Food Diary - Sushi Masuda, Tokyo
So, during our autumn Tokyo trip, the first sushiya we ate at was Sushi Masuda (鮨 ます田) at Aoyama. The chef, Masuda Rei, is a former apprentice of Chef Jiro of Jiro Dreams of Sushi fame. After training with Jiro for 9 years, Chef Masuda set up his own sushiya in 2014.
Following the worldwide fame of Jiro Dreams of Sushi, and the larger-than-life figure of Jiro Ono, it is inevitable that Chef Masuda Rei is compared with Jiro. His sushi does indicate the influence of his teacher, but also does differ in some aspects. So I posted briefly before that Chef Masuda Rei's shari is not as heavily vinegared, and he also incorporates stewed and grilled dishes as part of his menu. Other diners also commented that Masuda is more relaxing than Jiro honten. But I did find the atmosphere quite formal and just a little stifling - although not as formal as Harutaka, but certainly not as relaxed as Jiro Roppongi. (I have yet to dine at the honten, which I heard and read is very intimidating.) I suppose a large part of it is the language barrier and the fact that we are gaikokujin.
There were several sushi ingredients that I knew about (reading, TV, menus, etc), but had not eaten before, so I enjoyed lunch very much, and felt lunch was a great learning experience too.
First, tsubugai (つぶ貝), conch shell clam or whelk. I remember a crunchy texture, and also remember Chef Masuda smacking it against the counter after cutting it, which kind of caused it to contract and curl at the corners.
I'm pretty disappointed with myself for not remembering the identity of this fish. Because I loved it. Succulent, slight chewy texture with mild and clean flavours. It was served sashimi style with an interesting sauce, a mix of shoyu, and a kewpie-based sauce.
Honestly cannot remember what fish this was, but I think it may have been grilled halfbeak (針魚, sayori). We were later served sayori sushi-style (below), so I'm not entirely sure if I am correct here.
Next was Japanese barracuda (魳, kamasu), a white fish served during the fall/winter season. The kamasu was lightly steamed, so it was almost cooked through, with the barest hint of rawness in the middle, with a small dab of wasabi mixed with shoyu on top. Flavour-wise, it tastes slightly more oily than the average white fish (shiromi), but of course is not as oily and strongly flavoured as the shiny fish (hikarimono) like sardine and kohada.
Next was monkfish liver (鮟肝, ankimo), a generous chunk, steamed and lightly dressed in ponzu sauce, and a dab of wasabi. I've known about this autumn/winter chinmi for a very long time, and this was not first time eating it. (First time had been the kaiseki at Yumedono, Kawaguchiko in our winter 2013 trip.)
Masuda-san's ankimo was definitely a nicely firm and very velvety-smooth decadence - the ideal texture for ankimo, or so I've read. In terms of flavour, it was rich but delicate - not at all like foie gras.
The traditional method of preparing ankimo is to first remove the veins, then soak it in milk. After that, it is rinsed and brined in water, salt, sake and mirin, then rolled into a cylinder and steamed, and finally cooled in the refrigerator. The ideal texture is firm but creamy. It is also prepared nabe-style, with the whole fish.
I first got to know about ankimo when I was a teenager...watching Iron Chef. Ankimo was the theme ingredient in the Kawada Yasuo v. Michiba battle (ep. 53, 04.11.1994) and the Masahara Seiya v. Morimoto battle (ep. 266, 26.03.1999). In the Kawada v Michiba episode (one of my favourite episodes), it was explained that ankō (anglerfish/monkfish) is a winter delicacy from the Sea of Japan, that the best parts are the innards and its gelatinous skin, and its liver which is also known as the foie gras of the sea. (Just an unrelated note here.... I did a recent search and noticed that Kaiseki Tsuruko, the restaurant that Chef Yasuo Kawada hails from was awarded 2 Michelin stars, and continues to serve delicious food.) I have since looked it up in various articles and recipe books and food blogs. While we're talking about its appearance in the media, it was also recently the ingredient that Tadokoro Megumi competed with in Shokugeki no Souma (ep. 21 in the anime).
Then was sayori, very beautifully prepared and served, translucent and silver. Very clean and mild flavour - definitely going onto my list of favourite sushi toppings.
Next was another delicate and clean tasting fish. For the life of me, I also couldn't remember the name of this one.
Then the ika (いか). Fresh, succulent with the silky/creamy mouth-feel, mildly sweet. No complaints here. Except that I still am not a fan of ika...but I'm...getting...there...
Then the akagai (赤貝) - in English, it is variously called ark shell clam, blood clam or blood cockle. The akagai is apparently available throughout the year, but is best enjoyed in autumn. Anyway this little thing actually takes quite some skill to open and prepare. Sweet flavour, and slight succulent crunchy texture.
Next was sea bream (真鯛, madai). The name literally means "true snapper/seabream", to distinguish it from its other snapper/seabream cousins. We were informed by Chef Masuda that this came from a wild seabream - a distinction made because apparently many shokunin consider farmed seabream to be inferior. Another clean, delicate, and mildly sweet tasting fish.
Next up was a ruby-red akami.
Then ōtoro (大とろ), from the jabara (underbelly) - the stratification of the flesh and fatty sinew beautifully displayed. Tender, buttery and sweet. In hindsight, I think one of the best ōtoro I've had so far.
Next sushi, I was watching Chef Masuda prepare and thought it was gizzard shad (kohada). But when placed it on the plate, he said "sardine, iwashi". (°o°*) That silvery skin with minute black dots in a row...didn't quite taste like it either. So this is a little perplexing. (óﾍò)ゞ But hey, I'm not the expert; the chef is. He said it's sardine. So... ¯\(–﹏–")/¯
Anyway, apparently iwashi is best eaten in autumn, when they are just about to spawn because they are at their fattest.
Next was the kuruma ebi (車海老). Also sweet, with a fresh bouncy texture. But it was not really warm, and I confess I preferred the one we had at Harutaka and Jiro Roppongi. The best season for Japanese tiger prawn is apparently autumn.
Next is hamaguri (蛤), Japanese clam. The hamaguri is slowly simmered in broth, and then brushed with a thick, sticky, sweet tare sauce. Very good. Delicious. I loved it. If I wasn't so stuffed at the end, I would've asked for an encore!
After Chef Masuda placed it on our plates and said "this is hamaguri", he hesitated and then scratched his head. He then tried to explain that in Japan, hamaguri has no specific English name for its kind - "We just call 'Japanese clam' or just 'clam'; there are a lot of kind, a lot of sizes...big, small, all together, all different colour."
So, basically, it's the common Japanese clam, and it's a hodgepodge of clams that they fish up from the sea. Anyway I looked it up afterwards, and hamaguri refers to the Meretrix lusoria, which is also called the common Orient clam. It's a saltwater clam that belongs to the large and varied Veneridae family, and is native to Japan, China and Korea. Yeah, no wonder they don't bother to have a name for it. Its American Veneridae relatives are also just called "clams" in the US.
Next, again my favourite...murasaki uni (紫海胆), best in winter. Silky, creamy, sweet, slightly briny, with a delicate taste and aroma of the sea. YUM!
Next is ikura (いくら), little briny bubbles that pop! Yum yum...
Next was the anago (穴子), pillowy soft and just melted away. Presentation and texture was nowhere near as good as Harutaka's and Jiro Roppongi's, but the flavour and preparation were very good. So far, the one I liked best was the one we had at Harutaka.
Not as dense and sweet at Jiro Roppongi, but smooth and moist, quite cake-like. Very good, but I am still not converted. Hubby was super happy and got to eat half of my tamagoyaki (he loves it).
Overall, there were several highlights for me - namely, the ankimo (monkfish liver), sayori (halfbeak), akagai (ark shell clam), madai (snapper), and hamaguri (Japanese clam). Of these, my favourite would have to be the hamaguri, brushed with that gooey sweet-salty tare sauce.
Would I return to Sushi Masuda? Possibly. But in Tokyo, where hundreds of sushi-ya abound, it might be a while before I return. Price-wise, Masuda was the most expensive of all the sushiya we ate at this time.
Oh. I forget. I think Chef Masuda Rei is handsome. Of course, that has nothing to do with skill and quality of the food. Nonetheless, the whole dining experience is accompanied by fantastic eye candy - handsome chef with quick, efficient hands and serious knife skills.
Following the worldwide fame of Jiro Dreams of Sushi, and the larger-than-life figure of Jiro Ono, it is inevitable that Chef Masuda Rei is compared with Jiro. His sushi does indicate the influence of his teacher, but also does differ in some aspects. So I posted briefly before that Chef Masuda Rei's shari is not as heavily vinegared, and he also incorporates stewed and grilled dishes as part of his menu. Other diners also commented that Masuda is more relaxing than Jiro honten. But I did find the atmosphere quite formal and just a little stifling - although not as formal as Harutaka, but certainly not as relaxed as Jiro Roppongi. (I have yet to dine at the honten, which I heard and read is very intimidating.) I suppose a large part of it is the language barrier and the fact that we are gaikokujin.
There were several sushi ingredients that I knew about (reading, TV, menus, etc), but had not eaten before, so I enjoyed lunch very much, and felt lunch was a great learning experience too.
 |
| Whelk (つぶ貝, tsubugai) |
First, tsubugai (つぶ貝), conch shell clam or whelk. I remember a crunchy texture, and also remember Chef Masuda smacking it against the counter after cutting it, which kind of caused it to contract and curl at the corners.
 |
| Can't remember this one. Maybe sole/turbot (真子鰈, makogarei) or tilefish (アマダイ, amadai)? |
I'm pretty disappointed with myself for not remembering the identity of this fish. Because I loved it. Succulent, slight chewy texture with mild and clean flavours. It was served sashimi style with an interesting sauce, a mix of shoyu, and a kewpie-based sauce.
 |
| Can't remember this one. Maybe halfbeak (針魚, sayori), grilled |
Honestly cannot remember what fish this was, but I think it may have been grilled halfbeak (針魚, sayori). We were later served sayori sushi-style (below), so I'm not entirely sure if I am correct here.
 |
| Japanese barracuda (kamasu) |
Next was Japanese barracuda (魳, kamasu), a white fish served during the fall/winter season. The kamasu was lightly steamed, so it was almost cooked through, with the barest hint of rawness in the middle, with a small dab of wasabi mixed with shoyu on top. Flavour-wise, it tastes slightly more oily than the average white fish (shiromi), but of course is not as oily and strongly flavoured as the shiny fish (hikarimono) like sardine and kohada.
 |
| Monkfish liver (鮟肝, ankimo) |
Next was monkfish liver (鮟肝, ankimo), a generous chunk, steamed and lightly dressed in ponzu sauce, and a dab of wasabi. I've known about this autumn/winter chinmi for a very long time, and this was not first time eating it. (First time had been the kaiseki at Yumedono, Kawaguchiko in our winter 2013 trip.)
Masuda-san's ankimo was definitely a nicely firm and very velvety-smooth decadence - the ideal texture for ankimo, or so I've read. In terms of flavour, it was rich but delicate - not at all like foie gras.
The traditional method of preparing ankimo is to first remove the veins, then soak it in milk. After that, it is rinsed and brined in water, salt, sake and mirin, then rolled into a cylinder and steamed, and finally cooled in the refrigerator. The ideal texture is firm but creamy. It is also prepared nabe-style, with the whole fish.
I first got to know about ankimo when I was a teenager...watching Iron Chef. Ankimo was the theme ingredient in the Kawada Yasuo v. Michiba battle (ep. 53, 04.11.1994) and the Masahara Seiya v. Morimoto battle (ep. 266, 26.03.1999). In the Kawada v Michiba episode (one of my favourite episodes), it was explained that ankō (anglerfish/monkfish) is a winter delicacy from the Sea of Japan, that the best parts are the innards and its gelatinous skin, and its liver which is also known as the foie gras of the sea. (Just an unrelated note here.... I did a recent search and noticed that Kaiseki Tsuruko, the restaurant that Chef Yasuo Kawada hails from was awarded 2 Michelin stars, and continues to serve delicious food.) I have since looked it up in various articles and recipe books and food blogs. While we're talking about its appearance in the media, it was also recently the ingredient that Tadokoro Megumi competed with in Shokugeki no Souma (ep. 21 in the anime).
 |
| Halfbeak (針魚, sayori) |
Then was sayori, very beautifully prepared and served, translucent and silver. Very clean and mild flavour - definitely going onto my list of favourite sushi toppings.
 |
| Can't remember this one. Maybe Japanese amberjack/yellowtail (鰤, buri)? |
Next was another delicate and clean tasting fish. For the life of me, I also couldn't remember the name of this one.
 |
| Squid (いか, ika) |
Then the ika (いか). Fresh, succulent with the silky/creamy mouth-feel, mildly sweet. No complaints here. Except that I still am not a fan of ika...but I'm...getting...there...
 |
| Ark shell clam (赤貝, akagai) |
Then the akagai (赤貝) - in English, it is variously called ark shell clam, blood clam or blood cockle. The akagai is apparently available throughout the year, but is best enjoyed in autumn. Anyway this little thing actually takes quite some skill to open and prepare. Sweet flavour, and slight succulent crunchy texture.
 |
| Snapper, also red seabream (真鯛, madai) |
Next was sea bream (真鯛, madai). The name literally means "true snapper/seabream", to distinguish it from its other snapper/seabream cousins. We were informed by Chef Masuda that this came from a wild seabream - a distinction made because apparently many shokunin consider farmed seabream to be inferior. Another clean, delicate, and mildly sweet tasting fish.
 |
| Lean tuna (赤身, akami) |
Next up was a ruby-red akami.
 |
| Fatty tuna (大とろ, ōtoro) |
Then ōtoro (大とろ), from the jabara (underbelly) - the stratification of the flesh and fatty sinew beautifully displayed. Tender, buttery and sweet. In hindsight, I think one of the best ōtoro I've had so far.
 |
| Sardine (鰯, iwashi), said Chef Masuda |
Next sushi, I was watching Chef Masuda prepare and thought it was gizzard shad (kohada). But when placed it on the plate, he said "sardine, iwashi". (°o°*) That silvery skin with minute black dots in a row...didn't quite taste like it either. So this is a little perplexing. (óﾍò)ゞ But hey, I'm not the expert; the chef is. He said it's sardine. So... ¯\(–﹏–")/¯
Anyway, apparently iwashi is best eaten in autumn, when they are just about to spawn because they are at their fattest.
 |
| Japanese tiger prawn, also Japanese Imperial prawn (車海老, kuruma ebi) |
Next was the kuruma ebi (車海老). Also sweet, with a fresh bouncy texture. But it was not really warm, and I confess I preferred the one we had at Harutaka and Jiro Roppongi. The best season for Japanese tiger prawn is apparently autumn.
 |
| Japanese clam (蛤, hamaguri) |
Next is hamaguri (蛤), Japanese clam. The hamaguri is slowly simmered in broth, and then brushed with a thick, sticky, sweet tare sauce. Very good. Delicious. I loved it. If I wasn't so stuffed at the end, I would've asked for an encore!
After Chef Masuda placed it on our plates and said "this is hamaguri", he hesitated and then scratched his head. He then tried to explain that in Japan, hamaguri has no specific English name for its kind - "We just call 'Japanese clam' or just 'clam'; there are a lot of kind, a lot of sizes...big, small, all together, all different colour."
So, basically, it's the common Japanese clam, and it's a hodgepodge of clams that they fish up from the sea. Anyway I looked it up afterwards, and hamaguri refers to the Meretrix lusoria, which is also called the common Orient clam. It's a saltwater clam that belongs to the large and varied Veneridae family, and is native to Japan, China and Korea. Yeah, no wonder they don't bother to have a name for it. Its American Veneridae relatives are also just called "clams" in the US.
 |
| Purple sea urchin (紫海胆, murasaki uni) from Hokkaido |
Next, again my favourite...murasaki uni (紫海胆), best in winter. Silky, creamy, sweet, slightly briny, with a delicate taste and aroma of the sea. YUM!
 |
| Salmon caviar (いくら, ikura) |
Next is ikura (いくら), little briny bubbles that pop! Yum yum...
 |
| Conger eel (穴子, anago) |
Next was the anago (穴子), pillowy soft and just melted away. Presentation and texture was nowhere near as good as Harutaka's and Jiro Roppongi's, but the flavour and preparation were very good. So far, the one I liked best was the one we had at Harutaka.
 |
| Tamagoyaki (卵焼き) |
Not as dense and sweet at Jiro Roppongi, but smooth and moist, quite cake-like. Very good, but I am still not converted. Hubby was super happy and got to eat half of my tamagoyaki (he loves it).
Overall, there were several highlights for me - namely, the ankimo (monkfish liver), sayori (halfbeak), akagai (ark shell clam), madai (snapper), and hamaguri (Japanese clam). Of these, my favourite would have to be the hamaguri, brushed with that gooey sweet-salty tare sauce.
Would I return to Sushi Masuda? Possibly. But in Tokyo, where hundreds of sushi-ya abound, it might be a while before I return. Price-wise, Masuda was the most expensive of all the sushiya we ate at this time.
Oh. I forget. I think Chef Masuda Rei is handsome. Of course, that has nothing to do with skill and quality of the food. Nonetheless, the whole dining experience is accompanied by fantastic eye candy - handsome chef with quick, efficient hands and serious knife skills.
*******
More on Elizabeth's Japanese Autumn 2016
- I. Yokohama & the Miho Museum -
Chinatown
(Heichinrou, Yokohama Mazu Temple) ● Yamashita Park ● Zou-no-Hana ●
Osanbashi Pier ● Yokohama Red Brick Warehouses ● Miho Museum
- II. Kyoto -
Tofukuji ● Kiyomizudera ● Sohonzan Komyoji ● Eikando Zenrinji ● Manshuin Monzeki ● Iwakura Jissoin Monzeki ● Nanzenji, Nanzenin & Tenjuan ● Kitano Tenmangu ● Shugakuin Imperial Villa ● Sento Imperial Palace ● Kyoto Imperial Palace
- III. Tokyo -
Tokyo University ● Rikugien ● Tokyo Imperial Palace & the East Gardens ● Kotonoha no Niwa trip to at Shinjuku Gyoen ● Italian at Salvatore Cuomo Bros., XEX Tokyo ● Sushi Masuda ● Nishiazabu Taku (aka Sushi Taku) ● Sushi Nakamura (1st taste of Juyondai) ● Sushi Tokami (1st taste of tossaki) ● molecular gastronomy at Tapas Molecular Bar ● French-Japanese at La Paix, Nihonbashi
- IV: Fuji Five Lakes -
Part 1 (Bessho Sasa, revisited) ● Part 2 (Fuji Subaru 5th Station, Motosuko & Koyodai) ● Part 3 (Fujisansaku Park, Motosuko, Shojiko, Saiko, Kawaguchiko)
*******
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