Kyubey (Tokyo, Japan)

Kyubey
2-2-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023
03.3344.0315
www.kyubey.jp/keio_e.html
Mon 03/17/2008, 07:40p-09:50p



Kyubey. It's name is synonymous with sushi, and the restaurant is arguably the most famous sushi restaurant in all of Japan. Kyubey is perhaps best known as the inventor of the gunkan-maki, or warship roll. Its creation significantly expanded the repertoire of ingredients used in sushi, such as uni and ikura. The original Kyubey is located in Ginza, but the restaurant has since expanded to several locations throughout Tokyo. Although I would've liked to have visited the Ginza restaurant, time was a constraint, so we decided to dine at the Keio Plaza location in Shinjuku instead. Fortunately, from what I hear, the quality is fairly comparable among locations.


The restaurant is small, with three tables seating about a dozen people. Of course, we didn't come all this way to eat at a table...



The bar is where the action is. It seats thirteen, of which my party took eight of the seats. Apparently the fellow in the last photo is the head chef.


We started with beer, then moved on to sake. One of my dining companions, who doesn't drink, enjoyed a Coke; I tried a sip, and it does taste different than what we have in the US. Humorously, he had originally ordered a Diet Coke, but was chided by the wait staff for doing so. I'm not sure why, as Diet Coke is available in Japan, though it's not nearly as popular as in the US.


On the counter in front of us sat mounds of seaweed, daikon, ginger, and freshly grated wasabi. We were also given what I believe was a miso-ponzu sauce with scallion. Soy sauce was also poured of course.


1: Iidako
This was baby octopus, in a sweet sauce. A fitting way to start the meal.


2: Fava Beans
Crisp and crunchy, though not as flavorful as those I had at Kaji the night earlier.


3: Hirame
Over here in the States, hirame generally refers to halibut. However, it really means any flat whitefish, such as fluke or flounder. I don't think this was halibut, but I can't be sure; I should've asked. In any case, it had a pleasing taste and a nice firmness to the flesh.

4: Shima Aji
Unfortunately I was busy eating and forgot to snap a photo. My first time, I swear! I'm not sure if I've had shima aji before; its translation is "striped jack." I found the fish rather mild in flavor, which meant it took very nicely to the sauce.

5: Tai
Naturally grown snapper, or sea bream. Great texture and signature tai flavor. Sadly, I forgot to take a photo here as well.


6: Kawahagi
Not only had I never had this fish before, I hadn't even heard of it. I get a translation of "thread-sail filefish." The fish was served with its liver, and was fantastic, one of my favorites of the entire meal actually. Apparently, kawahagi is used as a substitute for fugu when the latter is out of season. Indeed, its crisp, clear flesh is very similar to that of blowfish.


7: Katsuo
This was bonito served with shredded myoga (a crisp, tart vegetable) and a special garlic ponzu. The fish had a slight fishiness thanks to the skin. However, when dipped in the sauce, those flavors faded and gave way to a delicious interplay between the ponzu and the katsuo's beautiful red flesh. Very nice.


8: Eggplant
I've never had eggplant served at a sushi restaurant before. It was a bit odd, and seemed out of place, but the eggplant was crisp and tart, and I didn't mind it.


9: Karasumi, Daikon Chip
Karasumi two days in a row! I had it at Kaji the night before. In this case, the mullet fish roe was treated with shochu. Compared to the version at Kaji, which was cooked in a hot pot, this was bolder, saltier, and purer in flavor. Surprisingly good.


10: Maguro "Spare Ribs"
Tuna cooked "on the bone." This was actually toro-like in nature. The fish was extraordinary rich, fatty, and flavorful, almost like beef instead of tuna. This was my favorite course of the night, and probably my favorite of this entire trip! This may very well be the most flavorful piece of fish I've ever eaten.


11: Akagai
This is known in English as ark shell or red clam, with the red coming from the large amount of hemoglobin that the flesh has. Apparently, akagai is best in the summer months, after the clam lays its eggs. I found it to be relatively mild compared to other types of clam, including the aoyagi below.


12: Aoyagi
Aoyagi is translated into round clam or hen clam. Unlike other examples I've had, which were very briny, I found this aoyagi to have a delectable subtle sweetness. The clam was good on its own, but the included salt provided a nice contrast.


13: Ama Ebi
Sweet shrimp from Hokkaido. These were extremely creamy and almost sticky in texture. Very fresh. Afterwards, we were given the fried heads, which had charred exteriors giving way to soft, gooey insides.


14: Shako
This was a first for me. I don't think I've ever seen shako (a.k.a. squilla or mantis shrimp) in the States. I found this not dissimilar from cooked shrimp, though perhaps a touch brinier.


15: Kurama Ebi
Next, we have another type of raw shrimp, which I'm told is one of the most prized and expensive prawns in Japan. These were killed right in front of us prior to serving, so freshness was assured. And in fact, they were still moving for some time afterwards! That's why they're sometimes also known as "odori ebi," or dancing prawn. The flesh was much firmer and crisper compared to the creamy ama ebi above, which I preferred. The cooked heads burst with flavor in the mouth.


16: Sawara
A generous helping of Spanish mackerel served with its own special ginger ponzu. I thought this was quite mild for mackerel actually. The ponzu went great with the fish but I ended up enjoying many of the pieces sans sauce.


17: Pickled Daikon
Now here's something else I've never experienced at a sushi bar. The daikon was very firm and crunchy in texture, with a slightly acerbic taste. Not bad. This was useful as a palate cleanser of sorts.


18: Ika
Squid. Great texture on this one, a perfect cross between crispy and creamy, with a mildly briny taste that just coats the tongue.


19: Otoro
Look at that marbling; talk about melt-in-your-mouth! So rich, so oily, so soft, so fatty, this may very well be the best toro I've ever experienced, and at 3000 yen a piece (about $30), it should be.


20: Uni
I thought this was a strong example of uni: mild yet still possessing that signature uni flair. Note its rather liquid-y appearance. I was told that the reason for this was that it didn't contain certain preservatives that typically prevent uni from becoming watery.


21: Anago
Conger Eel, served two ways, one with sweet sauce and one without. I actually preferred the version without, as it placed more of an emphasis on the eel flavor itself. Often times in the US, I feel that sauce is too liberally applied to eel. As an interesting aside, I was told that unagi (freshwater eel) isn't traditionally used in Edo-style sushi, since it's much oilier and richer than its saltwater cousin.


22: Tamago
A very unique looking tamago. It was slightly sweet, with a light, spongy texture, almost like a cake.


23: Shiso, Plum Paste, and Daikon Sandwich
The daikon gave this dish a crisp texture that complemented the mintiness levied by the shiso, while the plum provided a contrasting sweetness. A hot cup of green tea was a satisfying closure to the meal.

Kyubey is considered the epitome of sushi restaurants in Japan, and indeed, it did not disappoint this night. I was able to experience fish and flavors that had previously never touched these lips. Truly, this was one of the top sushi experiences of my life. And truly, such prowess and perfection doesn't come cheap. If my memory serves me, this was my second costliest sushi meal ever, behind Urasawa of course. But like Urasawa, it was worth every penny (or yen).