A small restaurant with a truly Japanese feel. The space isn't large, but the moment you walk in…read moreyou can immediately sense a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The soft, dim lighting creates a calm and relaxing ambiance, reminding me of dining in a traditional Japanese ryokan (onsen inn), while also carrying the cozy charm of a family-style meal at a Japanese minshuku (guesthouse).
It's an "at-home" style sushi restaurant (アットホーム) where the atmosphere feels relaxed and comfortable, making it a lovely place to casually stop by and enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine. The restaurant focuses on offering high-quality sushi at reasonable prices, allowing guests to experience genuine Japanese flavors in a comfortable setting. Simple, welcoming, and quietly elegant in a very Japanese way.
Looking through the menu, we decided to try the Aoyama Course ($89)The meal began with appetizer salad made with Japanese seaweed and snow crab, dressed with a sesame sauce.
Next came the sashimi course, with fresh fish. The sashimi were elegantly presented with edible gold flakes, adding a refined Japanese touch.
We also ordered a bottle of Japanese sake called "Demon Slayer" to pair with the meal. One charming detail was that the restaurant offered a variety of cute sake cups for us to choose from, which made the experience feel a little more personal and fun. Their sake menu was also very unique, handwritten with clear explanations for each selection, making it easy and enjoyable to browse and pick the perfect sake to go with the meal.
We added an order of monkfish liver (ankimo), which was absolutely delicious. It was beautifully marinated and tasted very authentic, rich, smooth, and full of flavour.
The butter fried rock lobster tail was delicious. Sautéed in their house special low-sodium garlic butter, the aroma was appetizing. The lobster meat was tender and naturally sweet, the fragrant garlic butter and herbs. Very well balanced dishes of the course.
The tempura course followed with a light and crispy assortment of shrimp and vegetables. The batter was delicate and airy, and the tempura dipping sauce was beautifully balanced, adding a gentle savoury depth without overpowering the ingredients.
We were then served Dobinmushi, a traditional Japanese seafood soup presented in a charming little teapot-style ceramic pot, which looked both traditional and adorable. The broth was clear yet deeply flavourful, with seafood, vegetables, and mushrooms.
Chef's selection of sushi, featuring maguro, hamachi, salmon, Hokkaido uni, and eel. The fish tasted fresh and clean, the uni was creamy and rich, and the eel was tender with a light glaze of sauce, making it a satisfying finish to the savoury courses.
For dessert, we chose matcha red bean ice cream and black sesame red bean ice cream. Both ice cream were rich and smooth.
Each course arrived at a perfect pace, allowing us to enjoy the meal without feeling rushed or waiting too long.
The servers looked lovely dressed in traditional Japanese kimonos, which added a beautiful and authentic touch to the dining experience. The service was excellent, attentive, warm, and very thoughtful throughout the meal, made us feel very comfortable and well taken care of.
The restroom located downstairs in the basement, decorated with adorable Hello Kitty touches. It was such a cute and thoughtful detail, and the restroom was also spotlessly clean and very well maintained.
Recommend making a reservation in advance. It was a great experience and the set menu was very fulfilling.