Why the First Piece Is Always Hirame
Most counters open on a white fish, and the reason has more to do with your palate than with tradition.
Edomae Sushi, Explained for the First-Time Guest
Cured, aged and brushed with nikiri: what the old Tokyo style does to fish, and why it still matters.
The Rice Matters More Than the Fish
Shari is where a sushi chef shows their hand: the vinegar, the temperature and the grip.
Eating Nigiri With Your Hands Is Not Rude
Chopsticks or fingers, fish side down or rice side down -- the small rules, and which ones nobody minds.
Inside a Ten-Seat Counter in Ginza
An evening at the counter from the first cup of tea to the last slice of tamago.
Seasonal Fish to Look Out for in Autumn
Sanma, modori-gatsuo and the first of the winter yellowtail: what the menu changes to as the nights draw in.
Kaiseki and Omakase Are Not the Same Meal
One is a sequence of courses built around the season, the other a conversation with one chef.
The Hassun Course, Plate by Plate
The second course of a kaiseki dinner sets out the season on a single tray.
Reading a Kaiseki Menu Written in Season Words
Kigo, the season words of haiku, turn up on the menu card too. A short glossary.
The Lacquerware Is Part of the Meal
Why a kaiseki kitchen chooses the bowl before it chooses what goes in it.
Otoro, Chutoro, Akami: Tuna From Belly to Back
Three cuts of one fish, three different meals. Where each comes from and how the chef serves it.
Why Good Counters Age Their Fish
Fresh is not always best. A few days of careful ageing gives fish its depth and its texture.