Sushi @ Nemuro Hanamaru, Kitte, Marounochi, Tokyo

Like every gaijin in Japan, one thing in the to do list is to have a sushi meal. Not only must it be a sushi meal, it must be a standard that cannot be found back home. Long story short, after this meal, I will not see raw fish and sour rice the same way again.

Kitte in JP Tower is a shopping and corporate building complex located nearby Tokyo Station. The home of fabulous restaurants and located in the heart of the megalopolis, it is buzzing with activity during lunch time. As such, we strategised to initiate our seafood blitzkrieg early by reaching the place at 11.30 am. But alas, other campaigns were ahead of us.

This was half of the line. It looped so it gives the impression that
it is shorter than usual. But it was worth the wait.

The line was super long and already patrons jam packed the area even before 12 pm. As you can hear severe laughter and the patrons being almost only Japanese, it better be authentic. And after waiting for almost an hour, we were sent to our seats. And there is none better than in front of the kaiten, or conveyor belt for us gaijins.

Very useful strategy guide

Like all kaiten sushi joints, Nemuro Hanamaru works on a self service concept, but some sushi like the daily or weekly specials are made to order. Food that are not sushi have to go through a service chit to the staff.  Once seated, you are given the appropriate tools to start your assault. A diner's manual of sorts is displayed on how to order and also the pricing of the sushi dish. Each place is colour coded, where morsels can come in a range of prices, from ¥140 to ¥540. You make your own tea and there is a pot of tea powder in front of you and a hot water dispenser is nearby. Just make sure you do not put too much. Even before the first order, it was an assault of the senses, as you see the chef makes a new batch of nigiri in front of you. Of course, you can interrupt him so you can make an order for a house special, just do so courteously.

Too beautiful to eat.

The first one I had was the fatty chopped tuna gunkan. And boy I was not prepared for it. Everything was very fresh. It tasted of the ocean. The fish was fatty and had a silky texture, probably amplified due to it being minced. The rice was well seasoned and not too sour. The seaweed was crisp and definitely is not rubbery not flaky. The package as a whole felt very clean and refined, a testament to the effort of the man that made that dish. Knowing that they got the rice base down on point, I know I was going to have a good time. And it was just ¥205.

The ultimate indulgence? Probably not but damn sure close

A scallop nigiri followed suit. Just like the fatty tuna maki, this one was an equal gem. The scallop is fresh and each nigiri had a whole scallop, which was chewy and flavoursome. There was a dollop if wasabi between the white shellfish and rice, but again was well balanced as the chef knew how much such a dish needs. If you are the kind of person that adds wasabi to soy sauce, this will be a mini revelation to your senses. This plate costed ¥410.

Two hit combo.

The seared salmon and flatfish came next, and they taste just as good as their raw counterparts. Evenly seasoned and seared, it was a joy to eat. Especially the flatfish, which was extremely oily and felt a little like cod. It was very salty as well, but in a good way, as the seasoning was able to cut through the fat of the flatfish. I was not even sure if it was actually cod as I was eating. But my suspicions were put to rest when I finally figured our that a cod nigiri cannot just simply cost ¥345. Salmon was slightly cheaper, costing at ¥270. The salmon nigiri was not to be outdone though, as it was doused with sweet miso and some green onions for more flavour and bite. 

Even simple dishes were done well, like a prawn and mayo maki combo. Prawns were briefly blanched and the mayonnaise was peppered with fish roe. Simple but delicious, with that plate costing ¥140.

Cleaning your palate with some sake amplified the experience and should be done who would like to have this kind of food seriously. The sweetness and slight tartness of it compliments the seafood taken and cleans the palate, preparing you for your next kaiten order.

Speaking of sweets, I ended my campaign with a danko skewer. This was filled with mung bean and was chewy and sweet. If you are a fan of mochi, do yourself a favour and have some danko. The danko was ¥140

It was a spectacular lunch, but it was not without its flaws. The seasoned fish roe maki that I had was way too salty for my taste, as though it was taking a bath in Kikkoman. And the pacific clam maki had raw grated ginger in it. I am actually alright with ginger, but the heat from the ginger took away some of the seafood sweetness people expect from clams. Luckily they were priced at the lower range of ¥140 and ¥205 respectively, so it was not a severe heartbreak. 

Overall, it was amazing and was well worth the ¥2,125 price tag that came along with it, minus the sake. My only regret? I did not take the photo of the best sushi that I ordered, which was the oyster mushroom nigiri. It was just simply deep fried mushroom on rice, but it was the best damn thing for the whole afternoon! Flavour was superb and textures were a mix of crunchy and soft. It was easily the star of the meal, but I was so engrossed in looking at it and eventually eating it, I forgotten to chronologise it. But as Gordon Ramsay once said in Kitchen Nightmares, "its the flavours that keeps the memory". And I would definitely remember to have it and put it on record the next time I come around Kitte.

Maestro at work

11 out of 10, a recommended place, provided if you can wait for an hour. But believe me it is worth that wait. Interested in trying when you are in Tokyo? The address is as follows:

2-7-2 Kitte Marunouchi,  Kitte 5f, Chiyoda 100-0005, Tokyo

PS: If you have not figured by now, gaijin means foreigner in Japanese