Sushi Keita

Recently it has become the fashion among sushi restaurants to show off the business cards or other tokens of tuna wholesalers to signal that they are the real deal. Keita Aoyama is the diametric opposite. Hearing this bit of news, you probably like him already—fortunately, as affinity with the owner-chef is a vital element of the sushi shop experience. Aoyama is a man of kind temperament. Nigiri are formed large; cut toppings are thick and broad, according to the characteristics of each fish, so as to wrap around the vinegared rice when formed, making them impressive.

Distinctive Details

• A deliberate anti-posture stance, no tuna wholesaler calling cards on display
• Oversized nigiri with broad, thick toppings designed to wrap the rice
• The owner-chef runs the counter with an unusually gentle, low-drama tone

Signature Ingredients

• Tuna and other market fish served as thick-cut nigiri
• Vinegared sushi rice, formed to carry broad neta
• Seasonal seafood typical of an omakase sequence

Menu Summary

A one-star Tsukiji counter serving omakase built around assertive nigiri, the rice and fish are portioned big, the toppings cut thick and wide so they wrap the shari as they land. The style leans classic Edomae in spirit, with an owner-chef who keeps the room calm and personal, the meal is as much about rhythm and temperament as it is about tuna.