Down an unassuming residential street in Nishiazabu Tokyo a secret hides. A secret that needs to be discovered by every man, woman and child. A bastion of such skill that it no one can do anything but admire it…. (that is unless you don’t like fish, in which case, this entry is definitely not for your fragile eyes).
Inside this fortress of a fish godliness lies some truly brilliant sushi chefs, laying up some of the most sumptuous, fresh and quintessentially Japanese offerings you surely can get.
There is but room for about 8 people here. Bookings in advance are essential, but if you do get to go, and sushi
is your bag, you’ll be delighted. On our travels to Tokyo we luckily had a friend already living there that booked Sushi Yuu in advance for us. After a quick local cocktail we meandered down this street seriously wondering if we were in the right place. Once walking through the doors you’re instantly greeted with a very personal service with a smile, a handshake and our coats taken accordingly.
There are no menus to speak of. This is a place were the venerable art of Sushi seems to be at its zenith, and as such a tasting menu is what is on offer.
You’re sat directly in front of the chef with a cornucopia of knives and tools on show. We’re offered a bottle of white wine, and sit back eyeing every stroke of the knife and assembly of rice.
Every course is different, but there are an order to things of course – so we start with a bowl of Salmon eggs, deliciously popping in the mouth with a salty ‘Pzzazz’. Fresh and dazzling. Next up is a bowl of very fresh middle grade tuna with noodles, and a lovely soy sesame dipping sauce. The tuna so fresh it melts in the mouth.
Onto one of the great discoveries, Maguro (Tuna) is served with three main grades with us sampling them all. The Akami -the usual grade of tuna you get in bento boxes from Wasabi or Itsu – however this cut of tuna was deep blood red, very lean indeed, and clearly a very expensive cut. Next up is the Chutoro which is the middle fatty grade of tuna, slightly marbled, and finally the Otoro, which is very fatty and by far the most expensive sought after meat of the Tuna.
All three are of course superb and so superior to anything we’d had in Britain it is hard to compare. The quality of the meat, bought at a high price from the Tsikuji fish market just a few hours before was high, but as you sit marveling at the knife skills you see how the chef observes the grain of the fish, cutting in precise, tried and tested patterns.
Other fish on offer were Sea Urchin, Squid, and Smoked Mackerel, and every last bit was superbly crafted. I triumph.
The real highlight has to be the Otoro Tuna though – it literally melts in the mouth, the taste is rich, full and divine and experience that I have to repeat at some point very soon!
Arigatōgozai Daisuke Shimazaki ni kansha, wareware wa modotte kimasu.
ありがとうござい大輔島崎に感謝、我々は戻ってきます
£160 per person including wine
Tel. +81 03-3403-6467
forkofflondon 