Ailun H.
Yelp
My cousins and I had a wonderful omakase experience at Sushi Rinda this past week, where we shelled out ¥33,000 (+10% tax) per person. We got the recommendation from a trusted source and made a reservation 2+ months in advance on Tabelog to make sure we secured a spot for us during our time in Tokyo.
Our dining experience began at 6:30 PM and wrapped up ~3 hours later, after more than 20 courses at an intimate 9-seat counter. The staff was attentive, and the chefs brought great energy -- joking with guests and clearly enjoying their craft. I paired my meal with two glasses of iced green tea (¥600 each).
CRAB WITH PEAR (OR APPLE?) APPETIZER
Citrusy with seaweed-umami notes. Crab was fresh and sweet.
CHUTORO
Melted like butter; strong wasabi; excellent rice.
YELLOWTAIL
Delicate flavors, very fatty, melt-in-your-mouth texture. One of the best I've had.
CHAWANMUSHI WITH MATSUTAKE MUSHROOM
Yuzu-forward, thick dashi that was almost gelatinous, perfectly textured custard. Mushrooms were very earthy.
WHITE FISH APPETIZER
Sweet soy and uni-like sauce with delicate garnish. Very good. Fish was firm with a nice chewy crunch.
GRILLED SQUID WITH SHISO SALT
Texture was interesting, but not my favorite, with a slightly slimy film. Not the most flavorful either.
COOKED SQUID
Chewy, naturally sweet, lightly spiced. Very fresh.
SALMON ROE
Ikura was topped with some nori, yuzu salt, and soy sauce, which sat on top of a bed of rice. Fresh, never frozen roe with no fishiness. Lightly sweet, delicate texture.
TORCHED MACKEREL
Charred, soft, salty with ginger notes. "Stinkiest" so far, but good. Very soft and tender.
CLAM
Basted with a bit of soy sauce, soft-crunchy texture, delicate flavor.
ABALONE WITH SEAWEED-BASED DASHI SAUCE
Smoky, chewy like a mushroom, bright yuzu and umami dashi. Seaweed was very fresh.
BLACKTHROAT SEA PERCH
Very buttery and tender; the skin was seared with hot rocks for a smoky finish.
FRIED KAMASU WITH YELLOW FISH ROE
Salty and fragrant; roe was soft, not crunchy. Good, but not my favorite.
SPANISH MACKEREL (SAWARA)
Lightly seared on a bed of hot rocks with a crispy skin, creamy and fatty with a bit of yuzu salt.
BEEF TARTARE WITH RED UNI (HOKKAIDO)
Super briny, rich, creamy, umami bomb. They do not skimp on the uni here.
DRUNK SHRIMP
Killed with sake, meaty and juicy, subtly sweetened by the sake. Incredibly fresh.
FISH SOUP WITH RICE
Served in a small hot stone bowl (~280F). Gelatinous, sea-forward broth, topped with spring onions and sesame and rice on the bottom. Almost tasted like a seafood porridge.
SARDINE (MACKEREL)
Salty, smooth skin texture, ginger bits added sweetness and tang.
GREEN SEA URCHIN
More delicate and subtle compared to the red uni. The sushi chef topped so much uni on mine like a mountain.
AKAMI (LEAN BLUEFIN TUNA)
Smooth, delicate, lightly seasoned with salt and soy.
MISO SOUP
Fragrant, sweet, umami-rich from seaweed.
TAMAGO
Fluffy, lightly sweet. One of the best I've had, they served it in two pieces shaped like a heart.
SEA EEL
Soft, almost cotton-like texture. Light flavor with a delicately sweet eel sauce.
ORANGE JUICE (DESSERT)
Thick, homemade-tasting, not too sweet. Very refreshing finale.
Overall, this was an incredible experience that was unforgettable. We were incredibly full and the chef asked us multiple times to make sure we were satisfied with the amount of food given. The seafood was incredibly fresh, and each course had delicate, but umami-heavy flavors that I really loved.