On the second day in Matsuyama, I made a reservation for lunch at Sushi Ino.High-end sushi in Tokyo is just too expensive for me to consider going often (-_-;)In Sendai, even the pricey sushi places are usually in the 20,000 JPY range. With that in mind, it’s hard to justify.Last year, I enjoyed sushi in Sapporo and Kanazawa, but I feel that the best sushi is found in local areas where you can enjoy fresh, local ingredients....Let’s just say that’s my excuse! wIn the morning, I visited Dogo Onsen and Matsuyama Castle, working up quite an appetite.I usually don’t drink during lunch, but of course, I wanted to enjoy some sake!I arrived at noon on a weekday. The lunch course starts at 12 PM sharp.I opted for the nigiri-only course. I wanted to choose a course with appetizers, but I had to reluctantly give that up considering my next appointment.Well, I prioritize sushi over appetizers anyway, so I was more than satisfied with just the nigiri.For lunch, there were only counter seats available, and all 9 seats were full.It seemed to be about half and half between those having just nigiri and those with appetizers.The lineup of nigiri for the day was as follows:- Kasumi Tai (Sea Bream)- Shiro Amadai (White Sweetfish)- Isaki (Chicken Grunt)- Ken-saki Ika (Swordtip Squid)- Shima Aji (Striped Jack)- Kisu (Japanese Whiting)- Zuke Maguro (Marinated Tuna)- Katsuo (Bonito)- Aka Uni (Red Sea Urchin)- Kuruma Ebi (Tiger Prawn)- Anago (Sea Eel)- Aburaage (Fried Tofu)- Tamago Yaki (Egg Omelette)Everything was delicious, but the standout items were the Kisu, Katsuo, and Aka Uni.I had never eaten Kisu as sushi before.I usually associate it with tempura, but it was surprisingly delicious as sushi.It has a mild yet gentle flavor that I really enjoyed.The Katsuo was grilled over straw and served with Setouchi lemon.Katsuo is also a rare sushi topping. I’ve had it before, but this grilled version had a different level of deliciousness.The seasoning with salt and Setouchi lemon was excellent as well.I tried the Aka Uni for the first time.In Eastern Japan, this time of year is the season for Bafun Uni, but Western Japan has its own unique varieties of sea urchin.Of course, it was freshly shucked without the use of any preservatives. It was absolutely delicious!I wanted to eat a bit more, but I had to leave reluctantly due to my next appointment.The nigiri course was under 10,000 JPY, which is quite a bargain, right? (The sake wasn’t too pricey either.)This only strengthens my belief that sushi should be enjoyed in local areas! The cost-performance ratio at this high-end sushi restaurant is fantastic! It might be the best I’ve experienced at any sushi place so far.And of course, the sushi itself was incredibly delicious! I highly recommend it! (^o^)
We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience.
