月之丘酒店 銀座

What matters most at Sushi Hashimoto is the presentation of the sushi toppings. Fish is cut in wide strips that wrap around the sushi rice. A delicate touch of refined nikiri is used sparingly, the better for the blended sushi rice to bring out the flavour of the fish. Gizzard shad stuffed with minced fish is inherited from the Edo style, while the straw-smoked Spanish mackerel dressed in mustard is an avant-garde expression. The counter was built by artisans to create a harmonious atmosphere; the chance to enjoy sushi casually is one reason for Sushi Hashimoto’s popularity.

The themes here are richness and flavours. The flavour of kombu kelp is added to soup stock and other ingredients, creating culinary synergies. The chef’s approach is to focus on the foods of Japan and enhance their creativity. The cuisine weaves together the ‘three harmonies’: harmony with the changing of the seasons, harmony of flavours and gentleness of flavours. Presentation is colourful, flavours light. Traditional craftworks are used for serving vessels and cutlery, proclaiming the culture of Japan.

In Kyoto, the chef acquired knowledge of Japanese cuisine; in his native Shiga, the uniqueness of fondly remembered country cooking. The sprouting of flowering plants, the spirit of wild animals, the shifting of the seasons in the rural hillscapes, all have their say in the menu. The vividly colourful hassun platters are lavish yet delicate. The intention in hot-pot cooking is to bring a party together through the magic of a single flavour. Gracious service, sparing no detail, is the true pleasure here.

The name ‘Primo Passo’ means ‘first step’. The chef was in charge of pasta at the celebrated Quattro Passi restaurant in Naples before taking his first step towards independence in Shintomicho. His aim is to create ‘Italian cuisine with a Japanese twist’. He uses plenty of dashi and Japanese ingredients. Also incorporating Japanese elements are the coffered ceiling, mud walls and vertically written menu. He serves several small dishes featuring his speciality pasta to showcase a variety of flavours.

Recently it has become the fashion among sushi restaurants to show off the business cards or other tokens of tuna wholesalers to signal that they are the real deal. Keita Aoyama is the diametric opposite. Hearing this bit of news, you probably like him already—fortunately, as affinity with the owner-chef is a vital element of the sushi shop experience. Aoyama is a man of kind temperament. Nigiri are formed large; cut toppings are thick and broad, according to the characteristics of each fish, so as to wrap around the vinegared rice when formed, making them impressive.

The chef’s love of beef began when he was a boy, when his father would cook thick-cut steaks for him. He is a beef evangelist, proclaiming its appeal to the world. His decision to create a ‘meat kappo’ arose from his training in kaiseki. Wagyu beef is used in every Japanese preparation style, including nigiri sushi, char-grilled and shabu-shabu. The beauty of the traditional building, the kimono-clad service and the colourful dinnerware all add to the ambience. Through beef cuisine, Oniku Karyu is spreading the word about Japanese culture.

The chef learned his tempura skills at Rakutei, a now-closed Akasaka restaurant. Oil is replaced frequently, paying careful attention to its temperature, the humidity and the nature of the ingredients used. The chef recalls how the series of movements by which tempura pieces are coated in batter and deep-fried was seared into his memory as he watched his mentor, a true craftsman, at work. The flow of the meal is distinctly old-school Tokyo, yet the chef knows how to make his tempura unique with a few novelties, such as mochi rice cake with dried mullet roe.