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Toro from Boston - This was arguably the best toro sashimi I've had in all my Urasawa visits. It was incredibly unctuous and oozed oil upon chewing, but yet, at the same time, it remained light, delicate in flavor. It was delicious on its own, but even better when balanced by the wasabi and soy.

Tai from Kyushu - A clean, crisp cut of snapper, this was textbook tai, with a mild flavor that was good with the wasabi, but superb with the tart red cabbage.

Uni from Hokkaido - Perhaps the perfect uni: unabashedly sweet, yet kissed with the briny essence of the ocean. Even better when paired with the seaweed.

Hamo - The king eel had a surprisingly rich flavor, as well as a soft, spongy texture. It went superbly with the sweet ponzu.

Hotategai - Next to go was the scallop--firm and unconscionably sweet.

Kagoshima Wagyu - My favorite of this set, this had the perfect amount of fat, giving the beef an absurdly pleasing texture, and a flavor that was deftly offset by the use of scallion.

Foie Gras - Cooked the longest, the foie had a firm, yet yielding texture and a subtle, sublime sapor that just lingered in my mouth. Even James, who wasn't previously a fan of the liver, enjoyed this.

Kombu - I made sure to eat the kombu separately this time, and it was some of the best kelp I've had. It was from Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, and possessed a sweet, satisfying smack and a wonderfully crisp consistency.

This post documents my fifth visit to Urasawa, which was actually gratis to me, thanks to a little bet I "won" from a friend and former colleague of mine (thanks James!). As such, I'll skip the pleasantries and get right into the amazing experience that is Urasawa.As usual, I booked the entire bar (10 persons max), and joining me this time were Ann of Menu Taster , Jasmine & Jeff of Recipe Mama , Ryan of Only Eat What Feeds Your Soul , as well as other non-bloggers. For my previous visits, see March 2009 May 2008 , and November 2006 Here we see the fish case for the night, which would be nearly emptied by the time we were through with it. Can you identify all the various items? Click for my attempt.Assistant Ken-san shows off a massive chunk of beautifully-marbled wagyu beef from Kagoshima Prefecture. A rib eye cut perhaps?A dinner at Urasawa requires libations that will pass muster with the victuals. Thus, for this outing, we brought the "Three Wise Men" of Champagne: Vintage Krug, Cristal, and Dom Perignon (provided by James, myself, and Bruce, respectively)......But we also knew that three bottles of bubbly wouldn't be enough to completely wet our whistles. We thus requested to see the drink list, shown above; click for larger versions. I always appreciate Urasawa's sake list, and on this visit, I noted the addition of two sakes from Miyagi Prefecture: the Hakurakusei Junmai-Daiginjo and the Katsuyama Junmai-Daiginjo. Gone is the Horeki-Daishichi Junmai-Daiginjo from Fukushima, previously the most expensive bottle on the list; that spot is now taken up by the "cult" favorite Juyondai. The note about the "special sake" we had last time was also removed. No changes in terms of Champagne or red wine, though there were a couple new Chardonnays from Peter Michael and Kistler. And unfortunately, no new beers, just the "big three" Japanese macrobrews of Asahi, Kirin, and Sapporo (which is why I've never had beer at Urasawa!).I've been liking namazake more and more as of late. The term refers to unpasteurized sake, which requires refrigeration and has a short shelf life, but which is also greener, more rustic, more in-your-face. The namazake rotates regularly at Urasawa, given that the beverage is somewhat seasonal, and the example tonight was the Watari Bune, Shiboritate Namazake Genshu, Junmai-Ginjo from Ibaraki Prefecture [$80]. Watari Bune is the name of the rice strain used to brew this sake, a varietal that was popular in the early 1900's for its quality, but which fell into obscurity thanks to the rise in prominence of the hardier Yamada Nishiki type. The old school rice was reintroduced by Takaaki Yamauchi of Huchu Homare brewery when he planted some seedlings in 1988, subsequently introducing the Watari Bune brand in 1990. In any case, getting back to the sake at hand, I found it sweet, viscous, and bright, with subtle melon notes and a bit of fire on the finish. Quite refreshing.Here we see Hiro-san prepping our first course of the night.- Hiro-san usually likes to start with a light toro tataki dish, and tonight's iteration had seared toro wrapped around an amalgam of shrimp, uni, and shiso, topped with radish, scallion, and shiso flower, garnished with yuzu juice and skin, soy, vinegar, and sweet sake (mirin). The attack was a mixture of sweet and tangy, a somewhat bracing sensation that eventually gave way to the sweeter, creamier midpalate, thanks to the uni and ebi, no doubt. The finish was flush with citrus and it was here that the flavor of the fish finally came to the fore. The shrimp, meanwhile, provided a pleasing snap and crunch that livened up the dish texturally.- Next up was an egg custard with shiitake mushroom and shiro ebi, covered with ikura and topped with mitsuba and 23-carat gold. Dipping into the silky chawanmushi, I noted a fantastic contrast between the briny, salty roe and the rich, luscious egg custard. The mitsuba gave the dish a sharp tang while the mushroom and shrimp added a palpable weight and provided a bit of textural variation as well. Very good.- I loved the presentation of this one: a big wooden spoon heaping with chopped wagyu beef, pickled radish, caviar, scallion, and shiso, all topped with uni. A luxurious dish, I first experienced a tangy attack on account of the radish, which really tempered the decadence of the beef. At the same time, the uni acted as a moderating element, while the generous dollop of caviar was relegated to a supporting player. The long, lingering finish was dominated by the admixture of beef and pickles.With our sake dispensed with, it was time to break out the bubbly. First up was the 1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Rosé. I'm a sucker for pink, so I reveled in the DP's balanced, subtly sweet commixture of citrus, floral, and mineral notes, along with its fresh, florid, alluring structure--gorgeous.Ken-san helps with the sashimi.- The sashimi course is one of the constants at an Urasawa dinner. Placed in a hand-carved block of ice were:Garnishes include the aforementioned freshly-grated wasabi (from Shizuoka I believe), soy (from Wakayama), red cabbage, and seaweed, as well as carrot, white daikon, and green daikon. The flowers (not sure what type) are usually garnered from local flower markets.- Ichigoni refers to a type of summer soup, typically made with awabi and uni. The name means "wild strawberries," and refers to the strawberry-esque appearance of cooked sea urchin. Here, we were treated to a more upscale version: served in a tagine-like vessel were abalone from Chiba, shrimp, Japanese shark's fin (fukahire), and the Hokkaido uni. I started with the awabi, which was tender, yet satisfying to chew, with a uniquely gelatinous consistency that wasn't what I was expecting. I then had the abalone entrails, which were sweet and gamy, a stark contrast to the mild flavor of the mollusk's adductor muscle. The shrimp was plump, snappy, and satisfying, but the standout here was the shark fin: gossamer, ethereal, imbued with the flavor of all the other ingredients. It reminded me of why it's considered such a desirable delicacy.A now, a bit of pyrotechnic action: for the next course, Hiro-san poured sake into our pots, thereby releasing enveloping clouds of steam as the sake evaporated upon contact with the pots' sizzling stones.- The pot contained Japanese beef wrapped around shrimp, shiitake, and uni, steamed with sake; it came with an oroshi ponzu (ponzu with daikon radish) dipping sauce. What struck me about the dish was the temperature contrast between hot and cold--the interplay between warm beef and its cool fillings--fantastic. Flavor-wise, the morsels were sweet initially, with the richness of the wagyu coming in afterwards, while the ponzu provided a tart complement. The finish, meanwhile, was uniquely uni-tinged while the ebi did wonders texturally.- It's hard to go wrong with tempura, and here we had a fine example of anago, or sea/conger eel, from Tokyo Bay (the top spot for eel I'm told). This was actually my first time with anago tempura, and I really appreciated its delicate white flesh, mild flavor, and crispy, savory battered exterior. As usual, the tempura was paired with a tentsuyu dipping sauce and a mound of grated daikon and ginger. The sauce elevated the dish, adding a sweet/tangy component to the anago that really made for a great pairing.Our second sake was the Hiroki, Special Classic, Tokubetsu Junmai from Fukushima [$90], which I'd had at Hachi previously. As I understand it, Hiroki is part of a "new school" style of sake that's become very popular as of late. The president of Hiroki Brewing is also its toji (brew master), and interestingly, he's apparently never formally studied sake-making. This gives him an unconventional, unorthodox style that leads to the creation of the bold, distinctive sakes that the company is known for. A 55% seimaibuai sake made from Yamadanishiki, the Hiroki was floral, fruity, light, crisp yet full-bodied, and most importantly, delicious.- The stone-seared toro is always one of Urasawa's most highly anticipated courses, and for good reason! Upon touching the stone, the toro released a cloud of rich, savory smoke that whetted our appetites even more. Eating the toro was almost like eating a ridiculously-marbled piece of beef--it pretty much broke apart in my mouth upon mastication. I absolutely adored the unabashedly unctuous consistency of the fish, and how the fat, flesh, and char interacted in my mouth. The paired ponzu, meanwhile, did its part in cutting the decadence of the toro, but the fish's sapor lived on in a ridiculously lingering finish.- Next to the seared toro above, the shabu shabu course is also one of the most sought after dishes at Urasawa. There are always slight variations in the assortment of shabu items, and this time we were given the following:- The resultant shabu shabu broth is always a treat to imbibe. The key here is the foie gras; note how the liver's fats are visible on the soup's surface. This provides for a heavy, hearty stock absolutely saturated with the pure essence of foie gras. Yet, it was not overwhelming, thanks in part to the light, vegetal tang of the scallion.And with that, it was time to move on to the sushi portion of the meal. The gari signals the start of the nigiri gauntlet, and Urasawa's is probably the best I've had, with a certain sweetness you won't find in the mass-market variety--this taught me to appreciate ginger.Above, we see Hiro-san crafting and serving the first piece of sushi. Nigiri is served with all the accoutrements applied already--a brush of soy, a sprinkle of grated sudachi, a splash of yuzu juice--all that's required of the diner is to chew and savor.- Unlike at just about every other sushi place, Urasawa's omakase starts with toro, and that's perfectly fine with me. The fish was certainly deserving of the moniker melt-in-your-mouth, enveloping my palate with its luxuriousness. The fat was mitigated by the application of wasabi, resulting in something decadent, yet delicate. Superb.For our next potable, we decided to tap the 2002 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut. Though the wine was still quite floral and citrus-y, it was a bit more austere than I remembered, with a pronounced dryness backed by subtle toasty notes. Still very good--light and bright. Note the different flute used here vis-à-vis the Dom Perignon and Krug; this was, I'm sure, due to the fact that the Roederer was a much younger wine (2002 vs. 1996/1995).- Given how good the toro is, you'd think that you should just leave well enough alone. However, lightly searing the tuna yields wondrous results, making the fish even more unctuous, even more profound, with the taste of the char contrasting beautifully with the toro's natural succulence.- Flavor-wise, the kanpachi wasn't terribly distinctive--clean, mild, and nicely accented by the wasabi. What wowed me here was the impeccable texture, a stunning combination of snap and yield.- Aji's arguably my favorite sushi fish, and this quintessential example merely reinforced that notion. The flesh was firm, a satisfying chew, while the taste was very fine, not fishy at all. Note the lovely scoring of the skin.- From Kyushu island comes this belly of tai. Snapper is a fitting nomenclature for the fish, given its snappy texture! Truly a paragon of tai, the combination of soy and sudachi was perfect, and note the crosshatch pattern on the fish's top surface.Hiro-san and tuna: a winning combination.- Regular tuna can be a bit boring, but this was just about the softest, most buttery piece of maguro I've ever had, more buttery than many pieces of toro I've eaten in fact! In terms of taste though, it was very mild, so the texture was key here.- On my May 2008 visit , the shima aji was my favorite piece of sushi, and though it didn't reach quite the same lofty heights this time around, the shima aji was nevertheless quite tasty, with a light, refined flavor accented by a sharp wasabi finish. The best part about the fish was its firm, crisp texture.- From Japan comes this creamy, palate-coating squid that gave my mouth quite the workout. Taste-wise, the ika was subtly sweet, aptly accented by the grated sudachi and salt.- I've had shiitake nigiri on every visit here so far, yet Urasawa remains the only place where I've seen it done. The preparation really brings out the smoky, woody, earthy nature of the mushroom, balanced by the rice and wasabi.Our final bottle was this 1995 Krug Champagne Brut. I noted a bit of citrus on an otherwise oaky nose, but on the palate, this was quickly overcome by intense notes of caramel, toast, and stone. Brazenly dry, with a silky body, laser-tight focus, and a protracted, prolonged finish. Very typical of the Krug style, and reminiscent of the 1990 I had at Sasabune - I must say, this was some of the best uni I've ever had. Delicate, sweet, and super-creamy, it was a model of what sea urchin should be. And the wasabi kick at the end? Beautiful. It even managed to convince James, who'd previously had an uni aversion.- I've had plenty of toro and plenty of maguro at Urasawa, but amazingly, this was the first time that chu-toro was served. As expected, it had a richer, fattier flavor than the standard tuna, though it obviously wasn't up to the level of toro. What surprised me however was that the texture was a bit more unyielding than the standard hon maguro.- Urasawa remains the only place where I've been served nigiri made from shiro ebi, small white shrimp gathered off the coast of Toyama Prefecture. Given their small size, about a score of shrimp was needed to construct a single piece of sushi, and the mass broke apart instantly upon mastication. Their flavor was mildly sweet, and very creamy, with a gelatinous body.- From Japan came this abalone, with a subtle sweetness that was perked up by the application of tangy grated sudachi and fiery wasabi. Texturally it was firm, though somewhat supple, not overly crunchy. Note the scoring on the surface of the awabi.- The award for crunchiest item of the night would be taken by this mirugai, a.k.a. giant clam or elephant truck clam. It was a very pleasing crispness though, not tough at all, but satisfying. In terms of flavor, it had an intense, briny smack, backed by a bit of sweetness.- At this point, Hiro-san asked us if we'd like more toro. The correct answer is, of course: "yes please!" It was much the same as the previous one: scrumptious.- Kohada is also known as Japanese gizzard shad, or Japanese herring as Hiro-san likes to call it. It was an oily fish, with a strong yet slightly sugary taste, lovely skin, and a uniquely firm consistency. Quite nice.- Containing chopped toro, negi (leek), and takuan (pickled daikon, which aids in digestion), this is just about the only maki roll you'll see at Urasawa. What struck me was the texture of the pickle, which gave the roll a wondrous crunch and sour flavor. The leek, meanwhile, providing a bracing tang that tempered the lavishness of the toro. The roll is shown here sitting in soy sauce.- Of the nigiri, the gyusashi is one of the ones that I look forward to the most. It didn't disappoint this time either, with an incredible beefy sumptuousness balanced by the mitigating tang of citrus. One of the tastiest bites of the night!- Another round of uni. What happened was that Hiro-san accidentally got more uni than he needed, and thus had to "get rid of it," which was fine by us! I've only had Santa Barbara uni on my previous visits, so it was nice to have the Hokkaido version this time, considered the finest in the world I understand, with a season running from May to October. What I'd really like to do is compare Santa Barbara and Hokkaido back-to-back and see if I can discern a difference.Hiro-san then surprised us by bringing out live shrimp from tanks beneath the counter. Here we see him and Ken-san breaking them apart.- This was pretty much the acme of amaebi: sweet yet briny, creamy yet crunchy. It was heightened by the use of a sauce made from the shrimp's innards, which gave the amaebi a distinctly sweet-metallic tinge. One of my dining companions called it the best amaebi he's ever had, and I can see why.- Here's something I didn't know: at Urasawa, you can request sashimi versions of the nigiri sushi, as we see here. Instead of entrails sauce, the amaebi is accompanied simply by a dollop of wasabi. The end result is a very different experience than with the sushi: the texture was even more apparent in this case, and the flavor was much milder, with the sweetness accentuated.- Here we have another item that I've only seen at Urasawa--an amalgamation of chopped aji, Kyoto miso, scallion, shiso, and ginger. This is one that I always look forward to, as it has a great base of aji to begin with, which is then accented by the sweetness of the miso and the invigorating savor of the shiso-scallion-ginger complex. Excellent.- Our second round of chu-toro here. Think of a fattier maguro. Delish!- Compared to the first, I liked the texture of this one even better.- I usually tend to favor unagi over anago for its more unctuous nature, but this version would give unagi a run for its money. It was suitable fatty, suitably lush, and well-accented by the included sweet sauce (we told the newbies that it was chocolate sauce!). I think this might've been the best anago I've had yet at Urasawa.- Unlike most places' tamago, the example here resembles a cake more than an omelet, perhaps even resembling datemaki in that regard. Dense, heavy, and moist, its flavor was an intriguing interplay of sweet and savory.- And with that, we were on to desserts. The first was this gelée of peach, topped with goji berry (a.k.a. wolfberry) and gold foil. The gelatin had a surprisingly unyielding consistency, and a taste that was like eating liquefied peach. Chunks of the fruit made for a nice textural variation.- Urasawa's sesame ice cream always satisfies. We asked Hiro-san what was in it and he responded that soy milk, cream cheese, and honey were used. No matter, the result was an ice cream absolutely infused with the pure quintessence of sesame. I wish I could take a pint or two home!Using a chasen, Hiro-sans whisks up some matcha tea to serve with the desserts. Note the decorative place mat employed; does it carry any significance?- Matcha is a variety of powdered green tea, often used in Japanese tea ceremonies. The tea's texture was frothy, gritty, and grainy, with a strong, bitter flavor that cut right through the sugariness of the desserts.- The second tea was a roasted green tea. Mild and easy-drinking, it was a nice way to close out a meal and Urasawa, and I always find myself having multiple cups of it.As has become Urasawa tradition, we now present the sum of the night's damage. Though not as heinous as last time , it still came out to $500 per person.What can I say about Urasawa that hasn't already been said? Though this is now my fifth visit, I can say that the place never disappoints, and that I look forward to and treasure every meal I have here. James described the experience as a "symphony of food" in terms of a progression of flavors, and I think that the phrase sums things up nicely. During the meal, Hiro-san and I discussed how the vaunted Michelin guide was leaving LA, and the reasons behind the move. Urasawa may never get its third star, but if there's any place in the City that deserves it, this'd be the spot.