Away from the hustle and bustle of Shibuya tucked away on a quiet residential street is a Michelin-starred sushi restaurant where traditional Tokyo-style sushi is served by a young highly-skilled up-and-coming chef. Welcome to Kurosaki.
Kurosaki
Now getting a reservation at any top restaurant in Japan is no easy task, especially for foreigners and especially when the establishment has limited seating. I was super lucky and managed to get a center seat at the 9-seat wooden sushi counter right in front of owner and master sushi chef, Kazuki Kurosaki.
Shortly after Chef Kurosaki welcomed everybody, drink orders were taken and it was time to begin the omakase!
I had the best seat in the house and watching Chef Kurosaki masterfully slice fish and carefully prepare each dish was a delightful sight. We began with a small plate of clams with fresh wasabi followed by bonito that was marinated in a ginger sauce. Both were incredible and I was becoming more and more excited about the upcoming dishes.
Next up was cod milt (sperm sac) in a savory sauce and topped with scallions. It may sound weird, but I’ve had this delicacy before and Chef Kurosaki’s version was fabulous. That was followed by a tasty saba (makerel) roll with ginger and shiso leaf. It was also time to try another sake.
A couple pieces of nigiri were next. A nice buttery piece of firefish and tender ark shell clam were served. I was really enjoying Chef Kurosaki’s rice. It was mild and did not overpower the fish, the temperature was perfect.
The next dish was one of my favorites of the night – female crab rice with ikura (salmon roe). So delicious!
I continued to closely watch the chef and his assistants. A lovely piece of fatty bonito nigiri was served followed by cooked Spanish mackerel in two different sauces.
Soon after, one of the most wonderful sights appeared – various cuts of gorgeous tuna straight from the fish market. Chef Kurosaki arranged perfect slices of the tuna and started with the otoro (fatty tuna), then marinated akami (lean tuna), followed by a piece of chutoro (medium fatty tuna). Wow! All three just melted in my mouth. It was also time for another sake. A small plate of akimo (monkfish liver) soon followed.
The chef was all smiles and took the time to chat with everybody, even the lone traveler from New Jersey. I really appreciated that. The next few courses consisted of anago (sea eel), ika (squid), and kinmedai (golden eye snapper). Yum, yum, and yummmm!
Another beautiful sight appeared in front of me – a box of super fresh uni (sea urchin) from Hokkaido. It was so deliciously sweet!
The omakase was coming to an end. A nori hand roll with marinated cucumber was handed to each of us followed by a piping hot cup of crab soup. For dessert, a delectable piece of tamago was served. The slightly sweet Japanese omelet was the perfect bite to conclude the omakase.
I had an amazing dining experience at Kurosaki. The sushi bar was elegant and the ambiance was lovely. Every dish by Chef Kurosaki was utterly delicious and watching him up close was quite the show. The sake was wonderful. I enjoyed talking to the local regulars sitting next to me who were pretty impressed that I managed to get a reservation at the obscure sushi restaurant. Thank you for the phenomenal dinner, chef Kurosaki!
It was my final night in Tokyo and my last moments in Japan, so I had to make the most of it!
Kurosaki
1-5-9 Shibuya
Shibuya 142-0042, Tokyo Prefecture
+81 3-6427-7189
