The vegetable/fish combo had a silky, soft mouthfeel and was a lovely and colorful contrast to the two monotonal dishes that accompanied it. The soup was milky and sweet, the rice was delicious, though I must admit that I'm not enough of a connoisseur to appreciate the rice at the level everyone else seemed to.
On the first platter is a small cup of soup, a tiny portion of perfectly-cooked rice, and an amuse-bouche of pickled vegetables, fish, and seaweed. A super nice touch, and remarkably rare during this trip.įirst, they bring out the big black tray that will serve as my meal carrier/personal space-definer up until dessert.
A beautiful menu, in near-perfect English, is presented so we can follow along with our progress. He is already hard at work preparing sashimi plates for the two large private rooms towards the back of the restaurant- we can occasionally hear uproarious laughter- and stays focused and friendly throughout the meal. My dining partner and I are seated all the way to the right from our perspective (Chef's left). We walked down a short corridor with gorgeous blond wood and conservative decor, jackets removed, and then seated at a small chef's-table style counter with (just like Kichisen) only 5 seats. She asks my name, but I get the feeling she already knew who I was.
Usuki Fugu Yamadaya is to the left, and as I walk up a full 15 minutes early an immaculately-dressed woman emerges to usher me inside. Google Maps brought me more or less to the right spot up a hill off a quiet street, and the building immediately drops into a wide, attractive basement terrace.