Food Diary - Sushi Harutaka, Tokyo

This long weekend, we took a short trip to Tokyo. (Monday was a public holiday due to the Eid festival; where I live, it is known as Hari Raya Aidilfitri or Hari Raya Puasa.) I confess Hubby decided to recce sushi-ya run Chef Jiro and his apprentices post-Jiro Dreams of Sushi. That is not to say we are completely clueless about sushi; its history; how it is made; where the ingredients are sourced; how the flavour of the ingredient differs depending on region, season and treatment.

We've been eating sushi for a long time. It's just that well, it was something we just ate and enjoyed as a matter of course, without much thought given to where to go, who the chef is, how much thought they put into sourcing their ingredients, and perfecting its art. So I suppose one could say we have been eating it and enjoying it, but not fully appreciating it? More like...before this, we've had other higher priorities when it came to using our funds.... Anyway, I won't deny that Jiro Dreams of Sushi did have an influence.

Dinner was the sushi and sashimi omakase course at Ginza Harutaka (銀座 青空). Harutaka has 2 Michelin stars (though I heard he did not choose to participate this year) and is No. 2 on Tabelog (as at 2015). Harutaka is also frequented by other well-regarded sushi shokunin. In fact, while we were dining there, a sushi chef from one of Japan's top 10 sushi-ya came to have a late dinner. Chef Harutaka and staff leaped to attention when he entered, and almost immediately a hot towel and tea appeared before him. No words passed between him and Chef Harutaka (who was very deferential and polite), yet Chef Harutaka began preparing the sushi immediately. Most fascinating.

Japanese spiny lobster (Ise ebi)

First was Japanese spiny lobster (伊勢海老, Ise ebi) sashimi served with a wobbly-soft aspic that was savoury and tart. Great to whet the appetite, though it overwhelmed (just a little bit) the mild sweet lobster. The soft aspic was a good contrast to the chewiness of the lobster.

Japanese spiny lobster tomalley (Ise ebi nou miso); Pacific saury (sanma)

Second was a rich soup made with spiny lobster tomalley (伊勢海老の脳みそ, Ise ebi nou miso). Hubby loved the soup. The third dish was grilled Pacific saury (秋刀魚, sanma) - one of my favourite dishes of the night; I loved the sanma's crispy skin, juicy flesh and the mildly sweet fat. The salty-bitter gravy matched perfectly with the sanma's fatty flesh.

Pike eel (hamo)

Next was hamo (鱧/ハモ, pike eel) served in a soup made with onions (玉葱, tamanegi). The soup was gentle and mildly sweet. The hamo was tender and succulent.

Sole (karei) and red grouper (akahata)

Next was karei (鰈, sole) and akahata (赤羽太, red grouper) sashimi, served with konbu, finely julienned onion, and lightly salted mizuna.

Abalone (awabi)

Next was mushi awabi (蒸しあわび, steamed abalone), served with the thickened broth. Super tender and succulent! Also one of my favourite dishes of the night.

Bonito or skipjack tuna (katsuo); Japanese freshwater eel (unagi)

After that was katsuo (鰹) sashimi, served with spiced minced negi - a great pairing. This was followed by unagi (鰻/うなぎ) - also well-prepared and delicious. But I think the unagi I love best so far was Chef Ashino's at Ashino (Chijmes, Singapore).

Golden cuttlefish (sumiika)

The sumiika (墨烏賊, golden cuttlefish) was the first sushi served to us. The flesh was tender and succulent, and the texture silky and coated the mouth. As good as the quality was, I think ika is just not my thing.

As is known, Chef Harutaka Takahashi trained under Chef Ono Jiro, and this shows in his sushi, particularly the heavily vinegared shari, and the light touch to the compression of the shari such that it just falls apart in your mouth with the slightest pressure. (His shari is more heavily vinegared than Chef Ono Takashi at Sukibayashi Jiro Roppongi.) The heavily vinegared shari helped to balance the flavours of some of the sushi, especially the sumiika (cutting through the silky mouth-feel) and the fishier hikari mono.

Silago (kisu)

Next was kisu (鱚/キス, silago or whiting), a clean and mild flavoured white fish (shiromi dane). Texture is rather like chewy al dente. I rather liked the sight of the translucent flesh and skin, like chiffon covering the shari. Not an ingredient I've had before, so it was a new experience - and I liked it!

Striped jack or white trevally (shima aji)

Chef Harutaka serves wild shima aji (縞鯵, striped jack), and he explained that summer is the best season to enjoy it. I love the texture (a bit like hamachi) and clean flavour, so I think it ranks as one of my preferred sushi ingredients.

Lean tuna (bluefin tuna) (akami)

The first akami dane sushi we get is akami (赤身), the lean portion of the bluefin tuna (hon-maguro/真鮪 in Japanese).

Medium fatty tuna (bluefin tuna) (chutoro)

Following the akami is the chutoro (中とろ), the medium fatty portion of the bluefin tuna. Of the 3, my favourite is the chutoro.

Fatty tuna (bluefin tuna) (otoro)

And of course, the otoro (大とろ), the fatty portion of the tuna. This ōtoro cut is from the portion above the underbelly, known as shimofuri (霜降り), so named because of the marbling. ("Shimofuri" is also used to describe the marbling in wagyu.)

Dr Leslie Tay of ieatishootipost explains the parts of maguro and has a great cross-section photo indicating where the akami, chutoro and ōtoro are located. Shinzo Satomi's Sushi Chef Sukiyabashi Jiro also has a great section on the different parts of the maguro.

Gizzard shad (kohada)

After the tuna, we were served kohada (小鰭/こはだ, gizzard shad) (part of the hikari mono category of sushi). So the hikari mono category generally consists of shiny oily fishes - such as sardine, the various mackerels, and gizzard shad. It's been said that hikari mono is an acquired taste and not for sushi newbies. Well, I'm not a sushi newbie and I still don't really like hikari mono.

I like the look of kohada - it's like a beautiful, high-sheen mirror with a pattern of tiny black dots but I just do not like kohada. It's really a matter of taste. The one prepared by Chef Harutaka was carefully and well prepared - properly salted and marinated in vinegar. But I can't get past the fishy flavour and the texture, the dense and dry texture that is unlike any other raw fish I've tasted.

Japanese cockle or heart clam (torigai)

We were next served torigai (鳥貝, Japanese cockle, or heart clam), one of my favourites.

Horse mackerel (aji)

Another hikari mono sushi - aji (鯵, horse mackerel). I am also not a fan, again as a matter of preference. But I think of the hikari mono we were served, I enjoyed the aji much more than the kohada (above) and the iwashi (below).

I was watching with fascination the preparation of the fish for the sushi by Chef Harutaka's disciple. He tops off the head and tail-end of the fillet, shaves off a layer off the fillet, then turns it over and peels the silvery skin off. And the sound of the skin being peeled off sounded like paper tearing.

Kobashira

Next was kobashira (小柱), served gunkan maki style. Kobashira are the adductor muscles of the aoyagi (青柳), the surf clam or mantra clam. Another name for the aoyagi is "bakagai" (破家蛤; "idiot clam"). I am not sure why it is thus named, but apparently it has something to do with the fact that it's easy to catch because of its 'tongue'.

Japanese tiger prawn or Japanese imperial prawn (kuruma ebi)

Next was kuruma ebi (車海老). Like his sensei, Chef Harutaka serves the head with the nou miso. (Unlike Chef Ono Takahashi, he doesn't automatically remove the tail bit for ladies.) I'm not a prawn person but this is so good! The nou miso had a slight bitterness that lifted the sweetness of the prawn flesh.

Sardine (iwashi)

Then there was iwashi (鰯). It was good, although I really am not a fan of iwashi - again, a matter of taste as I do not generally like fishy fish. I've had iwashi sushi before - at least twice, not including this time. I remember once was at Ashino, where the iwashi had been aged. I think I will need to eat iwashi sushi a few more times to learn to appreciate it properly - and to erase the ever-hated canned sardines I was forced to consume in my childhood. (I do not feel the same about kohada.)

Salmon caviar (ikura)

Next was ikura (いくら, salmon caviar), also a favourite. The little vermilion umami bubbles were so soft they just melted in our mouths. Chef Harutaka's senior disciple explained that this was the best season for ikura.

Red Sea urchin (aka uni)

Naturally, my favourite sushi was the uni sushi. Chef Harutaka told me he used aka uni (赤うに) from Kyushu. I've posted before about uni on a previous trip to Otaru, Hokkaido. (There's also more by Shizuoka Gourmet, Four Magazine, and The New York Times.) But usually, the more commonly served uni are murasaki uni (purple sea urchin) and bafun uni - both of which I have eaten and like very much. Apparently, aka uni is not served as often. A new experience and definitely one I'd like to try again.

Conger eel (anago)

The anago (穴子) was a treat - feather-soft and melted in the mouth! Definitely one of my favourites. Have never had such soft anago before.

Tamagoyaki

Dinner finished up with tamagoyaki (卵焼き) - Chef Harutaka does it like Chef Jiro, the tamagoyaki is more like a dessert, with its sweet and cake-like texture. The texture is completely unlike the usual tamagoyaki.

Besides eating sushi this long weekend, I also did some fabric shopping. We went out to Tsudanuma to check out the Yuzawaya there. The Tsudanuma branch is currently undergoing renovation, so only a portion of the branch was open for business. I did manage to find 2 kimono remake pattern books and some Japanese cotton fabric. (I have a feeling I already have the pale yellow floral fabric but I'll have to stock-take soon.)

There was also a secondhand kimono shop there called Tansuya (たんす屋). Apparently, Tansuya is a popular chain in Japan that sells both new and secondhand kimono. They also provide kimono dressing assistance and kimono rental. I found a few baskets of kimono scraps that were for sale. Dug through them and found a few pretty pieces for my Blythe kimono projects!