Sushi @ Sushiya Ginzo, Ueno, Taito, Tokyo

 

Like all things in life, everything has to come to an end. Although I did enjoy myself back home, it was time for me to return to Japan. As I had taken the flight from Tokyo I would have to stay the night for my domestic flight to Fukuoka. And what better meal than sushi as a sorta homecoming meal? 

Welcome to Ameyoko!

I think if you would have noticed by now, Ueno is one of my favourite eating spots in this megacity. To be fair, it is very accessible, has various transportation options and the food here is relatively cheap. What is not to love? And speaking of food options, there are a lot of different sushi spots from different price ranges and appetites. After an evening stroll I eventually ended up at Sushiya Ginzo (すし屋 銀蔵), more specifically, their branch directly under the train tracks of Okachimachi station.

As I was a little spoilt for choice, I just opted for their seasonal specials which stood at a modest 1540 yen. Accompanying it was a serving of otoshii and a cold glass of highball, standing at 330 and 209 respectively. For an alcoholic beverage, that was incredibly cheap! The compulsory starter was actually pretty good and it is some sort of braised seafood tofu dish that I thoroughly enjoyed. It reminded me of that sort of seafood tofu you get in some upscale Chinese restaurants. And it is one of those instances I do not mind an otoshii, as I usually feel like you should not charge customers for things they do not ask for. Still, do what the Romans do right? 

Majestic

My platter came in not long after, and it was a handsome platter indeed. Everything was shiny looking and fresh. The whole ensemble of colours made it seriously appetizing and within moments I almost demolished the entire plate. In all honesty, every piece was totally enjoyable. First off, the rice was top quality. It was not too sticky and each grain felt like it could be easily separated, giving it a delectable bite. It was also well seasoned, not too vinegary nor was it too salty. A good balance. The wasabi slotted in between was sweet and pungent at the same, a sign of top-grade stuff being used. 

Perfection

Speaking of top-grade, the tuna that was used was just spellbinding. Buttery, succulent, and slightly sweet, it was what you look for in terms of this prized fish. It melted in my mouth almost at the point of contact. And a slight dab of soy sauce just made this so much better. My usual favourites like shrimp, snapper and squid also made an appearance. 

This was pretty interesting, to say the least. 

One special mention would have to be the monkfish liver, pronounced as ankimo in Japanese (あん肝). It was my first time having it as well, so it caught me by surprise. The texture was a bit chalky and pasty at the same time. A bit paradoxical, but it was how I felt. Having said that, it was really tasty. It reminded me a lot of pate or foie gras. There was also a citrus jelly that was served on top of it. It gave an acidic kick to the overall nigiri piece, which was pretty good. A good contrast of texture and flavours made this quite interesting. 

Front if the house. 

And after demolishing everything, I slowly stood up satisfied and headed back to my hotel. Considering the price and the quality, I think it was pretty decent. Not to mention that it is pretty close to a lot of places and easy to get to. I would not mind coming here again, although that can be challenging as there are so many good sushi spots around town, I would want to try them all. Be that as it may, if you have a sushi craving, this establishment will fix you up pretty nicely. And if this has piqued your interest, then the address is as follows:

5 Chome-27-17 Ueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0005