Hyperlocal Tokyo

I finally got to visit this restaurant that had been on my radar, opened by the second-in-command at Kurozaki, a place I'd been wanting to try. It's located about a 7-minute walk from Shibuya Station and a 10-minute walk from Omotesando Station, right where the old Kurozaki used to be. ◆ Flatfish ◆ Golden Eye Snapper ◆ Horse Mackerel ◆ Spring Snapper ◆ Sablefish ◆ Rockfish ◆ Deep-fried Greenling ◆ Gizzard Shad ◆ Kuruma Prawn ◆ Chawanmushi (Savory Egg Custard) ◆ Fatty Tuna ◆ Lean Tuna ◆ Medium Fatty Tuna ◆ Kuruma Prawn Head ◆ Clams ◆ Dried Gourd ◆ Sea Urchin The sushi was, of course, excellent, but the appetizers were also incredibly delicious. Every single dish showcased a high level of skill. I was particularly impressed by how meticulously they prepared the horse mackerel. The shrimp was cooked to perfection, with a semi-raw, springy texture that was simply irresistible. The quality of the ingredients was top-notch, and they clearly put a lot of thought into other aspects like the seaweed, which contributed to the overall high quality of the dishes. The chef was also very friendly and made me feel very welcome. I definitely plan on going back.

**Birthday Dinner** We visited this restaurant to celebrate my wife's birthday. I had been here before when it was still Kurozaki, but this was my first time since it became Nakano. The appetizers were all excellent, truly delicious and paired well with sake (I'm not a big drinker, so I'm not an expert on pairings). The sushi was also expertly crafted, and we enjoyed every piece. This is a great restaurant that I'd love to visit again throughout the year to experience the seasonal changes.

This was my first visit since Kurozaki-san was replaced by Nakano-san. The atmosphere of the restaurant remained the same, very pleasant. I was first surprised by the quality of the dishes other than sushi, such as the golden eye snapper shabu-shabu and the steamed abalone with liver sauce. The sushi was also of impeccable quality, simply delicious. The tuna, from the fatty toro to the lean akami, was a delight to taste. The marinated akami, made with fresh bluefin tuna, was incredibly flavorful and melted in my mouth. But what truly impressed me was the uni. It was the perfect time of year for purple sea urchin, which is more flavorful than the bafun uni. I was overwhelmed with joy to be able to savor the highest quality purple sea urchin. And then I became captivated by the preparation of the shrimp. The shells were peeled and arranged beautifully. The presentation was excellent, and the taste was superb. I was able to witness the meticulous preparation. I will definitely come back again. Thank you for the delicious meal!

The friendly owner and his attentive, quick-witted apprentice make this a top-notch sushi restaurant.

This sushi restaurant is located a 3-4 minute walk from Shibuya Station. It's run by Nakano-san, who took over the space after Kurozaki-san moved. He was the second-in-command at the original location. I made a reservation for a weekday evening. The restaurant has a counter and private rooms in the back, though I'm not sure if they're still in use. The seating is quite cramped, so you're very close to the people next to you. You might end up sitting quite close to strangers. The clientele definitely has a Shibuya vibe, haha. The course was ¥33,000 and included 9 appetizers, 8 pieces of nigiri, a small bowl of fugu (pufferfish) whitefish roe, and soup. With only 8 pieces of nigiri, the volume isn't huge, but it's definitely not lacking. The fugu karaage (deep-fried pufferfish) had large, plump pieces of fish and was delicious. The baby squid with roe was also incredibly tender and flavorful. The variety of appetizers made for a fun experience. The nigiri had a good balance of neta (fish) and shari (rice), with the shari having a slightly stronger presence, but it was still delicious. The shrimp was cooked to a semi-raw state and was incredibly springy. However, the appetizers left a stronger impression overall. I think this restaurant has a lot of potential and I'm excited to see how it develops.