Yoshiko

In a previous life, this was a sushi shop. The second-generation owner-chef, preparing food at the counter left over from earlier days, apprenticed at a wholesaler, then at a ryotei, before hanging out his shop curtain as a fugu (puffer fish) chef. Wild-caught tora fugu arrive from Shimonoseki. Fugu sashimi arranged in a floral pattern called botan-zukuri is arrayed on celadon plates, and chirinabe hotpots followed by zosui rice gruel are prepared by the book. Patiently aged homemade ponzu sauce, appetisers of fugu skin or jellied fugu, and stone-grilled fugu show off the chef’s individuality and spirit.

What makes it distinctive

• A sushi counter repurposed for fugu: the room’s past as a sushi shop lives on in the counter setup.
• Botan zukuri theatre: sashimi arranged in a floral pattern, served on celadon plates.
• Classic arc, tightly executed: sashimi, then chirinabe, then zosui, with small fugu dishes in between.

Signature Ingredients

• Wild caught tora fugu: shipped in from Shimonoseki and worked through multiple preparations.
• Ponzu: a house made ponzu sauce that is aged and used as the main seasoning thread.
• Rice: used for the closing zosui gruel after the hotpot.

Format

• Fugu focused set course served at a counter, built around a traditional progression from sashimi to hotpot to a closing rice course.

What you eat

• Tora fugu sashimi arranged as botan zukuri, presented in a floral pattern on celadon plates.
• Chirinabe hotpot, followed by zosui rice gruel to finish.
• Supporting dishes include fugu skin, jellied fugu, and stone grilled fugu.

House flavour

• A homemade ponzu sauce is aged patiently and used as a key condiment through the meal.