O Ya Boston

Much has been written about Boston’s culinary sensation, Tim and Nancy Cushman's O Ya. A relative newcomer, I first gazed upon the words "O Ya" just last year while reading an in-flight magazine, where it showed up on somebody's list as one of the top new restaurants in the world. O Ya's modern-American-Japanese-inspired food is right in my wheelhouse. And given that it is also right in my backyard (well, globally speaking), there was no way I couldn’t go check it out.

I made my way down Boston’s East Street, a tiny, nondescript side street that appears in all ways unremarkable. Tucked away in the heart of downtown, it is less than a minute’s walk from South Station and it’s chaos of frantic commuters, who pass every day, unaware of their brush with culinary magic. A small sign next to a single lantern read “o ya,” with faint Japanese characters in the background. Around the corner, down an even smaller alley, was a weathered wooden door, strikingly reminiscent of Kyoto and its traditional architecture. This had to be it.

O Ya's discreet entrance makes customers feel like they've stumbled upon a great secret.

I grabbed the smooth handle and pulled it open with nervous anticipation. A funny mix of conflicting emotions came over me – tremendous expectation and its shackled compliment, fear of disappointment. To say that I went to O Ya to eat dinner would be somewhat like saying I went to the Louvre to see some pictures. Or, you remember that Mozart guy, he wrote some nice tunes, didn't he? Could any restaurant live up to the mammoth expectations I had? Would it even be fair to expect one to?

The restaurant was much smaller inside than I was expecting, with just 4 or 5 small tables and a few seats along the sushi bar. It was intimate and cozy, but most surprisingly, it was quite relaxed and casual. Our server, Anna Li (sp? sorry!), was warm and welcoming, and made the evening feel more like I was hanging out at a friend's place rather than- feeling lucky to be allowed into culinary nirvana.

We decided to go the obvious route and ask for the omakase, leaving the selections up to the chef. Same for the sake as well, as the in-house expertise in this arena in particular is well chronicled. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably ready for me to shut up and show you some pictures. So let’s get to it!

Yuki No Bosha, Junmai Ginjo

Kumamoto Oyster, watermelon pearls, cucumber mignonette

A light and fresh way to start things off. I love the creaminess of Kumamotos, which was contrasted nicely with a light vinaigrette. The cucumber added a nice crunch, and it's clean, fresh taste tamed the sweetness of the watermelon. With one bite, I knew the evening was off to a good start.

With our taste buds awakened, we were next treated to an progression of nigiri sushi. And of course, I can't mention sushi without commenting on the preparation of the sushi rice, which was absolutely flawless. Nothing wrankles me more than poorly prepared sumeshi. After all, THAT'S WHAT SUSHI IS! Anyways.

Hamachi, spicy banana pepper mousse

You had me at hamachi, which was briefly torched to add complexity, a technique used on many items at O Ya. Here it accentuatess the oilyness of the fish (a good thing) which helps it stand up to the spiciness of the mousse. Seriously, wow. One of my favorite tastes of the night.

Salmon Tataki, torched tomato, smoked salt, onion aioli

As I tasted this, I instantly thought of a BLT in sushi form. The combination of the fattiness of the salamon and the smoked salt was somewhat remeniscient of bacon. Of course, the tomato and the aioli become the logical accompaniments. What a great idea.

Warm Eel, thai basil, kabayaki, fresh Kyoto sansho

A nice enough take on the traditional grilled eel with eel sauce (kabayaki), but this item didn't quite deliver the flavor that its description suggested. Both Thai basil and sansho (Sichuan peppercorn) pack bright, intense flavors, which I thought would be a nice counterpoint for the sticky sweetness of kabayaki. The potential was high, but these flavors just didn't sing here. The eel itself was nicely cooked.

Mukune, "Root of Innocence", Junmai Ginjo

Homemade La Ratte Potato Chip, perigord black truffle

As soon as this plate was set in front of me, I was hit with the unmistakeable aroma of truffles. Mmmmm... Truffles...

........

I managed to snap free from my substance induced stupor to actually eat it, and boy was it good. An explosion of truffle flavor coated my mouth and olfactory sensors for the first 3 chews before finally stepping aside to reveal the oily crunch of a beautifully prepared potato crisp. "Oh yeah, there's a potato chip in here too," I remember thinking to myself. And as tasty as it was, I thought it actually worked surprisingly well as a sushi garnish. This was a big hit with our table, and one of the standouts of the night.

Wild Bluefin Maguro Tuna, soy braised garlic, micro greens

A nice bite of wild tuna, simply garnished and briefly hit with the blowtorch. The flavor profile was comparatively straightforward on this one, letting the quality of the tuna show through.

Fried Kumamoto Oyster, yuzu kosho aioli, squid ink bubbles

Crispy, briny, creamy, and, well, fried! This bite was perfectly conceived, and as beautiful to look at as it was tasty to eat. This was hands down another group favorite. I could have eaten a dozen of these, called it a night, and gone home happy. Okay, slight exaggeration.

Salmon, o ya mayonette, wasabi tobiko, shiso

Another nice bite, with a touch of wasabi and shiso to add some zing. This one was good, but not outstanding among the items we had.

Suigei, Drunken Whale, Junmai

And with that, we were done with nigiri and moved on to a selection of sashimi courses. No time was wasted on fluff as we jumped right in and were treated to some beautiful sea urchin, or uni, to start things off.

Shima Aji & Sea Urchin, ceviche vinaigrette, cilantro

Okay all you sea urchin haters out there, this is the moment to put your palate to the test once and for all. I defy you not to like this! Shima aji (jackfish) is meaty and bold, a nice contrast for the silky, fruity sea urchin. Nice idea with the cevice vinaigrette - it balances the richness of these two items.

Wild Bluefin Otoro, wasabi oil, lots of green onion

Nothing sends my heart racing with anticipation faster than the o-word. Otoro of course... Uuuhm... What were you thinking? It's impossible for a beautiful slab of prime tuna belly like this not to send shivers down your back. And with a heap of mild onion garnish to cut the fattiness, it did just that. I'm just saying.

Scottish Salmon, spicy sesame ponzu, yuzu kosho, scallion oil

I expected a more exotic and powerful burst of flavor, with the yuzu kosho called out. There was a nice lingering spiciness, but overall this one was just okay for me.

Hamachi, viet mignonette, thai basil, shallot

Taking a page out of the southeast Asian playbook, these vibrant flavors really enhanced this beautiful hamachi. A little sweet, a little sour, and a little heat to balance out the rich fattiness. And the Thai basil/crispy shallot garnish? So money.

Wild Bluefin Tuna Tataki, smoky pickled onion, truffle oil

I was greeted by another wafting cloud of heavenly truffles upon arrival of this plate. I would have never thought to combine this group of tastes (which isn't saying much), but they worked beautifully together. Our table was somewhat divided on this dish, but I was firmly in the 'totally love it' camp.

It was time to hit up the back side of the menu and try some cooked items. And as much as I was looking forward to seeing what they could do with a little heat, I was sad to see the end of the sashimi flow.

Chilled Maine Lobster Salad, avocado, creamy yuzu dressing, peppercress, cucumber gelee

One bite of this lovely salad, and I was instantly transported to the New England seaside on a hot summer day. Seriously, this reminded me of a sophisticated take on the classic lobster roll. Avocado adds richness in place of heavy mayo, and the cucumber gelee (really more like a pudding) was wonderfully light and soothing.

Shichihon-Yari, Junmai

Yuzu Brined Ballotine of Chicken Wing, napa cabbage & shiitake stuffing, homemade kimchee

Our first land dwelling protein of the night packed an explosion of flavor. The crispy exterior added a nice crunch for textural interest to the tender, juicy chicken. I especially loved the lightness of the homemade kimchee.

Grilled Sashimi of Chanterelle & Shiitake Mushrooms, rosemary garlic oil, sesame froth, homemade soy

Nicely grilled, and beautifully complimented with the herb oil and fantastic sesame froth. Mushroom lovers should make sure not to miss this one. For me - I enjoyed it, but couldn't help but think that I could have been eating another piece of sashimi instead.

Seared Petit Wagyu Strip Loin, tiny smoked potato, grilled onion, fresh wasabi

I've raved before about the magic of Wagyu beef. And I was most greatful to be amazed once again at the richness and full beefy flavor of real Japanese Wagyu. Fresh wasabi was a nice condiment to pair with it - so much more floral and subtle than the fake stuff. The smoked potato was a blast from my past, remeniscient of foil wrapped potatoes cooked on a campfire. It brought a smile to my face.

Seared Petit Wagyu Strip Loin, confit potato, truffle

As nice as the first plate of Wagyu was, this is the one I will lust after to my grave. No matter how much of this I could eat, I would always want the same thing - just one more bite. I warn you - if you are a meat and potatoes kind of person, do not eat this without considering the consequences! Like Neo and the red pill, once you partake, there is no returning to beef innocence and naïveté. Be forewarned.

Foie Gras, balsamic chocolate kabayaki, raisin cocoa pulp, sip of aged sake

Saved for the last course of the evening was O Ya's signature dish - one I was looking forward to all night long. Obscenely rich and decadent, seared foie gras was accented with a semisweet, semisalty chocolate/raisin/soy glaze - a beautiful pairing. We all noticed that the rice noticeably cut the richness of the foie. Some at the table were appreciative of this, feeling that foie can be too rich. But for me, it muted the very thing about foie gras I love. Not saying I wouldn't get this again - the taste was phenomenal - I just think it would be even better without the rice.

Aged Sake - Hanahato Kijoshu 8 Year Old

Dark, intense, and amazingly Port-like, with a raisiny quality that nicely echoed the foie preparation. The color was a deep amber, and it had other flavor components typically derived from storage in wood, despite spending it's full 8 year aging period in stainless. This was truly a remarkable sake, and certainly the most unique one I've ever had.

Reflecting back on the meal, I had some clear favorites. But honestly, even my least favorite was still tasty and delicious and would be a welcome snack on any day. Undoubtedly, the raw ingredients were of superb quality, and the overall experience was excellent.

But nonetheless I have a few nitpicks.

I was a little surprised that there were no special off-menu items that were offered to us, given that we had gone omakase. Of course then there was no 'omakase' per se listed on the menu, though it seemed like a standard request when we asked. Still, a place of this caliber should have some unique one-off specials to throw out from time to time.

A sushi chef focusing on his work. The brick walls are a unique feature of the interior decor at O Ya, remnants of the restaurant's firehouse past.

I didn't mention them, but we did order several desserts, which in context of the rest of the evening were forgettable. I also thought that they didn't fit stylistically with the rest of the meal. It's a pretty big challenge to make something that can rival foie gras nigiri and the like, but it has to be possible.

It seems like any writeup of O Ya includes an obligatory reference to the cost, so I can't say that I didn't know what to expect. But it was steep for what a cynic might legitimately call a 14 pc. sushi/sashimi combo plus 5 or so 4-bite portions of cooked food... (dodging lightning bolts...) The meal was served at a leisurely pace but seemed to drag at times. So our 34 bites of food over 3 hours or so averaged out to just over 11 bites per hour. It was not the most filling dinner, to be sure, but I didn't need to binge eat afterwards either.

Sake bottles make a nice piece of wall art.

For the sushi and sashimi items, I really wish I could have had more than one piece of each. They all were so full of such interesting flavor combinations, that just one bite made it tough to make a definitive taste judgement. I really wanted a second bite to confirm the first observation. And maybe a third for pure enjoyment. I know, I really could have doubled up or tripled my order if I wanted to. But I like my house and would like to be able keep it.

Still, I resist the notion that it wasn't worth it, although for the casual diner, I would probably agree. We were served the absolute best ingredients prepared in a thoughtful and artistic manner. The flavor combinations were nicely conceived and unexpected, even if not the pinnacle of innovation. The warm service added to the experience for me as well. I would definitely return again, although I would probably forgo the omakase and take my chances on my own. Several of the items were good enough to warrant a reup, but there are plenty of other things on the menu that caught my eye. I'm guessing that with a couple of friends along for the ride, we could eat a bit less food, drink a lot less sake, spend half the money I did, and still leave happy. Maybe I'd have to skip the Wagyu , but I'm sure glad I got to have it once.

A special thanks to those seated at my end of the table - I'm sure I annoyed you with my slow and deliberate photo taking, slowing you down in the process. A few of the photos turned out quite good, so I hope you think it was worth it!

Stopover at Tokyo Narita International (NRT)

My extra stop at Tokyo Narita was much more of an adventure than it was a hassle for me. I was psyched at the prospect of getting some sushi on the ground, which despite being "airport sushi," is authentic Japanese sushi nonetheless. As it turned out, there is a sushi bar in the international transfer area, and it is quite good. They offer dine in service as well as take out. Seeing that I had access to the ANA lounge, courtesy of my business class ticket, as well as its complimentary Sake bar, I thought that take out would be the wise choice. Besides, there was a sumo match on TV, and come on, who can resist the sight of large, round Japanese men push each other around the floor? Not me.

Sushi at Tokyo/Narita - This may be airport sushi, but the quality level was first rate. From left to right: Horse mackerel (aji-saba), kanpachi, chu toro, red snapper (tai), otoro. Above the sushi is a fine cup of junmai-shu sake, courtesy of ANA. The prices were quite reasonable for how good this plate was. I look forward to diverting myself through Narita again soon.

Engrish Hello Kitty Toy - It's funny enough that a toy would declare itself "Boring," but it didn't click with me until a month later that this was actually supposed to be a "Bowling" toy (the Japanese reads "bo-ri-n-gu" and "su-to-ra-i-ku"). I just about busted open when it finally hit me. This item was for sale at one of the gift shops in the international terminal.

Japanease Seafood Chips - Made with real fish, shrimp, crab, squid, etc., these crisps are outstanding. Basically, the seafood is ground up and mixed with rice flour, then formed into a crisp and fried. The best way to describe the flavor is to imagine eating fried fish, but in potato chip form. Some chips have whole dried creatures pressed into them (a couple of shrimp and a squid can be seen in the chips in this photo). The black one is flavored with squid ink. The crab ones and the wasabi ones are really good, too. I picked these up at a gift shop at Narita.

The ANA Experience - Narita/Taipei (NRT/TPE) Route

My tickets were booked a bit late for my trip to Taiwan, so I ended up with an extra stopover at Tokyo Narita, then continuing on ANA (All Nippon Airways) to and from Taipei. It was my first experience with a Japanese airline, and I was generally impressed with the courteous service and food selection.

ANA Japanese Dinner, NRT to TPE - Clockwise from top left: Firefly squid with crab, beef and vegetable galantine with grilled tofu, Japanese pickles (radish, etc.), kelp cured shrimp and flounder sashimi, fried rockfish and vegetables with rice. There is also miso soup in the black bowl, and a dessert in the paper in the middle of the plate. And notice the bottle of sake in the upper right corner. Nice touch.

Salt-Boiled Firefly Squid (Hotaru Ika) and Swimming Crabmeat with Tosa Vinegar - Firefly squid congregate en masse off the coast of Japan each spring to spawn, creating a spectacular light show due to their natural phosphorescence. They are a sign of spring, and were celebrated on the May business class menu on ANA. Here, they were lightly boiled and served with crabmeat, some kind of sea tasting jelly, and something that reminded me of jellyfish. The taste was light, if not a bit fishy. The crab and sea jelly were pretty tasty, and the jellyfish add texture mostly, not much taste there.

Airplane Sashimi - Pink Shrimp and Kelp Cured Flounder - These were lightly vinegared to help preserve them, as they obviously have to be kept in storage for some time before service. Although not like sitting at a sushi bar, these morsels still were enjoyable, and a nice luxury at 30,000 ft.

ANA Japanese Dinner, TPE to NRT - Clockwise from top left: Soba noodles, Japanese pickles, appatizer dish (tamago omlet, pistachio crusted shrimp, fruit jelly, tiny dried fish), green tea mochi cake, fruit plate, beef and vegetables with rice. Again, there was miso soup, and sake.

Mandarin Lesson... In Japanese - The on demand entertainment system was convenient, so I thought I would pull up a learn Mandarin lesson to stay sharp. Turned out that it was only available in Japanese, which made for interesting viewing. I probably picked up more Japanese than I did Mandarin. For example, did you know that the Japanese word for "credit card" is "ku-re-di-to ka-a-do?" Well, now you do.

Nobu Hong Kong

Chances are, if you've ever had a conversation with me about food, somewhere along the line, I've mentioned Nobu. I had always had an appreciation for good food, but it was Nobu that awakened the beast within. My first taste of Nobu was nothing short of a revelation - a turning point in my food life that redefined my culinary understanding and, consequently, ruined me for life. I will never forget the tastes and smells of that meal. Years later, I can still vividly recall my first bite of hamachi tartare, then wanting to lick my plate clean of the Matsuhisa dressing on my sashimi salad. I remember how the salty-sweet taste of saikyo miso perfectly complimented the rich butteriness of black cod, and how each dish appeared to be a visual work of art. I have since been back to Nobu several times - always a good experience - but nothing resonates quite like that first time. Now that I've exposed myself as totally biased... (I'll try to be objective. Really.)

So it is that I was thrilled to try out the newest branch of the Nobu empire during a trip to Hong Kong in December. Residing in the glorious InterContinental Hotel, it's just reaching the first anniversary of operation. Frankly, it's about time I went to check it out.

From what I've read, it seems like this restaurant has been received less enthusiastically than the New York and LA originals (see this review for example). Nevertheless, it's only fair that I reserve judgement for myself. I was dining with a few companions who graciously allowed me to select the courses for the evening (poor souls!). I wanted to hit a few of the classic Nobu signature dishes but also try out new menu additions and some of the Hong Kong special offerings. Here's how it shook out.

Menu:

Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño
Salmon New Style Sashimi
Hirame Sashimi with XO Salsa
Creamy Spicy Prawn
Black Cod Saikyo Yaki
Toro Collar Steak
Nobu Style Fish and Chips
Japanese Cabbage Steak with Truffles
Sushi - House Special Roll, Hamachi, Unagi, Mackerel, Ama Ebi

A beautiful view of the Hong Kong skyline sets the tone for the meal to come.

Yellowtail (Hamachi) Sashimi with Jalapeño - Starting out with one of my all-time Nobu favorites. This was perfectly executed and tasted fantastic. I love the combination of the creaminess of the hamachi, the saltiness of the soy, the zing of the jalapeno, and the brightness of the cilantro and yuzu. Just a fantastic dish.

Salmon New Style Sashimi - Another Nobu standard. Hot oil is poured over seasoned raw fish, creating a half raw-half cooked preparation that melts softly in the mouth. This dish was also executed well, although, I confess that I kept thinking that I should have ordered the Kobe beef rather than the salmon for this dish. My bad.

Hirame Sashimi with XO Salsa - This was a selection from the Hong Kong special section of the menu. While I did enjoy this dish, I had expected the XO salsa to pack more of a punch than it did. Hirame is rather bland and neutral as a raw item and I thought it could have been enhanced with a more flavorful garnish. I understand the philosophy of not wanting to overpower the natural flavors, but why go for pungent XO sauce in that case?

Creamy Spicy Prawn - I goofed and ordered this instead of the Rock Shrimp Tempura with Creamy Spicy Sauce (another of my Nobu faves), but it gave me the opportunity to try a different arrangement of the same flavors. This dish was fairly substantial, featuring 6 large prawns topped with enoki mushrooms and creamy spicy sauce (basically homemade spicy mayo). While the taste was great, I was a disappointed that the prawns were overcooked and dry. Perhaps it was carelessness during the final pass under the broiler (notice the sauce on top is browned), or maybe they were already toast by the time they got there. Whatever the case, this shouldn't happen at a place like this. I didn't complain though, and give them a chance to remedy the problem. I have a hard time sending food back - it's just such a waste.

Black Cod Saikyo Yaki - Ah yes, the famed Black Cod with Miso. And with this dish, we were squarely back on track. The butteriness of the Black Cod (which isn't really Cod, but Sablefish) is a perfect foil for the sweetness of the miso glaze. And when the outside sugars are properly caramelized (as evidenced in this photo) and the inside is soft and moist... It was perfectly prepared. This dish so lives up to the hype.

Grilled Toro Collar - I had read that this recent addition to the Nobu menu was an instant sensation. Upon placing the order for this dish, the server advised me that it would have a strong fishy smell. Undeterred, I ordered it anyways. I suppose I thought that this would be similar to grilled hamachi collar I had eaten in the past - rich, tender, fatty flesh falling off of the bone. And toro being toro, I expected this to take the hamachi experience to the next level. Well, my inflated expectations did me in this time. It was, in fact, quite fishy, as I had been warned. There wasn't really a lot of fat in the meat, and it wasn't particularly soft in texture either. So 3 strikes. Considering that this costs twice the price of hamachi collar, I would stick with that next time.

Nobu Style Fish and Chips - Another newish menu addition I had read about. But this one delivered the Nobu experience. Cubes of golden yam and fish are formed into a terrine-like mold before being breaded, fried, and topped with a tartar sauce-like garnish. Crispy and delicious, each bite gets you that classic fried fish taste but also a bit of potato. So good, and unexpected from the outside appearance. I wish I had taken a photo of the inside of one of these lovely morsels, but they disappeared too fast.

Japanese Cabbage Steak with Truffles - I like the idea of taking something as pedestrian as cabbage and pairing it with something so over-the-top. The combination of the black truffles and the cabbage was remarkably good. The earthiness of the truffles really enhanced the subtle sweetness of the cabbage. My only complaint here was that the cabbage was not quite cooked as much as I would have liked. I suppose it's a matter of personal taste, but there was still a crunchy raw characteristic to it wheras I feel that a little more roasting would have softened the texture and enhanced the sweetness a bit more. Not to mention that this was being roasted in a wood burning oven, so there would have been additional flavor from longer exposure as well.

Assorted Sushi - House Special maki, with unagi, hamachi, saba, and ama ebi nigiri. Since I was lucky enough to choose, I made sure to hit a few of my favorites. The house special roll combines a bevy of fresh fish and is wrapped in a hand-cut paper thin sheet of daikon (now those are some serious knife skills!). A healthy dose of wasabi was the perfect compliment to the tasty sweet shrimp, but the hamachi and saba were utterly sublime and stole the show (mackerel can be strong and fishy sometimes, but this piece was awesome - as expected at this venue). The only disappointment was the eel - which tasted nothing like the fine specimen I ate on my very first Nobu visit - yes, even the eel blew my mind that day. This piece was not as fresh tasting, and the texture was not the fluffy perfection that I had expected.

At the end of the meal, my party and I were overall quite satisfied. There were some huge hits (hamachi with jalapeno, black cod with miso, Nobu style fish and chips) which were enough to outweigh the misses (toro collar, overcooked prawn). It appeared that the core essence of Nobu cuisine was indeed alive and well at the Hong Kong branch. I suppose if I have the chance to eat there again, I would stick to these classic dishes and sushi, which were all fantastic. It would be a stretch to classify dinner here as a great value proposition, but the quality of the raw ingredients is second to none. Of course, charging such high prices invites careful scrutiny. I doubt that any of the nitpicky complaints I mentioned would be quite as troubling at half the price.

Bottom line - if you want to see what Nobu is all about, don't be afraid to head over and give this branch a try. But do yourself a favor and choose the basic Omakase (chef's choice), where you will get a house selection of the signature dishes of Nobu Matsuhisa. Just make sure to consult with your server on any particular likes or dislikes if necessary. All said and done, I think my previous Nobu experiences have not clouded my judgement here, but rather have invited me to be even more critical than I otherwise might have been.

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Kyoto Leftovers: Mishima Beef, Grocery Store Sushi, & Plastic Food

Some leftovers from my um, world famous (ahem...) Kyoto in Photos series. Most of these were taken while shopping at Takashimaya. Other food shopping photos can be found in my Nishiki Market post. Enjoy!

Mishima Beef at the basement grocery store in Takashimaya. Just stunning quality here.

The fat marbling on this Mishima Beef strip loin (aka top loin, NY strip) is unbelievable. The great tragedy was that I had no place to cook this, so I had to pass it up.

More Mishima Beef. This is ribeye, and is quite pricey at over $100/lb. It looks so good I want to cry.

The ulitmate insult - I found this piece of superb quality beef at a convenience store!!! Even the cheapo stores in Kyoto sell great meat!

A huge block of otoro - fatty tuna belly. This is another of my personal faves. Looks like this piece is about $100/lb.

The fish section at Takashimaya's grocery store had an array of single nigiri sushi pieces for sale at about $0.45 a piece. I grabbed a few pieces for a quick afternoon snack.

I also snagged a few other pieces of sashimi for dinner. At closing time, all sashimi/sushi is marked down to clear out inventory. Freshness is key for items eaten raw, and would be compromised by letting inventory sit overnight. I happened to time my visit perfectly to grab some otoro on the cheap (center). Buri (from a large hamachi - left) and some unknown whitefish (right) complete the set. Ice packs, wasabi, soy sauce, sudachi, and chopsticks were all included for no additional charge.

Look at that amazing marbling of the tuna belly! If you can even find it, this stuff goes for about $12 a slice at a good sushi restaurant in the States. After the discount, I got all of the above sashimi slices for less than that!

The grocery shop at Takashimaya department store has an indoor wood grill. A (very warm) cook uses it to prepare yakitori (grilled chicken skewers).

While in Japan, I discovered the existance of a whole new industry - plastic food modeling. Many restaurants have giant window displays showing detailed models of each menu item.

The variety of options here is stunning. Actually, what's really stunning is how detailed and accurate these models appear. Meat has sear marks, soup broth is translucent, and those fried shrimp look crispy and delicious.