Lunch seating at the counter run by Yasui Yamato. Went with the option of Ostumami and Nigiri.
The Ostumami offering was disappointing. Only thing that stood out was the signature Iwashi roll from the lineage of Sugita, and others lacked either flavors or textures. The biggest letdown was from the miso-marinated squid, possibly one of the toughest marine produces I had to chew through. At the end, there were additional Ostumami add-ons available upon individual request. I kindly requested Yamato San to go directly to Nigiri.
The Nigiri fleet was fantastic. I had high expectation on the Kohada(Gizzard Shad) piece, while it did deliver, the highlight for me was the Sayori(Half-beak) for its oceanic aroma with a hint of sweetness, balanced by ginger paste and Shari dipped in diced green onion. Buri(Yellowtail) and Chutoro were rich and flavorful. Worth mentioning, the Sumi-Ika piece was done just right, tender texture with a slight chew. Yamato’s Shari, amount or seasoning, complements well with the Neta.
Overall, I would return to Yamato’s counter given availability, but with a heavy preference on the Nigiri only course at lunch seating.
by OAVAO99