Agreed but I do. Just setting out for Picholine, one of my favorites.I haven't been since it opened but it was fabulous. Caveat is that you have to like fish
America's 10 Most Expensive Restaurants
- Thread starter Steve Williams
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There was a time, a few decades past, when I could eat anywhere I wanted to and not blink at the price for even a second, but I never did. Places like the ones mentioned aren't necessarily about food, but rather the stature that some guide has graciously bestowed on them. That's not say these aren't some very fine restaurants with very capable expert chefs, but the pricing is so obscene that it it borders on vulgarity. It was important for many of my friends at the time to be able to say they ate here, bought that, went there.....I never got caught up in that.
Yes the prices can be obscene but when I look at some of the dishes and see the skill and labor applied, I can't help but understand why they charge so much.
I look at it as a fine art form which comes with a price. John is saying he'd rather hang his art on the wall rather than poop it out the next day
Perfect example here John
http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...ve-Restaurants&p=112963&viewfull=1#post112963
http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...ve-Restaurants&p=112963&viewfull=1#post112963
I look at it as a fine art form which comes with a price. John is saying he'd rather hang his art on the wall rather than poop it out the next day
Can't say I blame him. However, memories are forever, at least until alzheimer gets ya. I try to cook so I know how hard a lot of the things haute cuisine chefs do. A lot of it makes making souffles look like child's play. Heck, even my wife makes souffles. Sorry honey. LOL.
Ah. My favorite restaurant is in the market itself where they show the fish being cleaned and such. As I noted earlier, it outclasses some of the highest end sushi restaurants in quality. If you get there by 7:00am, the wait will be more than an hour! I get there at 6:00am to beat the rush. Fortunately, 6:00am then is dinner time here so waking up is not hard and sushi for breakfast is not so odd!
That said, there are two distinct classes of high-end sushi in my book. One is the super quality of the everyday place I go to. And the one in this video and other I mentioned. They are almost like different experiences. Maybe it is like having some great southern food and french. Both can be amazing for different reasons.
was it Daiwa Sushi at Tsukiji? the pic below is at Daiwa with my wife and dear friend Suzuki-san (displaying obligatory peace sign). he's a 30-year vet of Tsukiji and gave us a 4-hr back stage tour. we actualy didnt wait the necessary 2-3 hrs to get a seat--this was at 6 AM--he got us in the back door. earlier, we met his yakuza-looking friend that owns Daiwa and is also a major trader at Tsukiji. The fish served at Daiwa was the best availble that day, same stuff that sells in Ginza for 50-100...a piece! dont know what our meals cost it was comped -- but for sure a lot less than Ginza restuarants.
I actually enjoy Kansai style over Edo style (Tokyo) some of the very best sushi ive ever eaten in Japan were at nondescript sushi-yas in Osaka.
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Yes!
I still remember the first time I went there. I work up early and was going to go to the market. I do a google and this restaurant shows up on everyone's trip report to the market. I go there and see this incredible zoo of fish stalls and such as you have seen. How the heck am I going to find this place? The name was in Kanji characters and not in English. I walked and walked and walked. I finally see this long line in this little alley and figured it would be it and it was. There are actually two of them. One is run by the father and the other the son. Looks like you were at the Son's. I have a slight preference for the father. Both as you said are superb. I have taken Japanese there who did not know about it and they were shocked how good it was.
As to Yakuza, there are all kind of stories on how they have their own set of laws at Tsukiji market and folks get punished in the dark of the night.
Back to Daiwa, there are so many tourist who go there that they expect you to not know a thing about sushi or how to order. Half the time I got there I would get looks and giggles from girls and such thinking I had no idea what I was going to eat. Little did they know that I learned the bit of Japanese I did just so that I can order and eat Sushi.
Imagine their shock when I would ask in Japanese if they had certain thing and whether it was fresh then. By that time the sushi chef would also be very impressed. Unfortunately he would then assume I am fluent in Japanese and start speaking to me as such . Boy, do I miss my Japanese trips. I am tempted to go there just to have sushi and other great food there.
the cosa nostra is alive and well at Tsukiji. they guy we met, i guess the son, was in his mid-50s and chewed on a stogie incessantly. when suzuki-san introduced me, he said "I know a Robert...Robert DeNiro" and laughed at his own joke. he cleary loves gangster movies. his claim to fame was a new benz s-class every 6-mos because he didnt remove his boots. one can only wonder what those cars smelled like. good times.
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