Sushi Uchida

Don't be surprised if when you take your seat at Sushi Uchida's counter, in place of a traditional appetizer, you receive nigiri sushi right off the bat. It’s a sushi restaurant, after all, says head chef Shota Uchida. Of course, appetizers and small plates have their place on the menu, but Chef Uchida wants guests to immediately understand the restaurant’s “taste” the moment they take their seats. As such, diners can expect to have one of the restaurant’s signature nigiri — something like tuna akami (lean meat), silver-skinned kohada (gizzard shad) or squid — in place of a typical appetizer. This is a culinary philosophy born out of observing his father and grandfather for years in their family-run sushi restaurant. Inspired, he then went on to train in the art of sushi in a Ginza restaurant for 10 years. When he felt that he had finally broadened his horizons sufficiently, he returned to the same neighborhood in which he began, to start Sushi Uchida in 2019 — a high-end Edomae sushi restaurant in an upscale neighborhood. As is fitting for someone who comes from a line of sushi masters, Chef Uchida is particularly exacting about his sushi. His counter only seats seven guests at a time, so he can give them as much personalized attention as possible. He personally selects his fish every day from Toyosu Fish Market, while his rice is a blend of several different types from Miyagi Prefecture. The only additives allowed are red vinegar and salt — no sugar — so he can maximize the rice’s natural flavor. Even the ratio of rice and fish in each nigiri is carefully measured for the perfect bite.