After a week of annual year-end closures, today was the opening day of 2015 at the world-famous Tsukiji Market, and we came here for an early sushi breakfast at one of the two most popular eateries - Daiwa Sushi. Just look out for the queues at one corner of the large complex (Block 6 to be precise). They start operating at 5 am and queues can be as long as 2 to 3 hours during the peak seasons!
Sushi for breakfast? You read that right - but only here in Tsukiji Market! Most of the restaurants here close by the early afternoon anyway after the fish runs out, so you'll have to come early for the freshest catch.
We had been hoping to watch the tuna auction during this trip, but unfortunately it is closed to the public from 1 December till mid-January every year, during the market's peak period (we hadn't realised this when planning the trip) - next time then!
The first photo was actually taken closer to its competitor Sushi Dai in the same row (Daiwa is further down) but we decided that the queue here was way too long, and personally I don't believe in wasting 3 hours in a queue when there's so much else to see and do. I was sure that the sushi would be very good, but it has to be mind-blowing for me to want to wait that long - and restaurants at that level would probably be taking reservations and limiting customer numbers anyway, in order to ensure the highest quality of food and service.
As seen from the outside, the space is extremely small and cramped (which explains the long queues), but if you're after fresh fish at reasonable prices it doesn't get much better value-for-money than this. For just 3,500 yen you get a standard set consisting of 9 items and a bowl of miso soup. Sushi restaurants overseas boasting of imports from Tsukiji Market usually charge way higher than that, so apart from the potentially ridiculous waiting times here, one can't really complain.
We finally got in after 45 minutes of waiting (which was pretty close to my maximum threshold, but probably short by Tsukiji standards?). The place was quite lively, and the chefs went about their work with a machine-like efficiency whilst maintaining a jovial demeanour. However, the experience was still rather uncomfortable to begin with; we had to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with one another, our bags were squashed between chairs, and our cameras balanced precariously on our laps, the last bits of space available. This was definitely not a place for lingering on after finishing. I hoped the quality of the sushi would at least compensate for this physical discomfort. I really couldn't imagine bigger-built Caucasian tourists trying to squeeze in here.
We started off with 赤身 akami (lean bluefin tuna) and 大トロ ootoro (fatty tuna belly) - look at the vivid colours and marbling! The akami was fresh and full-bodied, without the strong fishy odour that often accompanies this part of the tuna in inferior sushi places, and the rich oily flavour and melt-in-the-mouth texture of the ootoro was sheer delight.
At this point it is probably appropriate to mention a few points on basic sushi etiquette: the fish in made-to-order sushi in Japan (not the conveyor belt variety) is often already brushed lightly with soy sauce, and a small amount of wasabi is also sandwiched between the fish and the rice. This gives each piece of sushi just the right amount of seasoning, and one is supposed to eat them as they come, without dunking further in soy sauce, or even worse, in a gooey mixture of wasabi and soy sauce as many foreigners are prone to do (seriously, where did this cardinal sin originate from, and how does anyone taste the fish through all that saltiness and piercing spice?!). Also, those pickled ginger slices need to go between pieces of sushi (as palate cleansers), and not with them.
Next, kuruma-ebi 車海老 (Japanese imperial prawn) and chutoro 中トロ (medium tuna belly). The medium tuna belly had a lovely balanced flavour, while the cooked prawn was memorable for its sweetness, and firm and succulent bite.
Juggling eating and picture-taking in this cramped space, I could hardly keep up with the pace at which the sushi was being made (they came in pairs); I'm not sure if this is typical of Tokyo's sushi restaurants, or maybe it was just the long queue outside, but I definitely felt rushed. Trying to ensure that my camera wouldn't slip off my lap and smash to pieces on the ground wasn't helping me to feel relaxed either.
At least the food was good: in quick succession we had kanpachi カンパチ (amberjack), anago 穴子 (broiled conger eel with sauce), tamago-yaki 玉子焼 (Japanese layered omelette) and uni 雲丹 (sea urchin). The firm and translucent flesh of the kanpachi was beautiful to behold, and its bright, mild buttery taste was a real pleasure. The anago was luxuriously soft and melt-in-the-mouth, and the tasty broiling sauce enhanced its natural fatty flavour most effectively. The sea urchin was, as expected when it's fresh, extremely sweet and creamy.
After the sweet dessert-like omelette, we finished the standard course with hosomaki 細巻き ('thin roll') - 2 pieces each of negitoro ねぎトロ (minced fatty tuna with spring onion), kanpyo 干瓢 (pickled shredded gourd), and akami 赤身. The negitoro was particularly lovely with its combination of oily richness and subtle aromas, while the other two varieties left the palate suitably clean and refreshed.
Usually the chef will ask if there are any items the customer would like to repeat (but not for free obviously!), so we had a second helping of the more memorable ones, namely the kanpachi and the anago.
I hadn't had enough, and I couldn't resist ordering two final pieces: ikura イクラ (salmon roe) and uni. Ikura isn't part of the set, being a truly premium item, but the extra money was well worth it. Just look at how the roe was overflowing from its base! It was almost impossible to take in a single mouthful (as all sushi should be, in order to fully experience the flavours and textures). The numerous little explosions of briny goodness in my mouth, as my teeth worked their way through the roe's membranes, were simply indescribable.
All in all, a very satisfying meal, if judged from a purely foodie perspective. The seafood couldn't have been fresher, and the topping-to-rice ratio was incredibly generous for this price point. However, the setting was more claustrophobic than I had imagined it would be, and no matter how good the sushi might have been, I found myself somewhat unable to fully enjoy this brief eat-and-go experience (which took all of 30 minutes - I certainly couldn't imagine having to wait more than 2 hours for it). There'll probably be other equally good restaurants at similar prices around in the market, and for sure I'm heading off the touristy track if I'm ever back here again; but for now that's at least one to-do place ticked off the Tokyo bucket list.
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