Ajuta

If there were anyone worthy of the title sushi artisan, it would be Ajuta’s owner-chef Hiroki Ajuta. Even among the upper echelons of master sushi chefs, few can claim to be as particular about their ingredients as he is. His seafood comes straight from the best suppliers in Toyosu Fish Market, and then goes through a strict aging process that Chef Ajuta personally supervises. Over a decade of training has taught him that like the ripening of fruits or vegetables, each fish has its own optimal period in which it has maximum flavor. To Chef Ajuta, different fish require different maturation periods, and even the same fish prepared in different styles must sometimes be matured for a different amount of time. And just as important as letting fish “ripen” is pairing it with the correct rice. Ajuta’s shari rice has a laundry list of ingredients: besides the basics of domestically-grown Japanese rice and pure water, the shari also incorporates several types of vinegar and salts from all around the world. This gives it a uniquely mineral-rich taste that helps to emulsify the fats naturally present in the fish. Every bite is thus a wonderfully holistic combination of taste, texture and aroma. The signature dish of Ajuta's already stellar offerings is the conger eel nigiri. Chef Ajuta's longstanding relationship with Toyosu Fish Market eel wholesaler Ueken gives him access to the highest-quality eel. Unlike the typical sweet sauce reduction used in most restaurants, Ajuta's conger eel is prepared only with salt, to maximize the natural flavor of the meat. Perhaps one of the more unique traits of Ajuta is its comprehensive sake and wine offerings. While many sushi restaurants offer sake pairings with their nigiri courses, Chef Ajuta offers red and white wine pairings from a collection so extensive that some guests even go solely for the wine.