Chef counters are a treat, but a seat in front of Chef Kazushige Suzuki feels like a best-kept secret. The room has a presence of its own, notable in scale and hidden away in the back past a cocktail bar. Friendly as ever and seemingly never in a hurry, the chef sources fish entirely from Japan and keeps his nigiri traditional with little more adornment than a brushing of nikiri.
Other dishes that bookend the meal flex far more creativity and panache. Hokkaido hairy crab with capellini and shiso or snow trout marinated in koji for seven days are uniquely satisfying, while beef sourced from Japan makes regular appearances. At the meal’s end, disbelief may turn into wonder as guests dive into apple sorbet boldly topped with Yamazaki 12 whisky.