sushi Archives - Gazing and Grazing

Hanamaru, Tokyo – Best Conveyor Belt Sushi has a Ginza Branch

September 12th, 2016

I'd happily recommend Hanamaru to anyone looking for good sushi in Tokyo and now that its Ginza branch is open, it's even better. This is conveyor belt sushi that renders a visit to a Michelin-starred sushi-ya unnecessary for the most part, especially as I could eat almost 12 times at Hanamaru for the cost of a single meal at the loftier restaurants (JPY 2,500 which is around USD 25 left me very full and happy enough to cry). The fish is fresh and Hanamaru serves some Hokkaido specialities...

Takehara – Farmhouse Goodness

January 17th, 2016

Tired of hearing the negative stories about the town's diminishing fortunes, Nishino Farmhouse Restaurant opened in Takehara to showcase the homestyle cooking and fresh produce in the area. Like so many of Japan's rural towns, Takehara sits just on the fringe of a large metropolis (Hiroshima in this case) but slumbers, its contributions forgotten, and emblematic of the country's aging challenges. The area was previously renowned for its fantastic potatoes, which the restaurant's...

Sushi Shikon – Sushi Yoshitake’s Excellent 3-Star Hong Kong Outpost

September 27th, 2015

To be awarded three Michelin stars anywhere is quite a big deal and I was all the more curious about this sushi-ya in Hong Kong to see if it measured up to those in Japan. It was only at the end of the meal that I found out that Shikon is the Hong Kong branch of Tokyo's Sushi Yoshitake, also 3-starred. Happily, I think Shikon measures up to its Tokyo parent although given the relative cost, I think the Tokyo original is more affordable.

I'd actually been to Sushi Yoshitake back in...

Hashida Sushi Tokyo – Lesser Known but Not Less Good

May 28th, 2015

Those of us living in Singapore may be familiar with Hashida Sushi's Singapore branch, which has been named among the best restaurants here by a number of publications. However, we decided to pay a visit to the original Hashida in Tokyo. Both are good. In fact, Kenjiro Hashida ("Hatch") who heads up the Singapore outlet , was also behind the counter the night we visited in Tokyo. The main difference is the proximity to the various seafood in Japan meant that Hatch was able to serve us...

Three Lunch Options in Arashiyama, Kyoto

May 24th, 2015

If you’re in Arashiyama for a day (or more), there are three great dining options for lunch - Shigetsu, Unagiya Hirokawa and Hirano-ya. They are very different from each other and I really enjoyed all three. So, depending on your food preferences and available time, at least one of these should tick the boxes.

Shigetsu - Zen Vegetarian (Shojin Ryori)

Shigetsu is a zen buddhist vegetarian dining hall in Tenryu-ji temple. The story goes that it started with the monks cooking...