Sushi Shin in Hiroo, Tokyo
I have visited the great Sushi Shin in Hiroo twice now - once in November 2016 and again recently - and yet have failed, until now, to write about it. Let’s remedy this.
The shop is a little bit out of the way, about 15- or 20-minute walk from either Hiroo or Roppongi stations, tucked away in a residential neighborhood. The sushi here is exactly how I remembered it when I first visited in November of 2016: very reminiscent of Shimbashi Shimizu (and even more of Sushi Take in Ginza), with strongly seasoned akasu shari, fairly large nigiri pieces, and excellent hikarimono and kai. Owner / chef Suzuki-san is a pretty intense guy, but also friendly. The sushi at Shin ranks in my top 10 in Tokyo – I think it is an underrated shop.
A couple of negatives, though, keep me from adding Shin to my regular rotation. First, since my last visit three years ago, prices have gone up quite a bit. I paid over Y30,000 for the dinner omakase plus 1 beer and 2 glasses of nihonshu during my last visit. When I first visited in 2016 I paid under Y22,000 for more food and more booze and it felt like a great value. This time, I didn’t feel like Shin was such a great value anymore. Also, as has previously been documented, chef Suzuki does alter the menu for foreign guests. In my case, during my second visit when I dined without a Japanese friend, he substituted a couple of pieces of shellfish with shiromi. Now, I know he does this with good intention (the idea that a foreign guest won’t like the shellfish and will enjoy the shiromi more) – but goshdarnit, I really wanted the shellfish. Next time, I will have the concierge stipulate that I want the regular Japanese menu without substitutions.
As a side note, I keep seeing customers misbehave in this shop. On my first visit a group of Korean customers were behaving badly, especially the lady who decided to re-do her entire hair and makeup right there at the sushi counter. During my second visit, on my left, one of the five Japanese ladies who were dining together got so drunk that the restaurant staff had to carry her to the bathroom so that she could throw up. Lovely. (Side-side note, it is nice to see Japanese customers misbehaving, for once. Can’t blame the gaijins for this one!) On my right, two obnoxious Chinese-Canadian dudes (one of whom was wearing shorts and a baseball cap worn backwards - at dinner at a Michelin starred restaurant…) kept leaving the shop in the middle of the meal to take cigarette breaks. They must have taken at least five smoke breaks during the course of the evening, which of course affected the chef’s flow. So rude.
Still, misbehaving customers aside, I really enjoy the sushi here and would definitely recommend Shin, especially to those who want to experience Shimizu style sushi but are unable to secure a booking at Shimizu. The great sushi is well worth potentially dealing with the occasional clueless customer.
Sorry for the lack of photos. On my first visit I enjoyed the company of a good friend and did not take any. On my second visit I took iPhone images which I accidentally deleted. I will make sure to post some next time I visit.
Sushi Shin
4-chome-18-20 Nishiazabu, Tokyo