Sushi Tomi

Guests looking to dine at Sushi Tomi have to truly want to find it. It’s not even visible from the street: to find it, one has to enter an entirely different restaurant — and not even a sushi restaurant, at that. Sushi Tomi is so clandestine it’s located on the second floor of Yakiniku Kokonomi. It may be tough to find, but the payoff is worth it. Chef Onuki Masahiro is a veteran of the sushi scene with more than 30 years’ experience. Having worked in the sushi scene since he was just 15 years old, sushi making is second nature to him. His career started in Sushi Aoyagi, one of the most famous sushi restaurants in the Tokyo Station Hotel. From there on, he worked at various Michelin-starred sushi restaurants in the nation’s capital, before finally coming to Sushi Tomi. More than three decades in the business has given him close connections with the finest ingredients and best techniques. His tuna, for instance, is purchased fresh every morning from Toyosu Market, from the legendary tuna wholesaler Yamayuki — a privilege reserved only for the best sushi chefs. Meanwhile, the rice at Tomi is koshihikari grown in Saku, Nagano Prefecture, held in high esteem for its firm and chewy texture. His signature dish is actually a Kyushu invention: tamagoyaki rolled omelet with shrimp. Taking some cues from his stint in the kitchens of famed Ginza establishment Kyubey, he bakes it over an open flame.