A note on the words: omakase is a chef’s selection course. Shari is the seasoned sushi rice. Ichiban-dashi is the first extraction of a broth, made here with hamaguri clams. Madai is red sea bream and kombu-jime means cured between sheets of kelp; kamasu is barracuda and hirame is a flounder. Matsukawa-garei, shima-aji, shiro-ika and ebodai are left as the Japanese names, being a flounder, a jack, a squid and a small sea fish respectively. Zuke akami is soy-marinated lean tuna, torotaku is minced fatty tuna rolled with pickled radish, ikura is salmon roe, and kanpyo is seasoned dried gourd. A Jizo is a small stone guardian figure often found at temples.
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Sushi Iwao on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
Hello, this is Hangover Meshi. The place I visited this time is a sushi restaurant in Akasaka called “Sushi Iwao”. It is said to sit right inside temple grounds, and while wondering whether there really was anything like that here, I walked over, and sure enough, there was a temple. Come to think of it, the Jizo statue at the entrance — a small stone guardian figure — wears a little raincoat on rainy days. The temple is called Jodo-ji. Stepping inside, a sleek, standalone building comes into view.
Stylish!
Inside, there is a counter and sofa seating alongside. It is a clean, lovely restaurant.
The lunch omakase, twelve pieces — 5,500 yen
The lunch omakase, fifteen pieces — 8,800 yen
There are 5,500 yen and 8,800 yen courses, and this time I opted for the 5,500 yen course.
Now, right away. For sake, on the chef’s recommendation, I had a sake from Yamaguchi Prefecture called Tenbi.
It is a light, sparkling sake and very easy to drink. I had never heard of Tenbi before, which really drove home how rarely you run into the exact same bottle and how many varieties of sake there actually are, ha.
The tiny bucket-like bowl is cute, ha. It is hamaguri clam ichiban-dashi (first-extraction broth). A delicious broth that gently warms and soothes the stomach.
Hmm, delicious! The shari (seasoned rice) is quite warm. Not only is the savory flavor of the topping great, but the rice also falls apart nicely in the mouth. Delicious.
There is real savory depth within its mild flesh. The skin makes its presence known, perhaps? Delicious.
Quite rare! Matsukawa-garei (a flounder)! You rarely get to eat this. Taking a bite, delicious! Ah, so this is what matsukawa-garei is like. It is distinctly different from ordinary flounder, with a much stronger savory flavor. People say it is tastier than hirame, and that might well be true.
Mmm, this shima-aji is exquisite too! It makes me want to go striped-jack fishing.
The squid is served with sudachi citrus and salt. The sweet squid paired with salt and sudachi is great. Rich, sticky-tender, and delicious!
Mmm, it feels only lightly marinated, and it is delicious. The natural savory flavor of the lean tuna comes through clearly.
The melting, sticky richness of the tuna portion is incredibly good. Delicious!!!!
Ebodai is another fish that I don’t recall seeing much as a sushi topping.
Raw scallop at a sushi restaurant really is so good! Juicy, succulent, and bursting with savory depth. Superb!
Three pieces of amaebi (sweet shrimp) stacked together makes for real volume!
Simmered anago; the sweet tare sauce and the fluffy, tender simmered conger eel are delicious.
Man, twelve pieces is quite substantial and very satisfying! Or rather, getting this kind of quality and volume for 5,500 yen is astonishing. It almost feels too cheap. To think a place like this still exists in Tokyo. I have watched other sushi spots that used to offer 5,500 yen lunches gradually raise their prices, so right now is the window of opportunity. An exceptional, great-value lunch — you have to go before it disappears! Highly recommended!! At any rate, I will definitely be going at least once every season.
Sushi Iwao (Sushi / Akasaka Station, Akasaka-mitsuke Station, Tameike-sanno Station)
Tabelog lunch rating ★★★★☆ 4.2
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
