I've heard so much about Sushi Yasuda, which has been consistenly ranked as one of the top ten restaurants in New York City. Chef Naomichi Yasuda moved to New York in 1984 and started working at the world famous Hatsuhana. In 1999, he started Sushi Yasuda and the restaurant has been making waves ever since. Chef Yasuda moved back to Japan in 2011 and founded Sushi Bar Yasuda, which sits in the basement of a building in Minato-ku.
Keep your eyes peeled as you walk along the streets, and look out for a black signboard with the restaurant's name.
It certainly wasn't easy scoring a reservation here. I had wanted to dine here on my previous trip to Japan, back in November 2016, but I didn't manage to get a seat here. This time round, I made sure I booked way in advance and I got a seat on 30th May, for dinner. This was my final meal in my one-month stay in Japan, and boy was I glad that I had the luck and chance to savour such impeccable sushi before leaving the country.
I was looking for a glass of whisky but they didn't have it on the menu. I was recommended some shochu which tastes similar to whisky, but I still prefer my Japanese whisky!
I love sushi and I know I have the appetite for alot of sushi, but even I surprised myself. As Chef Yasuda chatted with me, and we laughed along at the small jokes that he cracked every now and then, I unknowingly chomped down more sushi than I ever thought I would. The sushi rice was absolutely delicious - the grains were firm, but in no way hard, and they stuck together beautifully and wasn't clumpy in the littlest bit. The rice carried just about the perfect amount of vinegar and I never thought I could love rice more, and that's saying alot because I'm mad about rice. Needless to say, the slices of expertly-sliced fish were wonderfully executed and of the most pristine freshness.
I had 24 pieces of sushi, all by myself. It's crazy, I know. I still wonder how I did that sometimes. I know I said that every piece was awesome but the ultimate star has to be the Bafun Uni, which I tried for the first time. The uni was so creamy and rich and held a flavour that's more captivating than the usual uni that we get. Every individual sushi is prepared with finesse - honed knife skills, gentle brushes of shoyu, impressive grilling techniques etc.
The entire dining experience was better than pleasant, and nothing short of memorable. I paid about $288 for my meal, and I did feel that it was worth every penny. What a wonderful last meal in Japan!
Japan, 〒107-0062 Tokyo, 港区Minamiaoyama, 4 Chome−2−6, 南青山426
Tuesday - Saturday : 6pm - 11pm
---
Love, K
No comments:
Post a Comment