ShoMon Kappo Sushi

"A day celebrating anything iconic in Seattle should involve sushi. Spots at this friendly kappo counter in Belltown are pretty easy to come by at the moment. Even better—there’s rarely a miss among the eight courses that are a mix of sushi and other small plates. We're talking buttery Hokkaido scallop nigiri, futomaki topped with rich soy-cured egg yolk, and a deep-fried Dungeness crab nugget that oozes with rich béchamel. Compared to the meal here, seeing people gawk at a tower will feel like an afterthought." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente

"The owners of the legendary Shiro’s — namely executive chef Masaki Nishioka but not namesake Shiro Kashiba, who sold the restaurant a decade ago — opened ShoMon Kappo Sushi in early September in Belltown, somehow leveling up on their already-flawless omakase game in the process. The tiny 14-seat sushi-ya features an L-shaped counter and a hyper-intimate dining experience (“kappo” is when they prepare everything out in the open), with plenty of variety in the thoughtful courses. Recent plates included grilled miso butterfish, skipjack tuna sashimi with Walla Walla onions, and a 26-day dry-aged bluefin tuna nigiri. Go on a cold day and take advantage of the heated seats on the cool Japanese robot toilets." - Harry Cheadle

"Just when you thought Seattle’s sushi scene had gotten stale, this sister restaurant to sushi institution Shiro's brings a fun and fresh experience. Chefs create a palpable buzz as they float through the open kitchen arranging ingredients on plates like a game of Operation while chatting up guests to a soothing, lo-fi playlist. There’s rarely a miss among the eight courses that are a mix of sushi and other Japanese small plates—we're talking buttery Hokkaido scallop nigiri, futomaki topped with rich soy-cured egg yolk, and a deep-fried Dungeness crab nugget that oozes with rich béchamel. Unlike other omakase spots that can be cramped and stuffy, the friendly 14-seat Shomon counter is spacious enough to feel like you’re at your own private table. And nabbing a reservation is pretty easy to come by at the moment. Meals cost around $185 per person not including tax and tip. But from the fantastic food to the above-and-beyond service (that includes waitstaff who will walk you to your car and servers who will talk about all things raw fish), it's worth shelling out a bit more at Shomon to celebrate a special occasion. Food Rundown The menu at Shomon Kappo Sushi changes frequently, but here’s an idea of what you can expect. photo credit: Shomon Kappo Sushi Seared Skipjack Tuna With Walla Walla Sweet Onions Slices of skipjack belly and back get a serious char over coals. And when punched up with candy-like onions and a lot of ponzu, the whole thing is great. photo credit: Shomon Kappo Sushi Grilled Japanese Pomfret With Oyster Rice While ingredients like fleshy pomfret and oyster rice sound good together on paper, the execution is slightly off, some bits of rice are hard, and unseasoned raw mushrooms make it less enjoyable. photo credit: Kayla Sager-Riley Wagyu Wrapped With Fig Laves We don’t anticipate a place specializing in fish to have a stunning meat course—but Shomon does. Chunks of buttery wagyu poached in sweet soy are so tender that biting through each piece takes almost zero physical effort. photo credit: Kayla Sager-Riley Sushi The sushi course is made up of eight excellent pieces. Special shout-outs go to the futomaki, uni and ikura, and smoky anago. photo credit: Kayla Sager-Riley Mojio Ice Cream With Baked Apple If you’ve ever felt personally victimized by a dessert menu that is just baked fruit, come here to regain the faith. Soft baked apples layer the bottoms with a hint of nutty lima bean paste. Then a scoop of milky salted seaweed ice cream sits on top, and the chef comes over with an entire frozen cosmic crisp apple he grates over the top. It's light, refreshing, and sweet in all the right places." - Kayla Sager-Riley

"Shomon Kappo is the sister restaurant to sushi institution Shiro's. It lives up to that pedigree with a fun and fresh kappo experience—meaning that instead of a classic omakase with almost exclusively sushi, you’ll get an eight-course mix of sushi and other Japanese small plates for around $185 per person (without tax and tip). We're talking buttery Hokkaido scallop nigiri and futomaki topped with rich soy-cured egg yolk, as well as super tender A5 wagyu cooked in fragrant fig leaves and a deep-fried Dungeness crab nugget. And unlike similar spots that are more cramped and stuffy, the 14-seat Shomon counter is buzzing with enjoyable energy while still spacious enough to feel like you’re at your own private table." - kayla sager riley, aimee rizzo, gabe guarente

"Shomon Kappo is the sister restaurant to sushi institution Shiro's—and it lives up to that pedigree with a fun and fresh experience. Sitting at the light wood counter, you’ll get an eight-course mix of sushi and other Japanese small plates (think buttery Hokkaido scallop nigiri and a deep-fried Dungeness crab nugget). And unlike omakase spots that are more cramped and stuffy, the 14-seat counter is buzzing with enjoyable energy while still spacious enough to feel like you’re at your own private table. This place is pricey (around $185 per person). But from the fantastic food to the above-and-beyond service, it's worth shelling out a bit more at Shomon to celebrate a special occasion." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente