Nishiazabu Sushi Shin (Tokyo, Japan) – A Highly Professional Experience

by NoodleThings

1 Comment

  1. NoodleThings

    I’ve actually been to and become friends with a lot of people that have worked here before but it took me a while to really make my way here personally. I think it’s because the style of sushi here doesn’t suit my tastes as much as some of the other old school places. Rice is sour and nigiri are pretty large, but not as sour as I usually like. Quality of neta are decent but nothing immensely special – what is special is the restaurants commitment to old school technique and willingness to train foreigners. It’s this willingness that ensures there’s usually at least one or two folks here that always speak very good English – or just straight up are from Canada or the US

    If you’re newer to sushi, maybe you want to see if you like more than the topping heavy western style omakase spots or you’ve never had courses out sushi before – Sushi Shin is honestly a really great place to start. A few decent kokuryu by the glass options n some really good off menu sakes helps quite a bit as well. For me, I enjoyed Sushi Shin although I probably wouldn’t go again – I like places like Take/Ichijo a bit more than this, who are similar but closer to my preferences + cheaper

    Courses were:
    Aburi Sawara and sayori
    Shirako suimono with broth of kaki, yuzu and sake
    Yari ika ikameshi with rice and kanpyo – it was called something else, I just don’t remember what the dishes specific name was n it looked like ikameshi so that’s the wording I’m using lol
    Buri cooked warayaki then zuke’d. Topped w daikon oroshi and menegi
    Chinmi plate – kaki, savoury; ankimo and gejang style shima ebi
    Hirame
    Tennen buri (same as above), very good – could honestly used a touch more wasabi
    Akami zuke
    Chutoro
    Kohada
    Ni hotate
    Shiro miso soup
    Shima ebi
    Bafun uni
    Ni anago
    Castella tamago
    Extras
    Sayori as nigiri
    Aoyagi
    Aoyagi kobashira
    Shako
    Ni hotate
    Kuruma ebi with ebi miso
    Aburi Tako w tsume

    I may be missing a few courses of the main menu, after like the third day of the trip I just stopped taking notes on most dinners – which is why I’m dragging my feet so much on the namba/ryujiro/yuuki reviews lol

    There’s a restaurant in SF that advertises itself in a way that I think is highly apt for Sushi Shin – something to the effect of “To dine at sushi shin is to put yourself in professional hands.” The whole experience felt very professional – Chef Suzuki got through the counter as well as a few tables in a very efficient manner and service was very smooth for the most part. Suzuki is a bit serious as I’m sure you’re aware of but nice if you’re not super late or speak Japanese a bit