TOKYO 2011: Sushi Say, Sushi Zanmai & Shouro Tamagoyaki @ Tsukiji Fish Market

Almost everyone who goes to Tokyo will make it a point to have early breakfast and brunch at Tsukiji Fish Market 築地市場. But actually, many of their sashimi and sushi shops are opened well into the later afternoons and some even operate 24 hours, so there is actually no need to wake up at 5am to experience Tsukiji. For this post, we shall recommend some of the food shops we ate in Tsukiji outer market for lunch at around 12 noon.



We saw some beautiful fresh wasabi roots in Tsukiji.

This is not only a place for seafood, but for other vegetables and fruits too. Tsukiji started off as a Uogashi (riverside fish market) in the Edo period near the Nihonbashi Bridge. After many years, the Tokyo Government modernised the market and Tsukiji was born in 1935. It has an area of about 220,000 square metres.



Everyday, about 4,000 tons of fish and vegetables are traded here in Tsukiji.



Many people will make a dash for "Sushi Dai" when the come to Tsukiji. It's the Tsukiji's most famous sushi restaurant within the inner market. But when we went there, the queue is amazingly long. As time is limited, we already had a backup sushi restaurant which also received rave reviews. It's Sushi Say, located in the outer market.



There is no queue here. And they have 2 shops in Tsukiji, one is their original shop, and the other is their newer outlet. Both are along the same row and occupies the opposite end. We visited the original shop, which looks very new to me. We ordered using their English menu, and within seconds the chef was busily moulding our sushi infront of us.



We ordered a lot of sushi: Japanese Shrimp (530 yen each), Giant Clam (530 yen each), Boiled Snow Crab (420 yen each), Squid (270 yen each)



Plus this amazing Sardine Sushi (210 yen each). Everything was very fresh, sweet and if I may say, very affordable. We did order a few more sushi, but I guess the chef must have forgotten. The next time I am in Japan, I will visit their other branches as they have a few shops all over Tokyo and Japan. Everything is just perfect.



The next sushi shop we visited was Sushi Zanmai. Again, this is a chain sushi restaurant. In fact, they have even more branches than Sushi Say. You can recognise the shop in Tsukiji by their very innovative signboard.



When we flipped the menu, what struck us was this Crab Miso Soup (500 yen). Unfortunately, the taste was just so so. And the flesh in the crab was really little and dry. This is a letdown.



Fortunately, the sashimi fared better. We ordered the Assorted Sashimi Set 河岸盛 (2980 yen for 2 person) with Salmon Roe, Fatty Tuna. Prawns, Sardines, etc. Top marks for the salmon roe and prawns, but the rest were not as good as those in Sushi Say.



We also had more sushi. From right to left: Broiled Fatty Tuna sushi (398 yen each), Sea Urchin Roe sushi (398 yen each), Herring Roe on Kepl sushi (248 yen each), Surf Clam sushi (198 yen each), Scallop sushi (128 yen each)

Again, although it was good, but Sushi Say's sushi were of better quality. Next time, we will stick to Sushi Say.



Before we left, we were recommended to try this Tamagoyaki shop located opposite of Sushi Say's original shop. There were so many kinds of Tamagoyaki on sale here, and for people like us who just want to taste a bit, you can get their small piece which is vacuum sealed for freshness.



We had the original Shouro Tamagoyaki (240 yen for small). Wow, this is the best Tamagoyaki I have ever tasted. The texture is both firm and creamy. Would recommend visitors here to have this as their dessert. A must try in Tsukiji.


Sushi Say 寿司清
東京都中央区築地 4-13-9
Tsukiji 4-13-9
(Located at Tsukiji outer market)
http://www.tsukijisushisay.co.jp/

Sushi Zanmai すしざんまい
東京都中央区築地 4-10-2
Tsukiji 4-10-2
(Located at Tsukiji outer market)
http://www.kiyomura.co.jp/

Shouro Tamagoyaki 松露玉子焼
東京都中央区築地 4-13-13
Tsukiji 4-13-13
(Located at Tsukiji outer market)
http://www.shouro.co.jp/