Sushi Dai, Tsukiji Fish Market (Japan)
2 1/2 hour wait, but it was worth it.
We can’t seem to avoid posts which are about Japanese food. But I figured letting everyone know about Sushi Dai was too good to pass up, and it might come in handy for anyone visiting Japan anytime soon. It wasn’t too long ago that I would constantly hear ” But I heard Japan is really expensive ? “. These days, you can hop on a plane to Tokyo or Osaka for as little as $400AUD during a Jetstar sale.
Tsukiji Market is the Tokyo equivelent to the Sydney Fish Markets here in Sydney, though Tsukiji is actually the biggest seafood market in the world. Tourists flock here all year around, it might have something to do with a few tiny sushi restaurants which have massive queues. It is apparently one of the top places to have sushi and sashimi and judging by the queues we saw this might well be the case. Who in their right mind would queue (standing) for 2 to 3 hours for a meal ? It has to be good right ?
Also before I go on, this is a pretty long post. But if your a fan of sushi and seafood and plan on visiting Japan soon, then Tsukiji should definately be on your hit list.
It doesn’t matter where you go in Japan, there is bound to be some random moments occuring. Today I bring you a man with a number plate on his head.
Behind the scenes
We arrived late at 11am and joined the back of the queue. We were told it would be atleast two hours before we would be seated, we obliged. If we’re going to try the “best” sushi in Japan, we’re willing to wait for it.
Five minutes into lining up, I decided to go for a walk while Teresa and Tim stayed in line. I walked all around the different aisles in the market and snapped a few interesting shots of chefs and kitchen staff going about their usual routines in their tiny restaurants. Some of these guy would have been up since the wee hours of the morning buying seafood from the auctions and having them ready for hungry patrons during breakfast.
One hour later, we get hungry.
Our stomachs couldn’t take it anymore, so I went for another walk in search of a “snack”.
I think this cost us 2500 yen which at the time was a whopping $42AUD (59 yen = $1AUD Feb 2009). We travelled at the lowest point of the Japanese yen but didn’t let it bother our trip too much (though my credit card bill would show another story).
As you can see the fish was very fresh with precise care taken with the knifesmanship as well. It was an expensive snack, but well worth it.
Sushi Dai, finally.
The wait in total was 2 1/2 hours. Why did we wait ? We had been recommended from various people that Sushi Dai was a must visit for sushi fans. There were only two restaurants in this little alley which had people lining up. Teresa had already been to Daiwai Sushi during her previous trip to Japan, which was enough to convince Tim and I to give Sushi Dai a go.
The queue at the store next door
The lines snaked their way outside the alley itself and onto the footpath which led to other alleys. This was the queue next door for Daiwa Sushi which was just as long as Sushi Dai’s.
To save on space this bag rack was a stroke of genius. Patrons would put their bags on top, directly above their seats.
We had this Chef serve us for our entire meal. He was great value and spoke with us during the entire meal. Despite his lack of english, he tried his best to communicate and crack a few jokes. The good was also his willingness to tell and show us how to eat each sushi. Some required soy and wasabi , some didn’t. Some were better if eaten in one shot while some were better after a few bites. He looked after us welll in this regard.
The rate at which these Chef’s prepare the sushi is bloody damn quick. Even the young guy at the end was keeping up, we were really impressed. You know what was also impressive, they didn’t mind me taking photos at all.
There are no plates here, all the food is served directly on the wooden counter bench in front of you. Hygeine isn’t a problem, it’s the Japanese after all! I would eat off their toilets if forced to.
Omakase Set (3900 yen)
We chose the Omakase set which also gives you the option of one more item from the menu. With each set you get hot green tea, miso soup, soy sauce and wasabi and fresh ginger slices which are continuedly topped up as you run out.
In summary, it’s without a doubt the best sushi I have ever had. The reason for this is the freshness of the seafood and the craftmanship behind each piece. They don’t do anything fancy here, with maybe a little bit of wasabi and a slightly thick soy sauce in each piece. I’m not the biggest seafood fan out there but on this day I was converted into a vegequarian. The only other place in Sydney which I have had a similiar experience was Azuma at Chifley Plaza but that was still not on par with Sushi Dai in terms of freshness.
It’s not just the food that was good either, the Chef’s were helpful and enthusiastic to customers regardless of whether you were a native or a foreigner. I admire their enthusiasm considering they start serving at 5am or 6am.
I won’t go into full detail for all the pieces as there isn’t much to say, apart from the fact that it was the freshest sushi I have ever tasted.
Fresh ginger slices
Toro (Tuna belly)
This was probably my favourite, the fattyness made this taste unbelievable. To me, it is the wagyu beef of tuna.
Shiro Maguro (Albacore tuna)
Tamago (Steamed egg)
Sea bream
Unagi (eel)
Miso Soup (with fish)
A slight twist on your regular miso soup with infused fish. The fish was definately noticable, letting off a strong aroma.
Uni (Sea urchin)
Maguro (Tuna)
Hokkigai (surf clam)
If my memory serves me correctly, I think this was still moving when he put it on my bench.
Aji (Horse mackerel)
Shiraebe (Baby shrimp)
Kohada
Tuna maki
If there was one downside, it was these sushi rolls. They still had the melt in your experience due to the tuna, but it wasn’t let’s just say it didn’t leave a party in my mouth compared to what happened below.
Oh so creamy!
Sperm from sacs of a cod fish
I didn’t let the name put me off, infact I deliberately chose this because of the name. Who would give up the chance to tell all your friends you have eaten the sperm from the sack of a cod fish ?
You know, I really hate to say this but the only way to describe the sperm from the sacks of a cod was that it was very creamy. From a culinary sense, it tasted a bit like Japanese mayonaise (Kewpi).
Oyster
They scream out the usual Japanese greetings whenever someone enters and leaves the tiny restaurant.
There’s always room for dessert …
I was pretty stuffed from that meal, but it’s not often you get to have Pierre Herme for dessert because it happens to be “on the way” back. I chose the chocolate sorbet and it tasted more like gelato than it did sorbet, perhaps due to the high quality chocolate which was super rich. I actually liked it this way and despite costing $12, it was well worth it.
While roaming the streets I noticed this bit of graffiti which looked rather spooky.
Sushi Dai
Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo
Building 6, 3rd alley, 3rd shop on the right.
If you can’t find it, look for 2 restaurants right next to each other with massive queues of people.
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By Howard
We started eatshowandtell in 2008, it was meant to be just a journal of where we ate. The first thing I usually do when I'm looking for a restaurant is check out eatability and the restaurant website. But what is usually missing is pictures of the food, how do I know I'm getting what I expect? This blog hopefully plugs that gap.
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This article was written on 15 May 2009, and is filed under Around the World, Japan, Japanese.
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2 1/2 hour wait for sushi! Wow! That’s commitment. I like the fact you all took turns to go wandering and snack hunting though
And oh isn’t Japanese toro amazing. You can hardly believe it’s fish. The tuna looks divine too.
Helen’s last blog post..Moroccan lamb pizza
Wow, I love that there are no plates. Great photos.
The food looks wonderful, though I don’t love most fish, the only thing I wouldn’t have been able to eat is the uni. Errrgghh. I have had to extract them from sea urchins before and that is not a job I would wish on anyone. Even seeing pictures of them reminds me of the pain and the smell and the funny looks I got on the bus on the way home
But seriously, now I want to go to Japan. Thanks.
lili – pikeletandpie’s last blog post..Daring Cooks 1st Challenge – Ricotta Gnocchi with Caramelised Onions and Thyme.
Ooh wow! Well worth the wait by the looks of it! I wish the sushi chefs over here were so dedicated, I’d love to know how best to enjoy each sushi ^^;;
This looks like it would have been an amazing experience. The fish looks so fresh, though it’s no wonder since it’s right at the Tsukiji markets.
The chocolate sorbet looks great but $12 is a bit of a tall ask for a tub that small, at least in my opinion.
the first time I heard about the sperm sushi is in Jay Raynor book and now I sooo wanted to try it. Well since I like kewpie mayo I am sure it will taste awesome! LOL… make sure I go at 5am next time!
Wow, that’s a lot of sushi! It looks like fun watching the chefs at work. Their presentation is beautiful.
Arwen from Hoglet K’s last blog post..Standard Recipes for Fifty
You get all that for 3900 yen? I can see why there is 2-1/2 hour wait. That’s a steal for such quality sushi.
Love the man with the numberplate on his head! The sushi looks like it was worth the wait. I miss the simplicity and stunning quality of sushi in it’s country of origin.
Y’s last blog post..Bacon and Chocolate
wooooo!!
I should definitely visit Tsukiji next time I go back home. Going to the fish market in Tsukiji isn’t really an ordinary thing to do even for Japanese people LOL
Did the sperm cooked?? I’ve only had Shirako that’s been cooked, never tried raw before.
And big yay for Pierre Herme! I looooove their bar in Aoyama!
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Helen : Longest wait ever, but I’d probably do it again! They have Toro at Masuya, which is ok but it’s $7 a pop for a tiny piece.
Lili : Uni, I use to hate it until I had it in Azuma … it does have a funny smell if not fresh.
Chris : Yeah definately, chef’s here should get trained in Japan lol
Simon : $12 is alot, but damn that dollar! It would have been $6 at the peak of the Yen heh.
Billy : lol yeah it taste awesome, but you can get sick of it quite easily.
Arwen : It’s alot but worth it! Seeing the chef’s is an experience in itself.
Sadao : The price is one thing, but the quality is what brings people back!
Y : Simplicity is exactly the right word, I mean it’s just fish on rice ? I wonder why it tastes 100x better than here.
Yas : I’m surprised you’ve never been! but it is a bit like that with things in your backyard (ie. I have never been to Melbourne!)
I’m not sure, but I think the sperm might have been raw. Pierre herme was awesome but his chocolate bar was closed when we went to his Aoyama store.
I am so jealous you got to eat such great sushi at Tsukiji. The only way to get fresher fish is to catch it yourself.
I think I would have died, waiting 2.5 hrs in line. Good idea to get a snack, but did it take away from the enjoyment of the actual meal?
The best sushi we’ve had was at Sakae in Burlingame, California. But I bet it doesn’t even compare to what you had.
http://chezannies.blogspot.com/2009/03/sensational-sushi-at-sakae-sushi_06.html
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Nate : Luckily there were 3 of us who shared the snack, so we were still quite hungry and didn’t have our appetites spoiled! Wow Sakae looks like it does some pretty impressive sushi as well.
Great post! I’m visiting Tokyo, and I’m headed to the Tsukiji market tomorrow. Your tips are going to come in handy!
@Deven : What did you think of it ? Would love to see where you ate.
[...] sushi, nigiri and sashimi it is hard to eat anything else if you have tried what is available at tsukiji fish market in Tokyo . Everything is just on another level of freshness and [...]
[...] may have noticed that we really love japanese food. Between the five of us we’ve attempted to cover most of Sydney’s [...]
I wait almost 2hrs. The Sushi their is so good.
whoa! the pictures alone makes my drooool! O_O