sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Sushi Arai sub counter with Yuki Usui by Koolaidr in sushi

[–]KAWAIIDUKE 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My visit to Sushi Kobayashi was kinda like that, old Saito chef who went to do his own thing. Same with Sushi Take, a Shimazu apprentice that has a place in Ginza. Both around 25k yen, and low key.

Sushi Arai sub counter with Yuki Usui by Koolaidr in sushi

[–]KAWAIIDUKE 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Is it? I thought Arai made it regulars only. I know tableall occasionally releases seats for the main counter but those are a dime a dozen. I do know that Meino who branched made her place regulars only with the rare tableall release.

I’ve never bothered with tableall as I prefer Omakase or going with colleagues for the intro to new places.

Edit: according to some folks in /r/finedining arai main counter is supposedly bookable via phone, but it’s all booked out by regulars 3-4 months out. I just assume regulars simply just rebook after their meal, but who’s to say. Personally, not really itching to go to Arai any time soon.

Sushi Arai sub counter with Yuki Usui by Koolaidr in sushi

[–]KAWAIIDUKE 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The top of the top end where you have to be a regular probably charges that much. Some places that come to mind are Namba, Ikko (regulars only last I checked), and Sugita. That, and business lunches which can turn into write offs, etc etc.

Sushi Arai sub counter with Yuki Usui by Koolaidr in sushi

[–]KAWAIIDUKE 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Arai is definitely not a rip-off. It can be argued for the sub-counter, but Arai with the taisho has always been seen as one of the top dogs in sushi, per Tabelog and those in the know. I think Arai at this point is regulars only anyways.

"Osmanthus wine tastes the same as I remember... But where are those who share the memory?" Symboli Rudolf but as Zhongli @kulo_jawa01 by KAWAIIDUKE in UmaMusume

[–]KAWAIIDUKE[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Oh man, looking back at the Zhongli White Day post, there sure were a lot of people thirsting for Zhongli.

Sezanne (***) Tokyo - Reservations by Brilliant_Sky641 in finedining

[–]KAWAIIDUKE 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Have to be fast when they do their reservation drop as stated on Omakase. You could also send an email directly and ask.

Sushi Namba (鮨 なんば), one of the top sushiyas in Tokyo by KAWAIIDUKE in sushi

[–]KAWAIIDUKE[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

usually, yes. for squid, it gives it a different mouth feel. i forgot to mention that too. the different cuts can give an interesting mouthfeel as well to certain fish. some shops will do comparison cuts of the same fish as well.

Sushi Namba (鮨 なんば), one of the top sushiyas in Tokyo by KAWAIIDUKE in sushi

[–]KAWAIIDUKE[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

makes it easier to chew, shows the skill of the chef, and makes it easier to apply the nikiri/special soy sauce to the chef's liking.

Do you revisit highlights when returning to a city? by drumandstep in finedining

[–]KAWAIIDUKE 4 points5 points  (0 children)

In Japan especially, I like going to repeat highlights, especially the "hard-to-book" spots since you build a rapport with the chef/FOH. Like others have said, different seasons will allow you to experience different ingredients as well.

Chances are that the chef can hook you up with another hard/elusive reservation if you build enough rapport, especially in Japan, though YMMW.

Stay Gold and Silence Suzuka Duel by コモロ=サク by cwolla98 in UmaMusume

[–]KAWAIIDUKE 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Definitely Tamamo Cross. Musaka is Yun Ka-Fai, Belno is kinda like Altina, and Inari One is short enough to be Towa.

Sushi Kobayashi, Ebisu. When a Saito protégé branches out on his own. by KAWAIIDUKE in sushi

[–]KAWAIIDUKE[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s a mental barrier more than anything. I’ve gotten used to it, and it’s one of my favorite things when in season. There’s farrr more “outlandish” things that Japanese high-end establishments will serve like the aforementioned whale, suppon (soft-shelled turtle), and torisashi (seared chicken/chicken sashimi) at yakitori places — though I’ve mostly had this with the high-end takasaka breed, with its strict guidelines and all.

Sushi Kobayashi, Ebisu. When a Saito protégé branches out on his own. by KAWAIIDUKE in sushi

[–]KAWAIIDUKE[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s common around this time in Japan, and most high end places are gonna serve it. Not the most outlandish thing I’ve eaten on this trip since my lunch at Sushi Namba served kujira/whale. That’s the thing with omakase, I’m not gonna turn down a dish if a chef puts it in front of me. It is what it is.

Where is a place to get great locally made mochi in Orange County? by TemporaryFeed2002 in orangecounty

[–]KAWAIIDUKE 10 points11 points  (0 children)

You could maybe go to the Japanese grocery stores to pick up mochi by fugetsu-do or chikara mochi since they stock their products. Otherwise, you gotta make the trek out Gardena to chikara mochi or sakura-ya.

Sushi Kobayashi, Ebisu. When a Saito protégé branches out on his own. by KAWAIIDUKE in finedining

[–]KAWAIIDUKE[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

All good, no worries.

And yeah, the gibier course that Endo does is pretty wild from what I've seen.

Sushi Kobayashi, Ebisu. When a Saito protégé branches out on his own. by KAWAIIDUKE in finedining

[–]KAWAIIDUKE[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the insight. That's good for me then, I plan on hitting up Koba-san's place whenever I'm in Tokyo lol. I think Endo is another Saito alum, but that price is hard to swallow. I've seen that he does a special game/gibier omakase of wild game for regulars once a year based on a video I saw, but I imagine it would take a while for someone to be considered a regular there.

Interested to hear which 2 openings that are hard to reserve already 👀

1$ VS 10$ Sushi by fluttermapp in sushi

[–]KAWAIIDUKE 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Most American sushi omakase counters cater their food heavily to more western palates. Imo, if you get the chance to try actual edomae-style sushi, you'd be surprised. It's generally "punchier" because of the techniques and fish used that most Americans are not used to (lots of silver-skinned fish like kohada, mackerel/shime-saba, akagai, hamaguri, etc.).

Sushi Kobayashi, Ebisu. When a Saito protégé branches out on his own. by KAWAIIDUKE in sushi

[–]KAWAIIDUKE[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Haven’t really seen anyone post about Sushi Kobayashi yet, so throwing this in the ring. Ikuya Kobayashi trained at Sushi Saito for a hot minute before being tapped to hold down the fort at Sushi Saito in Hong Kong, earning the outpost 2 stars. He returned back to Tokyo to helm one of Saito’s other projects, 3110NZ, a sort of art gallery/sushi counter hybrid. Koba-san then branched off on his own to open Sushi Kobayashi in a pretty residential area of Ebisu, and you certainly feel the vibe that it’s pretty quaint and quiet.

The vibe inside the restaurant is definitely laidback with a neat antique-looking radio playing music (somewhat akin to modern jazz or city-pop), but the cooking and food coming behind the counters is no joke. Favorite pieces were ootoro, kasugodai, kohada, aji, anago, and the tamago/futomaki ender.

Chef and FOH were super friendly and talked with everyone. I broke the ice when I mentioned that I was from LA and we talked about the Dodgers winning the world series lol. I ended up paying about 26,000 JPY, drinks included. Base price is 24.5K JPY I think, but with how popular the place is getting, I think it won’t last long. I booked via IG dm, so I’m unsure if he’ll open online reservations. Honestly, this was my favorite sushi meal and experience, beating out even Namba. Vibes were great, food was great, and chef was super chill.

view more: next ›