Hidden on the fourth floor of a small building in Nishi-Azabu is Sushi Kitamura, where just six guests can savour a private omakase experience in a warm, homestyle setting. Here, chef-owner Jun Kitamura combines an array of Edomae-style nigiri with a selection of appetisers and grilled dishes, best paired with a bottle of regionally sourced sake.
Kitamura often begins his menu with a small bowl of succulent shijimi clams marinated in a garlic-bonito dashi sauce, setting the stage for a series of carefully crafted appetisers, such as a Euro-Japanese twist on páté on toast, where buttery-smooth ankimo (monkfish liver) is used in lieu of foie gras.
The sushi courses typically follow, featuring around seven pieces of nigiri – sea bream, white squid, sweet amaebi shrimp and uni, among others – each selected to reflect the best of the season. The final piece of sushi is always the restaurant’s signature maki roll, where grilled anago (freshwater eel), medium fatty tuna and Japanese pickles are wrapped in sushi rice and seaweed.
All of this comes down to ¥16,000 per head, making Sushi Kitamura one of the most reasonably priced (and filling) sushi omakase courses in Tokyo.