Sushi Ryujiro sub counter—the sous-chef was lovely and kind, and Nakamura-san dropped in to say hello early in the meal. This was my first trip to Japan and first “nice” omakase so I have literally nothing to compare this meal to. Aaaaand it was delicious! If it gets better than this, I’m certainly looking forward to future meals.
- Chutoro (belly)
- Shirako soup—creamy with a perfectly mild seafood flavor, loved it after walking in from the cold
- Tai (red sea bream)
- Completely forgot what this was, a vegetable on top of a piece of super tender whitefish
- Fried shishamo
- Sawara (Spanish mackerel)
- Ankimo (monkfish liver)
- Shimaebi (striped prawn)
- Sumiika (Japanese cuttlefish)
- Katsuo (bonito)
- Unagi (freshwater eel)—meat was tender and slightly fatty with crispy skin
- Maguro
- Chutoro (back)
- Otoro
- Kohada (gizzard shad)
- Ikura (salmon roe)—this one was so mild and fresh
- Bafun uni (sea urchin)
- Anago (saltwater eel)
- Tamago (egg)
I have a couple of questions for sushi regulars: What differentiates a 1* sushi omakase from a 3*?, and is it normal for the room to be deathly quiet, like listen to everyone chew kind of quiet, or was it just because we were at the sub counter?
by chashaoballs
4 Comments
In theory the quality of the food would be higher at a 3* but Michelin is not useful for sushi in Japan. 2- and 3-star promotions in recent years appear to be more related to service in English.
The main counter at Ryujiro can get quite lively when Nakamura-san has regulars in. The ambience at any counter just depends on the personality of the chef and mood on the day and personality of the guests.
Anyway, glad you enjoyed it. Ryujiro is a solid restaurant and a great choice for a first omakase. The head chef dropping in wouldn’t always happen at a sub counter so that’s a nice touch.
IMO don’t set your expectations too high for other places being “much better”. A lot of it is minute and personal preference will dominate.
I’m jealous. Was planning to book her for our trip in early January but they are closed for holidays the entire 10 days we are there. If anyone else has a comparable recommendation in the $200 range, would much appreciate it!
Looks amazing