Sushi by Shiro Kashiba
It was a normal Saturday everning, but turned into a once-in-a-lifetime experience when I was led by a server to the inner most-seat, sat right in front of chef Shiro Kashiba, and followed with an incredible sushi journey directly from this grand sushi master.
Once-in-a-Lifetime Dining Experience
Salmon: Sockeye, King, and King Belly.
From tender to melty and finally slightly crispy texture, it is the signature dish from chef Shiro. Each one has a different seasoning/dressing to highlight its essence.
Tuna: Albacore and Bluefin—Lean, Fatty, and Belly.
Who don't love fatty tuna? However there is something special in the fat tuna sushi - I don't know what's the seasoning between the fish and the sushi rice but it brings subtle favor change pivoting to umami taste.
Agedashi Tofu.
This tofu tastes like a crispy tempura ourside and dense hot soymilk inside.
Yellowtail and Amberjack.
The middle piece Hiramasa with crispy and firm texture is great. I don't really like white fish that much but have to say these are highest quality I've had (just look how beautiful they are).
Spot Prawn and Fried Prawn Head, Abalone, Uni, Hokkaido Scallop.
I'd like to decribe this as a "sweet dish". Each piece is sweet yet with dramatically different texture. The natural is amazing to create such diversed yet natual sweetness.
Kohada and Octopus
These are the fishes from all over the world: Spain, Japan, Chile, and Japan, from right to left. Among these pieces, Kohada (the 2nd from right to left) is usually hard to made well as it has strong fishy smell but Shiro made it perfectly delicious. Baby octopus is a seasonal ingredient from Japan that super chewy. Chef Shiro said: "Chew long time, meats get sweeter." The flavor changing with chewing was a brandly new experience for me.
"Secret pieces".
I'll keep it a secret. ;) It is super hard to guess what they are from how they look.
Unagi tempura and Tamago.
The best tamago I've got. It is dense but in the soft and melting way.
In a summary, it's definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience to get sushi from the world's top chef Shiro Kashiba. I'm more than lucky today.
Fun Facts and FIndings
- Sushi Kashiba serves 3 rounds of Omakase experiences every night at 5, 7, and 9pm. Chef Shiro Kashiba makes sushi for 4 persons out of 3 x 12 = 36 persons per night. So it's 1/9 or even lower (as Shiro is said to serve only 3/7 days per week and now he has opened a new sushi restaurant in Bellevue) probability to get sushi directly from chef Shiro Kashiba. But we can definitely think how to maximize the probability. Just as a reference, my dining experience happened at 7pm on a Saturday night.
- Chef Shiro Kashiba said his favorite "fish" is not actually a fish, it's razor clam in Japan.
- I cannot tell chef Shiro Kashiba is over 80 years old! He is still concise and capable, with a well-thought-out plan, exuding confidence in every gesture and movement.
- Shiro said he only takes 4 pounds out of a 350 pounds tuna for making sushi.
- “Chew long time, meats get sweeter” - Shiro definitely loves this experience. He said the same thing in an interview back to 2016 by SeattleMet, you can find the link in #Read More section below.
- Chef Shiro Kashiba has transcended the realm of designing culinary experiences and has turned to explore the Tao of food.