Food Diary - Sukibayashi Jiro Roppongi, Tokyo

We were fortunate to not only get a booking at Harutaka, we also managed to secure a lunch booking at Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi (すきやばし次郎 六本木) - the branch helmed by Chef Ono Takashi.

All the talk about the relaxed atmosphere and more open, amiable demeanor of Chef Takashi vs his father Chef Jiro towards guests, especially gaikokujin guests, are true. (Chef Jiro Ono has been criticised for hostility and even discrimination towards gaikokujin guests.) Except when you let the sushi sit while you drink beer and yak away with your gaikokujin companion.

We had the 11:30am booking and it was just 6 of us - all gaikokujin guests; there was Hubby and me, a couple from Austin, Texas and another couple also from the US (I forgot where). I suspect he sits gaikokujin guests together in the same seating - seems easier to handle and has quite an influence on the overall atmosphere.

With Chef Ono Takashi

Chef Takashi does tolerate photography but only of the chef and the food. And be quick with it because guests are not supposed to let the sushi sit. We are all informed that we can take a photo together with him at the end of the meal.

He was quite amiable and patient with all of us. I think he's probably resigned to the influx of gaikokujin guests given the recent events (Michelin stars, the National Treasure Meikou award and Jiro Dreams of Sushi). It seems they've settled on a fixed script and basically run with it, and then just deal with anything else impromptu (if it pops up, and it seems it generally doesn't). He also gamely participates in a photo session with the guests at the end of the meal. Guess he really knows what to expect and how to play along....

He asked all of us where we are from, then he asked all of us how many times have we been to Japan. First-timers, both the US couples. One set was going to Kyoto, Osaka and the works. On Osaka, we learnt that Chef Takashi's senior apprentice (I dub him the first mate) is from Osaka. Somehow it led to a conversation about the Hanshin Tigers and baseball. What can I say? Americans and Japanese and baseball. Probably the only good thing the Americans ever introduced to Japan in post-WWII.

When Chef Takahashi got to us, for some reason, he said "you two, I know, many many times". After we affirmed that, he asked how many times. I think our fellow American diners were a bit perplexed about why we visit Japan so often. The Osaka-going couple said they met a lot of Singaporeans on this trip. I explained that it was because it's a long weekend thanks to the Eid festival. Chef Takashi also remarked that Tokyo is also a popular destination for Singaporeans because of the (somewhat) close distance.

There is no denying, however, that Chef Takashi (like his chichi-ue father) runs a tight ship and gets testy with inadequate preparation of the ingredients and slow preparation in the kitchen. While his first mate was calm, competent and experienced, his second mate was jittery and jumpy. (Sound familiar?) But it seemed his apprentice in the kitchen earned his great displeasure.

Throughout the meal, Chef Takashi was complaining to his first mate (in an undertone) about how preparation was going slowly in the kitchen. At the start of the course, after we were served the hirame, I noticed Chef Takashi getting a little impatient and agitated. Then I distinctly heard the senior apprentice say that things were going slowly ("遅い", "osoi") in the kitchen, and Chef Takashi responded with "しょうがない, 馬鹿だから" ("can't be helped, because he's an idiot"). This was an ongoing theme throughout lunch. Chef Takashi sent back ingredients to the kitchen a few times - the first batch of shima aji was not flavourful marinated long enough; the first batch of kuruma ebi had gone cold...

So, there's the non-food experience, which I found somewhat enjoyable. As for the food, the course progressed as set by Chef Jiro's innovation, with the mild-flavoured neta first (mostly shiromi dane), followed by hon-maguro (akami dane), then the stronger flavoured netai (the hikari mono) and the hokanomono, and finishing with the signature dessert-like tamagoyaki. 

Chef Takashi's shari is not as heavily vinegared as Chef Harutaka's, and in terms of the compression, Chef Takashi has a lighter touch, so the shari barely held together. Much preferred the shari by Chef Takashi.

Flounder (hirame)

The hirame (平目) was one of my favourite sushi for the lunch.

Juvenile golden cuttlefish (shin-ika)

We were served shin-ika (新烏賊). Chef Takashi called it "baby squid" and just "ika" in Japanese, but he is in fact referring to juvenile/baby golden cuttlefish. Yeah again, not a cuttlefish/squid sushi fan because of the sticky-creamy coat-your-mouth mouth-feel. Ironic because this mouth-feel is exactly what good quality ika is prized for.

Pen shell clam (tairagai)

Also a favourite, the tairagai (平貝) - Chef Takashi called it "big scallop" in English, though more accurately referring to the pen shell clam. Hubby told me his first mate took out the shell to show us what kind of clam it was. I was too busy chowing down to pay attention, and only knew of it after the fact. Oops.

Lean tuna (akami)

Of course, no omakase is complete without akami (赤身), the lean portion of the bluefin tuna. It is marinated in shoyu (a technique called zuke).

Medium fatty tuna (chutoro)

And the chutoro (中とろ). The otoro was not part of the omakase course, but we could request it as an additional item.

Gizzard shad (kohada)

Again, kohada (小鰭/こはだ, gizzard shad), which Sukibayashi Jiro prepares by marinating in vinegar. According to Jiro, kohada makes or breaks a sushi chef, and is a troublesome fish to prepare. The one at Sukibayashi Jiro had a slightly softer texture than Harutaka's, but the flesh was still quite dense, and the flavour slightly less intense. Still....

Ark shell clam (akagai)

I love akagai (赤貝). I would've requested an encore if I wasn't so stuffed at the end! At Sukibayashi Jiro, akagai is served straight out of the shell, as it is an ingredient that must be served fresh.

Horse mackerel (aji)

Another classic hikarimono item: aji (鯵, horse mackerel). The aji at Sukibayashi Jiro is cleaned, washed in ice water and refrigerated as soon as it is brought back from Tsukiji, in order to prevent odour.

Salmon roe (ikura)

An all-time favourite of mine - ikura (いくら, salmon roe. So apparently at Jiro's, all their ingredients with the exception of ikura are wild caught and served fresh. Ikura is the only item Jiro freezes.

Japanese tiger prawn or Japanese imperial prawn (kuruma ebi)

The kuruma ebi (車海老) was also so good. He actually sent back the first batch to the kitchen, remarking that the prawns had gone cold. According to Chef Takashi, the prawn should be eaten warm for the guests to be able to experience its aroma and flavour, which is lost when the prawn is served cold. At Sukibayashi Jiro, they boil the kuruma ebi and let it cool a little bit before serving.

Chef Takashi explained that the tail should be eaten first, followed by the head - this would enable us to discern the difference in the flavours. If we eat the head part first, the flavour of the nou miso would affect the flavour of the tail portion.

Chef Takashi also joked about an incident when a foreign guest misunderstood him when he said "tail first, head later". The guest tried to swallow the tail portion, tail-first, shell included. Chef Takashi said that after that incident, he would stress that the tail shell (the telson and uropod) was for decoration only.

For ladies, he detaches the tail shell before serving. He explained that this was for ease of eating for female guests. I think the more honest way of describing it probable reason is he was conscious that a number of some female guests are fixated with eating elegantly.

Striped jack (shima aji)

Another hikarimono sushi - shima aji (縞鯵). Sukibayashi Jiro only serves wild shima aji. Again, a sushi ingredient I will need time to properly enjoy and appreciate.

Purple sea urchin (murasaki uni)

The murasaki uni (紫うに) from Hokkaido - my favourite sushi ingredient. I watched Chef Takashi take out the box of uni and wanted to leap over the counter and help myself! He puts quite a lot of uni on the shari to balance the milky sweetness of the uni with the vinegared shari and touch of nikiri brushed on top.

Bonito (katsuo)

Then came the katsuo (鰹) which was smoked using straw - Chef Takashi's senior apprentice explained the process with a picture and referred to Jiro Dreams of Sushi. I watched it some time ago, so I couldn't remember. Guess I will have to watch it again? The scene sequences are at 00:25:25 and 01:18:07 of the documentary film.

Katsuo is more often known as an ingredient used to make dashi and as a topping for takoyaki and okonomiyaki (in flakes). In sushi form, I very much enjoyed it - aroma, meaty flavour. I remember at Harutaka, we also had it as sashimi with a spiced negi condiment which went perfectly with it. I'm adding katsuo to my list of favourite sushi ingredients.

Conger eel (anago)

The penultimate sushi in the omakase course was anago (穴子). Unlike unagi (freshwater eel), anago is a marine eel. The anago was perfectly prepared - it was extremely soft - I'd say creamy - and melted with the slightest pressure in my mouth.

Following this, Chef Takashi and his senior apprentice explained that we could order additional items (which they presented) or have encores of items already served. There were quite a number of additional items (most of them seasonal) and I lost track of what was on offer.

Steamed abalone (mushi awabi)

One of the items Hubby opted for was the mushi awabi (蒸しあわび) which, according to Chef Takashi, was steamed for 4 hours. I think he meant simmered. From what I've learnt, it is simmered in sake and water for around 4 hours, then left to cool in the broth.

According to Hubby, it was not as tender as Harutaka's, but was very succulent and juicy, the flavour deepening as he chewed.

Fatty tuna (otoro)

We also requested for otoro (大とろ). Hubby and I both prefer chutoro because of the contrast, but we sometimes try ōtoro as a matter of course, for the flavour and texture. Here, we were served otoro from the underbelly, known as the jabara (蛇腹) because of its bellows-like shape. (Again, see Dr Leslie Tay of ieatishootipost's post on the parts of maguro and the Chapter 2 of Shinzo Satomi's Sushi Chef Sukiyabashi Jiro.)

Geoduck clam (mirugai)

I requested for mirugai (海松貝, geoduck clam). Chef Takashi, addressing me, called it "elephant trunk" in Mandarin ("象的鼻子"). I was a bit perplexed because I couldn't figure out what he said at first. I got it when he said it in English. I was tempted to say that the geoduck clam like a wrinkled phallus, but my better judgment prevailed.

Instead, his "elephant trunk" remark led on to a conversation of a different tangent. I remarked (in basic Japanese) that my command of Mandarin was not good, and complimented him on his grasp of Mandarin. 

He told me he had a Taiwanese apprentice, and they would teach each other - he Japanese to the apprentice, and the apprentice would teach him Mandarin. He said he has a number of Taiwanese guests as well, and it was very useful. He then said he thought most Singaporeans speak Mandarin. To which, I explained that we do learn it in school but because I do not use it continuously or frequently, my fluency went downhill. (His first mate translated it to Japanese just in case.)

I rather like it that Chef Takashi tries to spark some conversation by telling jokes or by highlighting some interesting trivia about the ingredient.

Mantis shrimp (shako)

Hubby and I both requested for shako (蝦蛄). It arrived in 2 bite-sized pieces, with the deep orange roe exposed. Hubby and I have loved the texture and flavour of shako since we first tried it in Otaru.

At our seating, we were the only guests who ordered this little critter. When I requested for the item, his first mate said "shako desu ka?", and he and Chef Takashi wore an expression that seemed to say "are you sure?". Our fellow gaikokujin diners eyed my choice with squirmish expressions that clearly said "what on earth is THAT?!" Not unexpected; shako is a pretty ugly and primitive-looking critter.

Shako is, in fact, a marine crustacean of the order stomatopoda, and this ugly but delicious crustacean is an aggressive hunter with powerful claws that it uses to spear or smash (and dismember) its prey. I just recently discovered from Wild Singapore that they can also be found in Singapore's northern shores! And apparently the fact that they are delicious is not the only thing that makes them awesome, as shown by a post by The Oatmeal.

Kobashira (aoyagi clam adductor muscle)

Hubby requested for the kobashira (小柱). We first had it at Harutaka, and Hubby took a great liking to it.

Tamagoyaki

The final item was Chef Jiro's signature tamagoyaki (卵焼き), the notorious item that apparently takes their apprentice 10 years to perfect. Other than eggs, yamato-imo and ground shrimp also go into the tamagoyaki mixture.

It's been described or labelled as a custard, although I would personally describe the texture as closer to a dense and moist cake. And yes, like a dessert.