Sushijin Toyama

Third meal in almost as many weeks. One has to admire Kimura-san! Back in Toyama and the lock down easing in Japan his restaurant is almost full for lunch. Here he is back in his element preparing almost every single dish of the 20 course omakase lunch menu for his customers. At the same time he is shouting instructions to his four assistants to start the prep work on the next courses. He, unlike other es, does not start everybody at the same time, so it is a massive coordination effort to give every guest their course at the right time without too much waiting time. He does this all with an incredible ease and energy.
The meal was one of the best ones I had so far. The famous nodoguro pair serving (male grilled an skewer and femal as shabu shabu) is always an highlight, his cured saba a delight and his aji salad sensational.
Of the nigiri I especially like the Ike, which he freezes over a week and the cuts it in two ways to get the texture soft and the sweetness out.
A wonderful place at a very reasonable price. Less

I am not a great fan of pop-ups. Normally they never deliver the original experience, especially when it is a collaboration dinner. Nevertheless I felt I needed to show my face when Kimura-san comes from Toyama to show the folks in the capital what Toyama sushi is all about. He did not take the Shinkansen but drove so he could bring his own water to cook the rice with it. he also brought the sake master from the Masuizumi brewery with him who was able to explain the wonderful sake pairing.
And to make it short, Kimura-san really pulled it off. Excellent performance. His signature dishes came off nicely and he could source great fish for the nigiris. Kudos! Less

The first pic was my seafood rolls from multiple visits (regulars who dine there often received it as a gift). He made the first one in Jan 2019 which I got as a “snack” for taking shinkansen ride back. The version kept adapting and now it became a full sized seafood roll in box. The barachirashi was new for COVID 19, when a lot of customers wanted to dine at home but craving for high quality ingredients as good as those used in sushi shops. Both seafood rolls and barachirashi are ¥5000 yen ($50USD per box) of which one box is PLENTY for one person as Kimura san put so much neta inside (seriously the fish used for nigiri sushi in the whole omakase were pretty much there).
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Kimura san recently started maguro and ikura don (tuna and salmon roe rice box) (pic 2). Inside it is tuna from Japan’s top tuna supplier Yamayuki, two types including akami Zuke (marinated lean tuna) and toro (fatty tuna), ikura and his signature Tamagoyaki (egg roll) made like in layered and rolled egg with seaweed. This one too, only ¥6000 yen. Consider how pricey Yamayuki’s tuna is, another bargain!

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Back at my favourite sushi place in Toyama. Kimura-san is a person with a tiny body (he eats only once a day to maintain his leather jacket model body) but with a big heart. Even though he is hurting in this period, he keeps up a good spirit and makes you feel welcome.
We ordered the dinner menu and as always he did not disappoint. His shari is highly acidic, which I like and some of his neta preparations are very special.
He has a personal relationship with the Maisuzumi sake brewery which enables him to serve some very rare sakes.
If in town, go there. Less

The sushi rock star in Toyama. Long hair, hyper active, super energetic but very, very friendly. Despite having a few assistants he does every nigiri himself. When his counter and the dining room is full this is a lot of nigiris.
His composition of the Omakase is unusual as he jumps between the otsumami and the nigiris, but the it does not feel out of order. Some of the treatments of his fish which are with the exception of the tune sourced from the Toyama bay, are very unique.
All of this combines to a very good meal. I love the vibe and the energy while eating some very good bites.
And then he gives you a lift gift to eat the next morning. Those in the know, know that this is the best breakfast you can imagine.
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When you enter this sushi restaurant which looks like an old school place you know that this place is different. The Chef Izumi Kimura is not shaven like most or all sushi chefs but has long hair, maybe even rasta dreadlocks hidden by his chef head. Once he gets going he offers a very warm hospitality and tells you his story. Apparently I took him 10 years and three unsuccessful attempts as a self taught sushi chef to create a sustainable business. When I was there for the early 6pm shift, I was the only guest but he told me that at 815 he will have 12 guests. Of course this was great for me as there were 3 chefs for the sole dinner and we had plenty of time to discuss in detail all dishes.
Chef Kimura sources most of his fish from the depth of Toyama bay and creates some truly innovative courses. He freely admits that he froze one ebi dish for 2 days in order to change the texture to his liking. His slow cook Spanish mackerel is unlike anything I have eaten before. If you want he will pour you for most dishes another special sake which he believes goes especially well with the nigiri.
An extraordinary meal in a very special place served by a truly unique person. Less