On this day, I visited Sushi Hashimoto in Shintomi-cho.Finally, the opportunity to dine at a high-end sushi restaurant in Tokyo has arrived! I had been hoping to come here, but making a reservation is quite a challenge. While I was preparing to book an Omakase for October, it seems there was a last-minute cancellation for one seat this month, so I quickly made a reservation! I was really lucky! (^^)Reservations for the entire month open on the 5th of each month, but they fill up within a minute. I’ve tried about four times so far, but I haven’t been able to secure a spot on holidays. (^^;)The head chef is from the renowned Nihonbashi Kakigara-cho Sugita. I heard he opened his own place at a young age. Since we are both from Fukushima Prefecture, I had always wanted to visit this restaurant!I visited on a holiday evening. The lunch and dinner services are divided into three parts: early, middle, and late. I heard the menu is basically the same for both lunch and dinner.The lineup for the day was as follows:● Appetizers- Edamame- Sashimi of Hoshigarei, boiled octopus, and sea urchin- Chawanmushi with corn and sea urchin- Steamed abalone with liver sauce- Liver sauce with sushi rice and squid fin- Sardine sushi rolls- Bonito- Hairy crab with salmon roe, sweet shrimp with karasumi, and grilled sweetfish with olive oil● Nigiri- Shinko (3 pieces)- Hon-ara- Yellowfin tuna- Surf clam- Nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch)- New squid- Tentacles of new squid- Marinated tuna- Otoro (fatty tuna)- Horse mackerel- Sweet shrimp- Purple sea urchin- Anago (conger eel)- Tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet)- Shijimi clam soup- Kinmedai (red snapper, additional)● Alcohol- Beer- Tanakagura- Izumo Fuji- TazakiEverything was fantastic, but there were a few standout items.First, the steamed abalone. It was a quite large black abalone. You dip it in the liver sauce to enjoy. The abalone itself is incredibly flavorful, but when paired with the liver sauce, the synergy is extraordinary. There’s no bitterness, just a concentrated umami flavor in the sauce.When you eat this sauce with sushi rice and the squid fin…it’s simply an emotional delight! (*^_^*)The bonito was seared on the skin and served with mustard and soy sauce. I learned that this bonito is from Kesennuma. As a former resident of Sendai, I’ve enjoyed various seafood from Miyagi, but this way of eating was new to me. It’s eye-opening to discover ways to enjoy it beyond ginger, garlic, and wasabi.The trio of hairy crab with salmon roe, sweet shrimp with karasumi, and sweetfish was visually stunning. The sweetfish was served with its innards, and the slight bitterness pairs well with the alcohol. (^^) I heard it was grilled with olive oil, which was another new discovery.The nigiri started with shinko. Shinko is a seasonal delicacy at this time of year. It’s a luxury to enjoy shinko even when kohada is available! I can only imagine the effort that goes into providing such small fish.The yellowfin tuna was from Shiogama. As someone who used to work in Shiogama, it holds special memories for me. (^^) The balance of fat was just right; Shiogama tuna is the best.I tried new squid for the first time. They call the young sumika squid "new squid." It seems this is also a summer-only delicacy.I also enjoyed the tentacle part as sushi, and it was quite delicious. (I personally love it! w)Other items like marinated tuna, otoro, purple sea urchin, and horse mackerel were all remarkable. Of course, the chef's skills were outstanding. You rarely find sushi this refined. The attention to detail was impressive.It’s been almost three years since I came to Tokyo, and I finally got to experience Edo-style sushi! Making a reservation is tough, but I definitely want to visit again. (^^) Next time, I’ll try to go in a different season!
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