Sushiya Shota (すし家 祥太)

I was lucky enough to snag a reservation at Sushiya Shota (すし家 祥太) during my last week in Tokyo. Shota-san is a South Korean-born chef who previously worked at Sushi Kanesaka with famed sushi chef Koji Saito. Chef Shota served us an exquisite meal of 3 appetizers and 16 different pieces/dishes. After sampling so many different places in Japan, I felt like I could tell that Shota-san's technique and presentation was on another level. His pieces were innovative, with my first foray into steamed sushi?! Other highlights for me were: the most perfect piece of Aji and an amazing cut of katsuo

The final course breakdown:

1/ Salad of heirloom tomatoes, fruit jelly and flowers

2/ Simmered Octopus - most tender piece of octopus I've ever had

3/ Snow Hair Crab on the shell

4/ Halibut

5/ Isaki (伊佐木/Chicken Grunt)

6/ Miso-marinated Sunfish (a smaller species but I didn't catch the Japanese name)

7/ Kinmedai (金目鯛 / Splendid alfonsino)

8/ Blue Fin Akami -  Suprisingly buttery

9/ Maguro Collar

10/ Kohada (コハダ/Gizzard shad)

11/ Tiger Prawn with minced head

12/ Squid with ink salt -  best texture I've tried so far. more chew but still melt in your mouth

13/ Aji (鯵/Horse Mackerel) with seaweed salt - Hard to describe, but the salt complemented and brought out the flavours of the mackrel incredibly. Highest quality mackerel I've ever had

14/ Katsuo (鰹 / Bonito)

15/ Ishigakigai (石垣貝 / Castle Stone Clam)

16/ Steamed Sea Bass  - my inner canto was screaming with joy. So inventive!

17/ Murasaki Uni - creamy but light

18/ Maki Rolls - monkfish liver, eel with cucumber and kanpyo/dried gourd

19/ Tamagoyaki

Tablelog: 3.75
Price: $185 USD with alcohol

This is probably my new favourite sushi omakase experience. I'll need to brush up on my Japanese and try to come back next year!