"Reservations at all of Austin’s omakase-only spots are tough to come across, but none, perhaps, as tough as Tsuke Edomae, a tiny sushi bar in Mueller that gets booked out many months in advance. It’s a bare-bones space, with an entryway that feels a bit like the lobby of a dentist office that spent some time picking up zen gardening tips from an Ikea catalog, and a small, minimalist sushi counter with eight seats. Expect a few small plates, plus 8-10 pieces of classic edomae-style sushi, in which the fish goes through an aging process to further develop umami flavors. This is nigiri in its simplest form—dressed in nothing but soy sauce and wasabi—and sets the gold standard in Austin for sushi purists. Of all the tough reservations to secure in Austin, this is easily the toughest, so don’t be too disheartened if it takes a few rounds to get one. Tickets are released twice a year—this usually happens on a Sunday at 9am (follow along on Instagram for updates). Once released, they go extremely fast. Set your alarm, then get ready to hit that refresh button until tickets go live. If you’re not able to secure a spot, get on the waitlist. Just be ready to drop everything and book a spot the second you get a notification." - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion
