Sushidokoro Arima

The knife work on the nigiri at this Sapporo sushi restaurant will make you stop to reevaluate your definition of beautiful sushi. The laser precision of the chef’s steady hands really is something to marvel at. Take, for example, the herring and shallot nigiri: served with the skin on, and cut in a diamond crosshatch pattern — the silver of the skin gently separating to reveal the beautifully pink flesh underneath. Other pieces are cut with diagonal parallel lines which suggest the rippling waves from which the fish came. The visual experience is completed by the view of his ingredients through the glass lid of the container which the chef keeps on top on the counter: a vision of freshness. Thankfully it all tastes just as good as it looks. The omakase course meal takes the taste buds on a tour around the coast of Hokkaido through unbeatable sushi and other dishes such as shrimp head in miso soup. Though the interior isn’t extravagant, it’s cozy and clean to allow for a relaxing and entertaining dining experience, with some of the most ornate pieces of Michelin-starred sushi you’re ever likely to eat.