{Japan} Sushi Dai and Tsukiji Market

Sushi Dai

For breakfast or lunch in Tokyo, consider going to Tsukiji market for fresh sushi at a restaurant called “Sushi Dai“. It is a not-to-miss restaurant that any sushi fan should make a pilgrimage to, at least once in their life!

The restaurant is located in a row of barracks, building 6 in the 3rd alley (just past the mailbox). It’s the 3rd shop on the right. Closest train station is Tsukijishijo on the Toei Oedo Line (local subway, not JR). When you arrive, follow signs to the market. When you exit the station, turn left. You should see the market just a few steps away (you’ll need to turn left again into the market, walk all the way to the back. The barracks are on your left).

This is the best map we can find to show you the location of the store… http://www.tsukijigourmet.or.jp/list.htm

 

There are other good sushi restaurants there as well and you’ll see lines for other stores too but don’t get side tracked! Look for Sushi Dai and get in their line. Expect a 2-hour wait at the minimum. Yes, I’m not kidding – 2 HOURS! We waited in line for 2.5 hours. 2 hours seems to be the average waiting time to get into this restaurant but it’s worth it! It’s a tiny restaurant with only 14 seats and 3 chefs preparing your sushi.

The restaurant opens at 5am and closes at 2pm. The omakase (recommended, where the chef serves you the best choices for the day) is priced at 3,900yen when we were there (dec 2010). With the omakase meal, you get green tea, miso soup, 10 pieces of nigiri of the chef’s choice and 1 of your choice (we ordered the toro as our 11th piece because it was just that good).

[bq_right]The toro (fatty tuna) plus its al dente and perfectly cooked lukewarm rice literally melts in your mouth and has a sweetness that we don’t get in tuna nigiri back in the US![/bq_right]

It’s hard to pick our “favorite” sushi at the restaurant because every single piece evokes an “mmm” as you eat it! The toro (fatty tuna) plus its al dente and perfectly cooked lukewarm rice literally melts in your mouth and has a sweetness that we don’t get in tuna nigiri back in the US. The ikura (salmon roe) is refreshing. The uni (sea urchin) was so fresh. Its subtle sweetness mixed with the saltiness from the seaweed is just to “dai” for. The sake (salmon) had a distinct lack of fat and again, a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

The chef will let you know which pieces to dip in soy sauce and which not to as the appropriate seasoning are usually already added to the nigiri. They also put just the right amount of wasabi in the nigiri to complement the taste of the fish so every bite is just a perfect blend of all the flavors. I could go on to describe every other piece of sushi we ate but what fun would that be? You have got to go, eat and experience it yourself!

Need I say more? Writing this makes us contemplate standing in line for another 2 hours when we’re back in Tokyo next week! We just might do it!

 

Tsukiji Market

While you’re at Tsukiji Market, you should of course visit Tsukiji Market. Their auctioning of tuna early in the morning (5am onwards) is a sight you should not miss. Make sure to get to the market by 5:30am at the latest. Per the Japan Guide article, the auctioning is currently closed to visitors until January 22nd, 2011. I was there last year (November 2009) and was able to witness the auction.

Things that made me go ‘wow’:

1. Huge, frozen tunas
2. How the winners drag the tunas on the floor once they win
3. I heard prices that were around US$10,000 per fish! Did I hear that right?

Here are some pictures from last year…

 

Have fun & don’t forget to bring a book to read while in line for Sushi Dai!