients here are exceptionally well-rounded, from shiromi to hikarimono to clams. Also of standout quality is the tuna supplied by @maguro.fujita - more on this in later posts. Less