Sushi SORA

This intimate restaurant on the 38th floor of Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo prides itself on being a traditional Edomaestyle sushi house, with fresh ingredients sourced daily from Tokyo’s most famous fish bazaar, Tsujiki Market, and its network of fishermen in Hokkaido, Okinawa, Osaka and Tokyo Bay.

Designed as a traditional sushi bar, the restaurant is a cosy space that seats only eight diners at a time – so a reservation is absolutely essential.

Sushi SORA’s menu is influenced by the seasons of Japan, as they affect the types of fish that are caught.

Our lunch began with Senkin Yuki Daruma (Snowman) nigori, an unfiltered, unpasteurised sake that is cloudy in appearance and creamier and sweeter than a regular sake.

There are five different menus to choose from – we were trying the “Izumi” menu, which means spring in Japanese. The sushi and sashimi experience included beautifully plated bluefin tuna, yellowtail and barracuda – the latter was seaweed flavoured. I particularly enjoyed the meaty texture of the Japanese sea-bass sushi, and the luscious taste of yellowtail soaked in soy sauce. The Japanese Spanish mackerel marinated in rice vinegar, and eel drenched in water, sugar and sake were also amazing. Miso soup with tofu concluded the mains, followed by a light dessert.

The drinks list is also worth highlighting, offering everything from sparkling sake and shochu (a Japanese spirit made of sweet potato) to beer and Japanese craft gin.

VERDICT

A premium, traditional Japanese dining experience for aficionados of the cuisine. Akanksha Maker