Tuesday, 08 January 2008

  • Sushi Dai

    Tsukiji Fish Market
    No. 8, 5-2-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku
    Tsukiji, Japan
    81-3/3541-3860

    The fish market in Tsukiji is very busy in the morning with the bustle of small carts moving crates of seafood around and people selling their catch.  It is also a very popular tourist location for people interested in seeing the various types of sea creatures that are part of the Japanese diet.

    There are a lot of moving carts so we had to be careful where we were walking.  There are rumours that the fish market will be closed off from tourist in the near future as they get in the way of normal business.

    The market is where you will find the fresh catch of the day.

    Still moving shrimp:

    Huge squid/octopus:

    Also around the fish market area are a number of sushi restaurants that open early and close just as early who serve some of the freshest sushi in Japan.

    One that is well known and has been around for a while is Sushi Dai, also known as Sushi Bun.  It is very tight and small inside so be sure to come early or be prepared for a long wait.

    We weren't allowed to take pictures inside but here are a couple of quick shots for my readers.

    Those leaves are what they serve our sushi on.

    Some fresh fish eggs and sushi:

    Unlike other sushi restaurants where you order sushi individually, Sushi Dai has a small number of packages where you will get whatever is fresh for that day.   We had the cheapest package which was around $22 and there was enough food there to consider it dinner or a really big lunch.  The fish were the freshest I've ever had.  They were smooth and melted in my mouth.  Most sushi had a bit of wasbi to give it that extra kick but too much to draw you away from the fish.  They also served miso soup with a lot of small clams.

    The sushi at Sushi Dai is the best I've ever had.  Service is a bit rushed but with the number of people outside waiting and the tight seating area, you can understand why.  I would definitely recommend coming here on your visit to the fish market.

    Note: Sushi Dai is open from 6am-2:30pm, closed Sun/Holidays and market closed days (Tsukiji schedule - red days means closed)

    Eric Tummy Points 4.5 out of 5

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Comments (9)

  • ced
    I practically have the same pictures of the market, along with the octopus. Pretty dangerous there though with all that traffic moving cargo around. Nearly got myself run over a couple of times when I wasn't looking. Also, I noticed that some fish mongers don't like their photos taken, and I had one wave his spiked stick at me when I went to take pictures of his tuna.

    If you get a chance, go try the Okonomiyaki, but I found the ones in Tokyo to be less tasty than the ones in Osaka. Don't know why, since you get to cook it yourself, and the ingredients are basically the same in both cities.
  • soggy_fries
    Oh wow. Japan has always been one of the cities I plan to visit someday. And while it seems like a great place to visit, it's just way too bustling to reside in. Nevertheless, i still want to go! And you're right, fresh fish is such a beautiful thing!
  • mstinawu
    Great pictures! Gives me a hankerin' for some fresh sashimi.
  • chunkielove
    Oh wow, I almost had the opposite experience to ced's. One fishmonger was hauling his two huge tunas and actually egged me on for a photo. (: Maybe they're just extra nice to the little Asian girls with the big cameras? I ended up just getting a chirashi from one of the vendors on the main street. It was great. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
  • angelahappydot
    oh man....i'm craving sashimi now!! i miss being in tokyo after looking at those awesome pictures! yum! i love ikura, the fish eggs! yum! i miss having such fresh sashimi!!! we live in london now and there's no way we'll get such awesome fish, unless i wanna spend a fortune!
  • anonymous

    hey eric,  Great shots!  You must have got there early. 

    I was just there around the same date too!  And, like you, Sushi Dai is the best sushi I've had! 

    here are my shots:  http://biggestmenu.com/?q=sushi+dai

    hope you enjoyed other great food in japan! 

  • wenhaha
    helloo, just randomly looking at ppl's xangas in the chef blogring. i've been to the exact same place for sushi in the morning n it was amazing...

    mmmm
  • anonymous

    i'll be going to japan for my honeymoon in july.  can't wait to try this sushi.  mmm!
  • richardhchan
    Yeah, I love Sushi Dai. It is the designated sushi place I go when travelling to Tokyo. There are other better place for sushi obviously but none can compete for the price / quality ratio. Go early with an good appetite.

    I have taken pictures of the sushi there and they are posted here

    http://www.vintnersgroup.com/Food%20blog/Sushi%20Dai/index.html

    Bravo!

    Richard

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