My first Omakase Meal – Shutoku at Tsukiji 秀徳 2号店

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Believe it or not – this was my first Omakase Menu that I’ve eaten my whole life.

Usually, I would prefer to choose my own food as I have favourites but this Omakase meal happened by chance. Can’t recall how and why I got to know about this restaurant but it has been “Starred” in my Google Maps.

秀徳 2号店 (Shutoku)

This shop is located in Tsukiji Outer Market and it will not be affected by the move in Nov 2016 which only affects the Tsukiji Inner Market (which contains the infamously 4-hour-long-queue Sushi Dai).

Edomae-style sushi: traditional style preparation (in Edo-period where there was no refrigeration) or something along that line. Tried to read up about it but it is too complicated for me to summarise.

Tabelog link (Japanese)

Official Website (Japanese)

Opening hours: Daily, 11:00 ~ 15:00 & 17:00 ~ 23:00

Lunch prices from 4000Y (There is a 2700Y option in their website but I don’t think it is available)
Dinner prices from 5000Y.

As we ate some snacks (including the delicious 100Y egg) along the way, we were not particularly hungry when we walked past this shop. However, when we walked past, we saw 1 middle-aged Japanese man standing outside the shop. Feeling confused, I knocked and opened the door and asked if they were open. Despite the limited english, I could understand that they were opening at 11am. We decide to join the queue since it was only gonna be a 15-minutes wait. While we were queuing, there were many other passer-bys (mainly tourists) who stopped and hesitated if they want to join the queue.

As expected, the shop opened at 11:00am on the not, not a second early or late. A staff came out and probably greeted in Japanese before calling out a list of names on the reservation list. The people with reservation were allowed to enter first. Despite not having a reservation, we were allowed in (we were second in the queue) but we were informed that we had to leave by 12.

The shop is kind of small and cramp, maximum capacity of 14 pax at any one time. There’s a second floor which can accommodate another 30 pax according to the website but it wasn’t available during my lunch visit. After we sat down, I asked for the menu but the sushi chef said no menu, Omakase 10 sushi, 4000Y. Initially, we weren’t keen on eating a full course since we were not hungry but since we didn’t have a choice (might look pretty awkward if we leave after sitting down), we decided to stay on and try the menu out.

The set comes with free flow green tea, miso soup, tamago (appetizer) & a complimentary hand roll.

The good thing about eating in such sushi restaurants is that you get to watch the preparation process of the sushi which can be quite entertaining. Watching them using a blowtorch, seeing them pinch and roll the rice can be quite a performance.

There are 2 sushi chefs in the restaurant. The younger one was our chef for the hour.

As seen from the photo below, the 3 people seated at the left side of the photo will not be able to watch the sushi preparation. Their sushi will be prepared by the chef at his current work station and brought over to them. I was lucky to be sitting in between both chefs as I get to watch both “shows”. All the sushi is prepared with their bare hands (without gloves) but I suppose they have a certain SOP which ensures that the hygiene level is met.

Since it was Omakase aka Chef decides, the sushi served between both chefs can be different (and it was different in our experience). Furthermore, the sushi served to customers can be different too! About 50% of the sushi served between my group and the other group of 4 women were different! I am not sure if they made a special request (since they all spoke in Japanese) or perhaps they were regulars with certain preferences since they make a prior booking.

In omakase style, the sushi will be served one at a time (each freshly prepared) which explains why my photos are all individual.

You will start off with a pile of ginger (which was left untouched) and a slice of cold tamago (nothing special).

The cups which were used for the Green Tea were very cute. I ended up buying these cups at a shop nearby. It is only 300Y per cup!

Will try my best to recall the names.. try.. Do let me know if you can identify them!

The rice here is slightly different – they use red wine vinegar instead of the usual white wine.

Sushi 1 – Spanish Mackerel

Sushi 2 – Striped Jack/Horse Mackerel

Sushi 3 – Hotate

Sushi 4 – Akami (Tuna)

Sushi 5 – Ika (Squid) Spent so much effort to make it look good..

Sushi 6 – Ebi (Prawn) with a tangy taste of something sour + wasabi

Sushi 7 – Chutoro (Medium Fatty Tuna)

When I ate chutoro, it did not give me the melt-in-your-mouth effect which I had at Endo Sushi in Osaka.
I was so scared that the higher grade (OTORO) will not be served but thankfully it appeared in Sushi #9. Phew.

Sushi 8 – Uni (Sea Urchin)

Many people commented that the Uni serving was generous but gosh this was only a bite-size. Pales so much in comparison to the uni-ikura don I had in Sapporo. Nevertheless, I love eating Uni, only in Japan.

Sushi 9 – OTORO (Fatty Tuna Belly), lightly seared

The taste is to die for. How I wished the slice was thicker though. Was tempted to ask for one more (probably cost 600 to 1000Y per piece) but I was afraid I couldn’t communicate well with the staff and gave up the idea. Will be back in Japan again.. just to eat OTORO.

(Below) Endo Sushi @ Osaka – can you see how thick were the OTORO slices?

Sushi 10 – Anago (type of eel)

Bonus Ikura Handroll

I’ve never seen so much Ikura in a handroll before.

Anyway, even though the sushi rice is not a lot, eating 10 sushi + 1 handroll + miso soup is a lot of food in your stomach!!

At 4,000Y, it might be slightly pricey as compared to the more commercial options within Tsukiji but the quality and experience of this restaurant is definitely worth it 😀

If you are keen on the 6,000Y menu, you can check out this blog. There’s this amazing looking wagyu beef sushi!

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