The restaurant was tucked in a tangle of alleyways in a quiet, residential area of Tokyo. Small, welcoming and clean: the restaurant’s exterior represented the delicate and exquisite food that we were about to taste. Two elderly chefs, who were behind the counter, were filleting a gigantic tuna. Every precise cut across the blue steel scale revealed the magenta flesh. My parents and I sat down in a row on the counter, which was exactly two chopsticks away from the chefs. It is thought to be the best distance between the diners and the chefs for efficiency and to maximise the taste. The minimalistic interior of the restaurant allowed us to focus on the quality of food. The sushi was served in ‘omakase’ style, with the chefs deciding what is best each day and dishes arriving when they are ready. To begin the meal, all three of us were served with an egg starter. It …show more content…
Slices of pickled ginger were in the corner on a ceramic dish, which resembled a pink peony. Our first sushi was of black sea bream. Despite its name, the layers of sliced fish were coral, looking like a blooming rosebud. As I brought the sushi closer to my mouth, I could smell the freshness of the fish and the strong aroma of seaweed, typical to a freshwater fish. As I put the sushi in my mouth, I was surprised by a hint of yuzu that must have been underneath the fish, with a piercing drop of horseradish. The horseradish stung and pickled my nose but the aftertaste sweet citrus lingered, creating a synergising effect with the horseradish. The delicate flesh of the bream was cut with exquisite thickness. The rice was at the correct room temperature, and the subtle acidity of rice vinegar balanced the strong taste of the