On a very famous review website that I shall not name there are over 97,000 restaurants listed in Tokyo. 97,000! Not a typo. Eating options are certainly not lacking in Tokyo, but finding a good place may be sometimes a challenge. Tokyo is the only city in Japan where, times to times, when I had not done enough research, I ended up with a less than satisfactory meal. For this reason let me share one everyday sushi eatery that has never let me down: Itamae Sushi. It is a chain, but they do not compromise on quality. It is well-known in Tokyo as, among other things, in the early 2000s they would systematically win the first tuna auction of the year at Tsukiji fish market (that is kind of a big deal as it is thought to bring good luck to the restaurant and it is widely reported by the media); in 2011 they were in the news again as they offered a sushi meal to over 1300 volunteers that were working in the aftermath of the devastating Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
For me they have two big pluses. First, they buy tuna and seafood directly from the auctions in Tokyo Fish Market and that’s great (sure, you can have comparably fresh seafood from a distributor, but I like when the supply chain is shortened). The other big plus for me is that they have a special focus on tuna (maguro), my favorite fish!
The visit
I usually go to Itamae Sushi in their Ginza Corridor branch. This post in based on a visit at the end of June 2018. Ginza Corridor is a foodie destination, in the South-West area of Ginza, hosting countless izakayas and Japanese and Westerner restaurants, pubs and cafes. Once I had a fugu dinner there! The restaurant is small, with counter seats and some additional table seats. It is ideal for a quick lunch.
The photo above showing their tuna mix sushi is the main reason why I go. For less than 20 USD I can get this amazing tuna platter, including regular tuna, two pieces of medium-fatty tuna (chu-toro) and one piece of the prized o-toro (fatty tuna). By the way, I am not that big on o-toro: yes, it melts in your mouth, but it is quite heavy to the point to be difficult to digest… the best for me is chu-toro.
The set also includes three rolls and an additional piece of negitori sushi, that is minced tuna in this case with scallions.
Coming with a complimentary miso soup (for lunch only), this is a very satisfactory lunch set and a great way to sample tuna. By the way, for dinner they keep the same menu, just not the free miso soup and a few other lunch set options.
The check
This great lunch cost me only 1,980 yen, that is around 18 USD. Tax included and no additional service charge. Great value for money and one of my go-to places for a quick but fresh and satisfactory lunch when in Tokyo.
PS: Of course they have much more on the menu. You can find all the typical sushi types and order single pieces or sushi combinations.
Where in Tokyo:
8-2-13 Ginza, J bldg 1F, Ginza, Chuo 104-0061
See their website for further addresses in Tokyo.
Pro-tip: time to time in some branches they have tuna cutting events where you can observe a chef skillfully cutting an entire tuna.