▪️Sushi Namba Yotsuya (Tokyo)
▪️Dinner Omakase (¥33,000)

Namba Yotsuya is the sister branch of the legendary Sushi Namba Hibiya. Ran by the long-time sous-chef of the original store, it is open irregularly throughout the year. If you can grab one of its 8 seats once the reservations are open online, it is a great opportunity to experience the trademark style of Namba: edomae sushi prepared with almost obsessive focus on temperature control.
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The course begins with some exceptional otsumami plates already demonstrating the chef's total mastery on heat, such as the mind-bending piece of octopus that carried the flavor and impact of a raw one but with a soft, cottony texture that can only come from expert grilling. We are then presented with the menu for the nigiri. Each piece is listed with the intended temperature of both the shari(rice)&neta(topping), a touch unique to Namba.
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Shari is around room temperature, while the neta is usually around body temperature. Fatty fish usually get warmer shari to enhance the umami impact. Throughout the course, I observed the chef send back the fish multiple times as they weren't the right temperature so Namba's approach is definitely not a gimmicky one that stays only on paper. While I don't think Namba serves especially warm shari or does anything particularly different than other top-class sushiya, it's just simply fun to be able to have the process of temperature control laid out clearly and to be able to focus on the differences in each piece.
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How does all of this reflect on the taste? Well, Namba serves some truly impressive nigiri. The shari is well balanced and does not rely on heavy sourness or akazu. The standout piece for me was the seasonal special Sanma (Pacific saury). Regarded in history as a cheap blue fish of the common, Sanma is getting more attention as of late and Namba's nigiri might just be its pinnacle. Fatty and meaty with the characteristic sardine-y blue fish taste.
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Kasugo (crimson sea bream) , Kohada (gizzard shad) , and the impactful tuna were also noteworthy. Only the saba(mackerel) did not feel up to par with the standard set by other pieces. Overall - highly recommended! Less