Friday, October 26

Tsukiji Fish Market

I went to Tokyo but I gave Tsukiji a miss.












Just kidding. I can so see you guys gasping in disbelief and a couple of you (yes, you over there with sushi desktop picture) reaching for your inhalers. I could pass up on Mount Fuji (which I did) but Tsukiji? Naught-ta chance.





When it comes to sushi and sahsimi, Tsukiji is usually found on the "Top Five Places to ..." lists in travel guidebooks. Chuck yours if that isn't the case. Away from neon and gaga-centricity, the fabled fish market bears an aura of mystery mix tradition. You can quote me on this: any sushi lover has to pay homage to the world's largest fish market at least once in his / her life. And if you beg to differ, erm actually I don't really care! HAHA.

As you would have probably guess by now, breakfast is my favouritest meal of the day. Be it churros and hot chocolate in Spain, pain in France, baked beans on toast in London, breakfast is a great way to observe locals at their "freshest". But in this case, the "locals" refer to the fish themselves.



We didn't get up in time for the going-once-going-twice auction (so I don't have dismembered fish carcass stories to brag about) but we sure made it in time for a grand chapter in my travel chronicles- Hearty Breakfast in Tsukiji. Although it is wise to visit in twos (max threes), we were lucky to get four seats in a shoebox-sized restaurant. With tourist-friendly set menus, we wasted no time diving right into our omakase, which consisted of uni, ika, chutoro, tamago, minced unagi and some makis.



Ever get the feeling that whenever someone talks about Tsujiki Fish Market, his/her eyes widen in excitement, they get really really energetic, and they talk reallyreallyfast, almost resembling the animated auctioneers themseves. Turns out there's good reason for such enthusiasm.



Good sushi dispenses the need for shoyu and extra wasabi. Although I couldn't wait to begin, I took the longest time to start, choosing to spend a couple of minutes admiring each nigiri piece, lavishing it with a look of desire typically reserved for Eames chairs.

Finally after shaking off suspicious i'm-gonna-take-it-if-you-don't-start looks from my family, I "reluctantly" tucked in. Each mouthful of creamy goop triggered extreme bouts of gratification cum sadness as I wondered when I will be able to enjoy this again. Arh, parting is such sweet sorrow.



We wrapped things up with miso soup, filled with chunks of i-have-forgotten-what-fish. Though atypical, it was a lovely way to end the meal. Naturally, some would ask, "Ok, raw fish for breakfast... what's the big fuss and why can't I get a cooked breakfast?" Well, the beauty of it is 'none'. Free of adornments, garnishes and fake plastic flowers, the fuss-free experience has been stripped down to its bare minimum of a slab of today's catch over petite mould of vinegar rice. And if you still don't get it, it's ok! We will visit Tsukiji together and I will eat your share.

Yeah! World Peace!


Our chef, A dead-ringer for the Anpan Man.



THIS, my dear readers, is as fresh as it gets, that is unless you take a boat out and fish for yourself (thanks but I'll pass).

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

eeehh! this is the same chef that made sushi for me when i was there! that's at sushi daiwa right?

Anonymous said...

me too! same guy..
the taste of the chutoro, uni and hotate sushi still lingers in my mind..

yixiaooo said...

hey p., i didn't take note of the restaurant's name but we can't deny the chef's face.. haha..

Sooks, hope you are having fun in Shanghai!

Anonymous said...

Other than that sushi stall, did you try any others? How to tell which is the best?

Chubbypanda said...

Can't... breathe... *gasp*

yixiaooo said...

hey joyz, i only tried the sushi. personally, they are all equally good and we went for the queue with less people. haha

chubbypanda: it's awesome!