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I think, at this point, we can agree that there’s cultural appropriation, and there’s cultural appreciation.The history of the West’s relationship to Chinese food is long and complicated, but as early as the early 20th century, Chinese immigrants to the USA and UK were devising recipes that were specifically suited to the tastes of people in their new countries. I have a book, Chinese Cookery Secrets, by Deh-Ta Hsiung, a Chinese chef and food writer—which explicitly sets out recipes for cooking the kind of food you get in Chinese restaurants and takeaways: spare ribs, salt and pepper chicken, chow mein, various sweet and sour things, et cetera. Is it cultural appropriation for me to cook from that book, since Deh-Ta Hsiung wrote it for people like me, who’ve liked that food for years?I have another book, Classic Food of China by Yan-Kit So, which is far more upmarket, with photographs instead of grimy line drawings, and which is an encyclopedic introduction to the various regional cuisines of China.It’s not the kind of stuff I can order from my local takeaway (although I do know a Chinese restaurant in Edinburgh that serves things like satay tripe, and pigs’ trotters in black bean sauce, and very good they are too.)It would be wildly inappropriate for me to cook a bunch of food from this book and invite my friends to an ‘authentic northern Chinese banquet’, or whatever: it would be an Irish guy trying to cook Chinese food with largely Scottish ingredients (although the Starlight Chinese Supermarket in Clerk Street has a vast range of Chinese and other Asian ingredients, including straw mushrooms, dried anchovies, beef tendon…) But if I were honest about it, as my attempt to follow recipes, then I don’t see what’s so inappropriate.I used to write a food blog, and one of my posts was about bolognese sauce. I first learned to cook it in my early 20s. It was a thick, meaty concoction involving onion and garlic, beef mince, tinned tomatoes, dried herbs and wine, served with spaghetti and lots of grated parmesan.I later learned a bit about Italian food, and I learned that the traditional Bolognan ragú was traditionally served with tagliatelle, not spaghetti; often included such ingredients as ham, nutmeg, milk or chicken livers; and was altogether a lot more sophisticated and delicate than the heavy, garlicky red gunge that I craved whenever I wanted to make bolognese.So I started to try to make it.I fiddled with my recipe for years, adding this and taking away that, chopping the meat instead of using mince. Everybody always liked it, because it wasn’t bad and I’m an okay cook.But it wasn’t what we wanted.What my friends and I wanted was that lurid scarlet sauce ladled over a pile of spaghetti and dusted with parmesan so thickly that the stuff practically forms a crust on top. Not some half-assed idea about ragú, cooked by someone who’s never even been to goddamn Italy. We wanted the sauce that had the memories and associations for us. So maybe I’ve got more sophisticated over the years: I have to garland my bolognese with a fistful of fresh basil, and I have been known to hide vegetables in there, and the other night I made just pasta and tomato sauce because one of us was a vegetarian, and it was great.Likewise, one of my favourite Chinese restaurant/takeaway dishes is the salt and pepper spare rib. I don’t know when or where it was invented, or what in Chinese cuisine it’s descended from or alludes to, but it has a lot of associations for me. If I found that nobody in China eats anything like that, it wouldn’t stop me eating it.I don’t cook a lot of Chinese food, and the Chinese food I do cook is hardly authentic to China, but because of the development of the Chinese restaurant system in the 20th century, Chinese food’s relationship with the West is basically a giant middle finger to the whole question of authenticity and purity in cuisine. Entire swathes of what many Westerners regard as Chinese food is inextricably hybrid, invented in the West because its cooks found that it was more in line with what non-Chinese people wanted to eat. And that’s fine. The complex and involved ways in which classic food in China is affected by Chinese philosophy and culture—balancing the Four Natures and Five Tastes, or one food type against another, etc.—doesn’t begin to enter most Western people’s minds when they’re ordering a Chinese takeaway.I’m not downgrading the practices of Chinese restaurants in the West. I don’t think ‘authentic’ is necessarily better. Authenticity just doesn’t matter much to me. I am myself a product of mixed cultures; hell, I’m mixed about everything. I wouldn’t try to pass off my stir-fry as authentic (just as I wouldn’t try to pass off my pho as authentically Vietnamese.) I just want it to be good.If I were to try to cook from Classic Food of China, of course I’d take the trouble to do it right—not because I’m trying to pretend I’m Chinese, but because I want to find out what that dish tastes like. What I do know about that cuisine, from reading that book, is that it involves a whole range of techniques and ingredients that you don’t tend to find in the average takeaway menu.Anyway, if things go the way they’re going, pretty soon China will be the dominant power on the planet. And if that day comes, it’ll be more than good manners for the rest of us to learn how to cook their foods and speak their languages.

Well, from Kerala- India, I would say the following hotels are indeed extremely unique, probably in entire India itself.Kerala is one of India’s most popular touristy state and indeed one of the most exotic locations for vacations. Infact, its been often rated by many International agencies as one of the most loved Paradises on the earth and a MUST-VISIT destination in a lifetime.Naturally, hotel industry in Kerala is one of the biggest in the country and hotels compete each other to differentiate their concepts and themes to have more attention and patronage.Some of the most unique hotels are as belowGinger House Museum Hotel- KochiThe concept of Museum Hotel is not popular India. Though there are many historical palaces and places converted into luxury hotels which has some historical artifacts displayed here and there, the very concept of living in a room filled with antiques and artifacts is somewhat unheard.And that concept was popularized for the first time in India by Ginger Museum. Ginger Museum is one of India’s biggest antiques store. They were into business of procuring and selling antiques based in Jew Town- Cochin. They do have huge warehouses with antiques brought from almost all regions of India and neighboring countries, aimed for exports as well as local sales to tourists. As part of diversification, they converted their antique warehouse into a museum with a small cafe. It became so popular among tourists visiting Kochi, that they converted one of their old warehouses into a Hotel and started providing the experience of living with historical artifacts. Its a 4 star Boutique hotel with 8 rooms, each room decorated with more than 100+ artifacts of various eras and places. Everything in this hotel is an artifact, be it bed, chairs or desks or toilet mirror or artwork or tables or even balcony railing.A museum curator will be available to help the guest to understand history behind each antique in the room where they will be staying. If they are interested, they can buy the antique which they loved the most in the room which shall be dismantled and packed for them.Such a concept is unique in the country or probably in the entire world.The giant Snakeboat (Chundan Vellam) is one of the star attraction of the property. Infact, every artifact in this hotel is a real one. This company was supplied majority of the artifacts for the Mumbai Airport’s T2 as part of its Airport Museum- Jai Ho!! So one can expect a similar experience in this hotel too, living in middle of the artifacts of a bygone era.Night in a museum: a luxurious taste of old KeralaLe Colonial 1506- KochiLe Colonial 1506 Hotel has a very unique history. It is the oldest surviving hotel in the India, constructed in 1506 as Portuguese Guest house, intended to accommodate visiting Portuguese officials to Kochi, then-the Capital of Estados Inde (Portuguese India). The small traditional Malabar styled house, always remained as Guest House barring a brief period of Dutch India, when it served as India HQ of VOC (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie or Dutch East India Company), thereby the defacto Secretariat of Dutch Govt in India. But eventually it soon became a guest house for high officials and dignitaries visiting Dutch Governor General of India. During British Raj, this building was purchased by J Thomas- the legendary Tea merchant who established organized Tea Market in India (the famous J Thomas and Co which is still the world’s biggest tea auction company based in Calcutta) and remained as the company’s guest house untill it was converted into a boutique hotel in 2000s.Today its converted into a heritage boutique hotel. What's more unique, all its 7 rooms are named after those guests who once spent a night in that very same room. Those 7 rooms named after world famous dignitaries are Vasco da Gama (the famous explorer who discovered the sea route to India which began the European Colonization of India), Mahé de La Bourdonnais (the illustrious French Naval Commander who lead the foundations of French India), Tipu Sultan (the last Mysore Emperor who stayed here on his way for Travancore Invasion), The Viceroy (named by Lord Mountbatten who used this room during his Kochi visit), ADC (named after his ADC as the room was adjacent to Viceroy’s room), J Thomas (the legendary tea planter), Major Petrie (the famous British Army General who took over Kochi from Dutch as part of Anglo-Dutch treaty) and Jan van Spall (the last Dutch Governor General of India who lived in this bldg as his official residence).The rooms were retained with its pure colonial charm with original artefacts of its owners while during their visit to this hotel. Imagine spending a night in the room where Vasco Da Gama had his last night (prior to his death on Dec 24th 1524) or in the room where Tipu Sultan relaxed once. It gives an unique experience. The hotel has a huge collection of original art work, particularly paintings and portraits made inbetween 16th century-19th century which has been curated well as decorative works.The café is also named after Lord Mountbatten has its uniqueness. It doesn’t have a fixed menu. Rather the guests can discuss with the chef in the way they wish to have their food in Continental or Kerala style and food is prepared as per their wish and style.No other hotel in Indian Sub continent can boast such a huge legacy, which this 514 year old hotel can claim. The hotel’s gate carries the original emblem of VOC, the only remaining relic of Dutch East India company in India, thus its famously called as VOC Gate and a protected heritage monument.VOC Gate with the Dutch Monogram engraved as of 1740 AD, marking the bldg as official HQ of VOC then.Aquatic Floating Hotel- KochiAquatic Floating Hotel is India’s second Floating hotel after Floatel in Calcutta. However unlike Floatel which is more of a cruise ship kind structure (4 storied bldg on a floating vessel), Aquatic Floating Hotel in Kochi is fully a resort that floats over water with nothing fixed to ground. Its not multi-storied structure, rather individual floating structures, be it individual cottages, reception, restaurant or leisure area or even the swimming pool itself floats around over a 30 acre backwater lagoon. There is nothing in this hotel complex that has a foundation barring the parking lot and road that lead to the hotel complex. Even a small party lawn has been constructed on a floating platoon.The 10 villas are independent floats docked to a walkway. The star attraction is its swimming pool which is India’s first Floating Infinity Pool which gives an unique feel of swimming in a water within a water body.Another unique factor, the rooms were built in natural way, mostly with coconut shells, bamboo, coconut palm leaves, Hardwood and Gypsum panels for walls and false roofs. No concrete has been used for rooms and floating structures. This was because the resort was planned as additional revenue stream apart from the original business- fish farm. The entire project site is a prawns/shrimp fishing farm, so the owners didn’t want to disturb the eco system with any fixed structures.Guests have option to go their rooms either thro Pedal Boats or walking thro floating walkway. Speed boats are also available that can dock directly to the room.Chittoor Palace- KochiI have written in detail about this palace in another answer of mine.Arun Mohan (അരുൺ മോഹൻ)'s answer to Which is the best hotel in Kerala?The most unique feature of this Palace, its the India’s only SINGLE KEY RESORT, ie when booked, the entire palace is occupied by one guest and his family at a time. The whole palace is considered as one key room, so when booked, the guest is able to own the whole palace for a night.This was the one of the private residence of Kochi Maharajas with 3 private bedrooms and numerous other rooms.. So when booked, the guest can live as Kochi Maharaja for a dayRainforest Ayur Country- KottayamRainforest Ayur Country looks like any typical heritage resort as one finds in Kerala. What makes it unique- they recreated a mystic rainforest inside the resort with artificial rain all around the year (barring the actual rainy season) and deploys artificial mist-fogging in mornings to recreate an aura of being inside a virgin rainforest even closer to a bustling city.The resort has artifical waterfalls, a network of small streams and lakes surrounded by thick jungle like environment, few artificial caves with eerie looking environment as fit for meditation and yoga. The entire water area gives a very mystic feel as they intended to recreate the aura of Kavu (Sacred Groves) with very traditional themes of Yakshi-Gandharva etc. And thats the uniqueness as recreating a jungle with all these natural features is indeed a herculean task.The rooms are all built in traditional Kerala cottage style, thus giving a feel of moving back to an ancient time period, especially due to the jungle like settingsThe best part for me here is their open air banquet hall which gives an instant connect to the natureSome of their structures are nearly 400 years old houses which they dismantled from original site and rebuilt hereVythiri Resort- WayanadVythiri Resort is one of Kerala’s most celebrated hotel located in the picturesque Wayanad. This resort pushed Wayanad into one of the most sought after destination in Kerala tourist map, being the first major resort in Wayanad.Its indeed an ultra luxurious 5 star resort. So one can spot all luxury elementsWhats unique about it. It pushed the concept of luxury by the nature. Imagine the usual walk from reception to one’s room gets converted as a trek thro’ forest route? Or individual rooms surrounded by thick jungles? Or walking over streams and rivers in wooden bridges? Or living in Mud houses?Thats the unique feature of Vythiri Resort. The resort is set in 150 acre natural forest with huge trees forming thick canopy that prevents sunshine entering giving a natural feel of dense jungle interior. The rooms are located far away from reception and the walk to the room is actually a trek thro’ the forest exploring the nature’s bounty.Vythiri was first to conceptualize the concept of LUXURY TREE HOUSES in Kerala which now became very common in many resorts. Its built nearly 50 feet above ground, thus giving a huge bird’s eye view of the area.So as its honeymoon cottages are one of its kind. The rooms of these cottages are of two levels, with upper level being bedroom that has glass floorings to see the private pool in lower level.Most of the property inside this resort are actually Mud Houses as the entire theme of the hotel is Naturally Rustic.Its one of the best hideout retreats in KeralaKalari Kovilakom- PalakkadWell, this is NOT a hotel in strict sense. Its an Ayurvedic Hospital focuses on serious ailnments as well as wellness. However the hospital is set in the huge Kalari Kovilakom Palace, one of the biggest Palaces in Kerala, which belongs to Raja of Kollengode, a vassal King of Kochi Kingdom. Kollengode Rajas were primarily Ayurvedic physicians and they have extreme interest in Ayurveda research, so traditionally they used their palace for ayurvedic treatments and research activities. In 1900s, a few of Kochi Kings were too Ayurvedic Physicians, so they used their Vassal’s palace for advanced Ayurvedic research. Due to these reasons, Kalari Kovilakom became so reputed for its Ayurvedic treatments (apart from their traditional Kalaris for Kalaripayattu)Post independent era, it continued as an ayurvedic hospital, however in 2000s, it was acquired by luxury hotel giant - CGH Group who rebranded as Luxury Ayurveda combining hotel elements into it, apart from regular hospital works.So unlike usual hotel, one cannot check out as they wish. The time period of the stay is determined by the doctors based on the illness/ailments. For general wellness, the standard stay is for 14 days.The unique factor, though its luxurious hotel like environment, its a very strict regimented Ayurvedic life to be followed that differs from usual hotel or even from Ayurvedic hospital concept. Concepts like waking up at 5 AM in the morning, mandatory Yoga for 3 times a day, meditation etc makes the hotel unique. Sleeping hours are monitored and one can relax or sleep only at the designated hours. The hotel has a very strict Ayurvedic diet laws, so no- non veg, only sattiv food as prescribed by doctors which are mostly vegan and organic in nature. The food is actually very bland and nothing that defines in so-called tasty concept, but absolutely healthy So while one can use laptops or television inside their rooms, there are strict hours meant for each thing. So as there are strict rules about the dress to be worn. While outside the room, only white dress are allowed, mostly Kurthas/mundu for men, white plain churidars for women.The basic concept of this hotel is that- Leave your world outside and step to Ayur life.Most of the time, the doctors and physicians teach you the body mechanisms and how to live a healthy life. The whole concept is training oneself into living a natural healthy life, rather instant ayurveda etc. Guests are also trained the way to cook foods naturally retaining their nutrition etc.Definitely it may not suit to everyone, but unique in many ways. But the rooms and features of the property is indeed luxurious (in traditional sense) as its a Palace and has lot of heritage features.Foggy Knolls- VagamonFoggy Knolls is Kerala’s first Cave resort in the picturesque Vagamon.Technically its not an actual cave, rather its built over a granite mountain range. To avoid removing the hard granite surface as part of environment conservation reasons, they retained the hard granite part of the mountains and converted them into a cave like environment by artificially building it with proper bungalows on the top of it. So while the floors and side walls of the cave rooms are real granite of the mountains, the top part of the cave rooms are artificially built to gave an impression.5 cave rooms are designed that gives the replicate a Flintstones lifestyle apart from 4 proper modern bungalows for larger families to live.Another unique feature is the glass bridge over the mountain range to give the thrill factor.

Apologies on the length and wordiness of the following post. It’s far too long for a facebook or twitter update so I’ve copied it into an old-school email format. I’m afraid it may only appeal to other sushi-nerds or fans of the documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” as it is indeed a review of our experience at Sukiyabashi Jiro in Ginza Tokyo. Other Japanophiles may find it of interest as well as those who have been commenting on Michelle’s Facebook postings. I highly recommend watching the documentary on Netflix if you haven’t seen it as it is a cracking film. It also goes into the incredibly complicated and time-consuming methods of smoking nori, massaging octopus and layering egg tamago that I was previously ignorant of. The photography is exquisite and the soundtrack is brilliant.Jiro Ono and his sons Yoshikazu and Takashi have become globally famous since the release of the documentary and subsequent media attention. As a result his flagship Ginza 10-seater sushi bar has become slightly more accessible to foreigners although it is still a bit cumbersome and time-consuming getting a reservation with bookings having to be made months in advance. They do not take reservations from non-Japanese speakers but with the help of our hotel concierge we were able to get a booking in advance of our trip there. Jiro is now 89 years old and his son Yoshikazu is in his mid-50’s awaiting his eventual command of the Ginza shop. Sukiyabashi Jiro is a three-Michelin starred restaurant that has uniquely never lost that status. A lot of foodies speculate that if Michelin allowed four stars Jiro would certainly obtain the higher ranking.One of the limitations in reviewing Michelin three-star sushi restaurants is a lack of benchmarks. At the risk of sounding pretentious I would say that unless you are in the regular habit of consuming extremely expensive sushi dinners in Roppongi (and I definitely exclude us from this category) or have grown up with a lifetime of scoffing down nigiri in small sushi bars – you will likely not really get the finer nuances of dining at Jiro’s. So for us this was a bit of a shot in the dark and a once-in-a-lifetime fancy splurge and I will assume that there were a lot of things that we didn’t notice or pick up on. Our litmus test for good sushi has previously been a similar small bar in Shibuya introduced to us by Tatsuya Yoshioka back in early 2001 or so. Katsuaka Den is also a very small bar-only joint, run by an elderly husband/wife team with two sons providing support behind the bar. In many ways it is very similar to Jiro’s but a bit looser and informal, and without the global fame and patronage of Abe and Obama.Sukiyabashi Jiro is located in an annex to the Ginza Metro station, down a small and unlikely service corridor at the end of a flight of concrete steps. The Ginza line is one of the oldest and most-used lines operated by the Tokyo municipality rather than one of the flashier, newer private operators. With its low-slung ceilings, plastic signage and overall look of somewhat worn functionality, the Ginza line could best be described as “early-80’s chic” without any of the irony of an 80’s revival. So – Jiro’s is a basic unassuming restaurant operating in a nondescript passageway in perhaps the most nondescript corner of the vast underground Tokyo subway world. This could perhaps be accidental but it seems suspiciously in keeping with Jiro’s ethos which is a relentless simplicity and minimalism. There is absolutely no mistaking the vision at Jiro’s. The location, the atmosphere, the décor, service… everything is geared to one very clearly defined purpose: to highlight the fresh and unadulterated taste of the locally caught fish that Jiro and his sons select at the markets every morning. There are absolutely no distractions to lead you astray from what Jiro is trying to convey to you. Conversation is kept to a minimum. Witty banter is tolerated but not encouraged. There are a lot of protocols to eating at Jiro’s and this is reflected in the overall nervousness and skittishness of the majority of the diners, some of whom approach the restaurant and Jiro as supplicants worshipping at a holy shrine. While we were there, there were a number of autograph seekers and picture takers obviously in awe of the man that the Japanese government has designated as a national cultural treasure.The concept of minimalism and focus is carried out throughout the entire operation. There are no frills and additions. No bells and whistles or flourishes of style and innovation. This is classic Edo-style sushi in its purest form although Jiro has taken some liberties with convention by stripping away all artifice and unnecessary procedure. There is no need for complicated rituals involving the mixing of wasabi paste and tamari sauce. Tamari is provided but its use elicits a frown. Chopsticks are not needed. The entire 15-course meal is completed in 45 minutes at the outside. Ideally in 30 minutes. If calculated by minutes of dining, Jiro’s vaults into the stratosphere of expensive 3-star dining, as a meal at one of his Michelin compatriots might take three or four hours. But here the dining is methodical. The pace is dictated by the transfer of completed dishes from Jiro’s hand to your plate and woe to those who let their sushi stack up like rail-cars on a siding. As much as we tried to extend the moments there is really no halting the pace of the meal. We were deliberately one of the slowest couples in the restaurant and we were still done in less than an hour. Jiro even forsakes the lucrative drinks-list and extensive cellar that is the backbone of most profitable restaurant operations in service of his vision. Here, if you want sake you ask for sake. Beer is beer. There is no choice of brands or vintages. You get the house choice. That’s it. Beer, sake and water. The only acceptable accompaniments to this type of meal. I get the impression that water only makes the list out of sheer legality. The sake on offer is an excellent-quality, straightforward example. Served at room temperature, it is clear, unadulterated without floral notes or mineral tastes. The alcohol content is right in the middle of the range and it is refreshing and clean without any particular idiosyncrasy. No messing around with barrel-aged brews, tipples cloudy with residue or sake heady with perfumed aromas. Beer likewise is Sapporo straight out of the bottle and served in a plain glass. Drinks are offered at the beginning of the meal and never replenished unless asked for. Jiro does not wish alcohol to cloud one’s enjoyment of the food nor should you be lingering long enough to require multiple bottles of sake.Another important principle at work is “escalation”: the idea that the experience should gradually build in intensity. From the opening notes to a crescendo finish, each course should build upon the last and add harmony to the overall experience. Flavours that are too strong or out of place are rejected. The whole meal from arrival to departure is a curious combination of minimalism and austerity, but one that rises in intensity with each proffered piece of nigiri. The idea of repetition and excellence through practice is very evident. Despite his age Jiro shows no sign of fatigue or labour. His motions are unhurried and practice and his dexterity is honed through the years and years of practice. He neither stoops or shuffles. Each movement is an economy of motion and one that has been done thousands upon thousands of times.Luckily, as the first arrivals we were honoured with the two chairs at the bar directly in front of Jiro and and his son enabling us to closely observe every step of the process and have the minimal distance between Jiro’s hand and our serving plates. An apprentice hustled plates and ingredients, feeding materials to Yoshikazu who did all of the fish-cutting with his razor-sharp sashimi knife. Yoshi then passed on the cut fish to Jiro who formed the rice and hand-finished and served all the dishes.Here is the menu in full with some of our impressions and a contrast on dishes in common with Katsuaka Den or other outstanding versions we’ve tried:Karei (Flat Fish) - This fish has a mild and almost neutral flavour. It’s not one that we’ve tried before and rarely encountered on any other menus. Chosen I expect as a blank canvas on which to showcase the quality of the sushi rice. Jiro prides itself on its rice which is reckoned to be the absolute best available in the world. Jiro has his own exclusive rice supplier and spends as much time on getting the rice correct as he does on the fish itself. The rice is beautifully fresh, extremely fragrant with rice vinegar and much tangier than we are used to, almost bordering on sourness. It accents the strong taste of ocean fish and eel nicely and is a bit of a shocking contrast to most of the sushi rice we’ve tasted in North America and China that tends to have a lot of sugar added to the vinegar. It’s not that the flatfish is without taste. It has a distinct taste, however it’s a mild and unobtrusive flavour. The rice-bed of the nigiri is the exact same temperature as Jiro’s hand and perfectly formed. No two grains of rice clump together except by the pressure of the hand forming. The fish overlaps the rice so that it’s barely visible. No wasabi is included with this nigiri and the tamari sauce is brushed on by the maker. This particular course appears chosen to highlight the overall excellence of the supporting ingredients and is reminiscent of a master-craftsman opening his toolbox and showing off his wares.Sumi-Ika (Squid) - This nigiri has been one of our favorites over the years and the bar has been set high. Katsuaka Den’s version is a huge slab of squid mantle lightly roasted under the grill in order to caramelize the meat a bit and bring out a smokey flavor. They serve it warm and sprinkled generously with rough-cut rock salt and a squirt of lime. I’ve always found ika to be a dish served mainly for the texture which is surprising and unusual. The best versions have a mildly salty flavor and a texture which could be described as al-dente fish. The worst cases can be as rubbery and tough as a bicycle inner-tube. Sometimes the sushi-maker will score the back of the squid mantle in order to add textural interest and to create a surface for holding on to the tamari and wasabi sauces, performing exactly the same function as the grooves on penne rigate. Jiro’s ika is a mound of perfectly smooth, glistening squid perched atop its hand-formed rice-bed. The fish is not scored or cut on the bias. It arrives slick and laquered with tamari sauce and cut to an exactly mouth-sized bite with no trailing edges or ragged cuts. The flavour of the fish is sublime and the texture is so firm that it almost crunches when bitten. Each bite of the squid remains firm and salty, and there is no hit of pastiness or graininess in the flesh no matter how many times it is chewed. This is quite simply the best and freshest piece of squid we have ever encountered. It’s close, but the nod here goes to Jiro over Katsuaka Den.Shima-aji (Striped Jack) - Possibly we have eaten this before but just not known it. It appears to be closely related to tuna and I’m certain that a lot of places slip this into the menu as a substitute for the more famous yellow-tail or blue-fin. Another hand-formed piece with a tiny bit of wasabi bite this time. This nigiri is ultra-fresh, springy and without any hint at all of fishiness. The fish may have been pickled a bit and is served skin-side up so that the diner can admire the beautiful colouration of the scales and dramatic striping. The stronger taste is offset by the wasabi bite and sweetish pickling salt.Akami (Lean Tuna) - This is familiar as most commonly served in maki rolls, tuna tartare, spicy tuna dishes and a lot of North American fusion rolls. The flesh is so uniform that some places square it up into cubed rectangles when served as sashimi. The flavor can be unremarkable and have a slightly metallic taste depending on the fish. Jiro’s is slightly warm and a deep red, almost purplish colour. It has a wonderful firm texture and the taste is fairly standard. Katsuaka Den cuts this piece on the bias and adds little to no wasabi or tamari. Winner – Katsuaka DenChu-Toro (Semi Fatty Tuna) - Now we are getting into the realm of luxury tuna. This cut usually plays the starring role in most sushi bars we frequent unless one specifically orders o-toro. Jiro’s fish is beautifully orange and cut to perfection. It is presented side-up so that we can see the precise striping of fat running through the flesh. In this cut, the fat is connected to strands of muscle and sinew that band across the tuna’s belly. This muscle tissue gives each piece a regular, almost geometric striping and holds the fish together tightly. The flavor is mild, fresh and the texture firm and robust. There is no fishy flavour but a solid meaty taste and slight hints of salt-water. Winner - JiroO-Toro (Fatty Tuna) - This is usually the most expensive of all tuna cuts and the one with the most fat layered throughout. Diners sometimes shy away from this in North America because of the ridiculous price. Jiro’s o-toro is a big soft chunk of fish, expertly cut and marbled throughout with rich veins of fat. It actually looks very similar in colour and texture to fine Kobe beef with the same marbling pattern. It is a luxurious, opulent taste that is brought sharply into focus by the contrast with the two leaner cuts that precede it. This trio of tuna is one of the reasons why Jiro is famous, and it’s a nice idea and presentation. It is a decadent course that adheres perfectly to Jiro’s philosophy of highlighting the main ingredient. There is no wasabi offered and very little tamari. The only thing speaking here is the pure taste of the freshly caught tuna.Kohada (Gizzard Shad) - This is a nigiri that we have never tried before. It is somewhat similar to mackerel in appearance and texture. The scales are courser than a mackerel's and the colours are striped instead of gradient. Instead of covering the rice, the fish is coiled on top so as to show off the skin and iridescent scaling. This strong, oily fish has an extremely pungent taste. Shockingly fishy after the tuna it’s a magnificent flavour with no bitterness or aroma. It is simply the pure taste of ocean fish with a sweet aftertaste that is cut somewhat by the sushi rice vinegar. Neither Michelle or I are huge fans of mackerel, but I would order this again in a heartbeat.Mushi-awabi (Steamed Abalone) - We get this dish a lot in restaurants in Shanghai. Normally I hate it. There is just something about the taste and texture of abalone that I find off-putting. Usually in Shanghai it is served at a banquet as a steamed course with vinegar and wine. The whole abalone is served and is quite unappetizing in appearance. To my surprise – Jiro’s abalone nigiri is very nice indeed. The gamey aftertaste is gone and the piece offered is attractive and nicely textured. Usually there is always the possibility of sand, shell and other grit getting into the dish, however, the expert handling at Jiro's ensures that this is an impossibility.Katsuo (Bonito) - Another new dish for both of us. We have eaten it numerous times in the form of the ubiquitous flakes that adorn a lot of Japanese and Korean dishes but this is the first time we’ve had large chunks of it. The texture is firm and springy, almost similar to a piece of cooked pork. Evidently the fish is cured and smoked before being cut for sashimi or sushi. The flavour is wonderful and complex. There are notes of smokiness and the flavour of game-meat with underlying tastes of salt and of course fish. I even detect some hint of chipotle pepper and seaweed and I wonder if there is a special spice rub that anoints the fish before curing. Note to research how bonito is made. This is just one of those fish that we’ve probably encountered hundreds of times in Asian cuisine and never really noticed except as a garnish.Shako (Mantis Shrimp) - This is one that I loved but that Michelle didn’t like at all. Mantis shrimp is available in Shanghai by the bucket-load for the equivalent of a couple of dollars. It’s a relatively cheap and accessible fish. Also one of the ugliest that you will ever encounter. When you see them live it’s almost inconceivable that anyone would want to cook it, penetrate its tremendous shell and attempt to eat it. Even after the Jiro treatment at the hands of Yoshi and his sword it’s still not that appealing-looking a dish. Nestled on a bed of rice and wasabi it looks like something accidentally got dumped onto the plate. But the taste is incredible and it’s definitely one of the most complicated flavours of the evening. The white flesh has a buttery and rich taste that is almost immediately overwhelmed by the aroma of salt-water and seaweed. The saltiness is countered by the sweetness of the meat and the sting of wasabi. I’m not sure I would rush to order this anywhere else, but here it’s a prized dish.Akagai (Ark Shell) - A sushi staple on most menus but I’ve never seen a version look like this. This is another contender for “least likely to win a beauty contest”. We’ve eaten this many many times at other places but I wouldn’t have recognized it here. The whole clam is served at Jiro’s instead of just one wing, and it’s fresh instead of frozen. The colouration is completely different and the texture is much softer. This is a return to mild flavours emphasizing freshness and texture rather than just surprising you with powerful fish flavours.Aji (Jack Mackerel) - Fresh fish flavour. No aftertaste at all. This one is served with a touch of wasabi and a generous pass with the tamari. It’s unremarkable other than the overall excellence of quality and freshness. Although not a mackerel fan I would eat this again.Kurumaebi (Boiled Prawn) - Beautifully served and presented in the traditional “attack” position. This appears to be a crowd favorite and one that I completely agree with. There is absolutely no taste of boiled shell or cooking aromas coming off the prawn. It is served at room temperature. The innards are removed and the body and head cavity are packed with fresh-grated wasabi. The meat is unbelievably sweet and fragrant. Most people do seconds on this course when given the option. It is outstanding. The Katsuaka Den version is a smaller, sweeter shrimp with no wasabi added. Also a lovely dish but Jiro wins this one by a mile.Iwashi (Sardine) - The sardine is served skin-on and is a delightfully mild yet salty nigiri. We are gravitating back towards stronger and fishier flavours. The texture is crisp and resilient. Again the overwhelming taste is one of fresh ocean and the aroma of sea air.Uni (Sea Urchin) - This is Michelle’s favorite sushi order and one that we both like tremendously. Jiro’s famed nori is as good as expected. The nori is curled and packed with sushi rice and topped with generous dollops of the sea urchin in a towering pile. The base of the piece is contained in the nori shell and a nice generous “tag” of seaweed is left trailing. It’s a great presentation and one that the quality of the urchin deserves. The flavour of the uni is rich, buttery and incredibly decadent. The texture is firm yet airy and the urchin melts slowly on the palate. It’s like eating a rich piece of delicious foie-gras ice-cream. Admittedly it’s hard to go wrong with uni. Like foie gras, as long as your ingredient is fresh, then anything you make with it is going to taste good. The quality of the nori used escalates the quality of the dish and adds complexity to an already luxurious dish. Katsuaka Den’s version is also very very good. Winner – Jiro but only by a miniscule margin.Kobashira (Baby Scallops) - The slightly warm scallops are tumbled onto the nori and sushi rice in a pleasing manner. Again the richness and butteriness of the fresh scallops are almost overwhelming. The smoked nori gives a nice crunch to the soft and pliant scallops which have absolutely no trace of rubberiness or chewiness about them.Ikura (Salmon Roe) - A sushi bar staple and one that I always choose although Michelle doesn’t like it at all. Ikura is usually packed in salt for shipping and transport, and is often plagued with a slight glueyness or stickiness from the brine that it’s packed in. Of course – Jiro’s is impeccable. There is no salt in evidence other than from sea-water and each egg is perfectly spherical and nestled against its neighbour with no sticking or malformation. Upon tasting, each salmon egg pops with a satisfying explosion on the tongue, releasing a rush of seawater followed by the satisfying crunch of smoked nori. This one is a tie with Katsuaka Den also doing an outstanding version of this nigiri.Anago (Sea Eel) - Another nigiri that is an easy sell to me. You have to really mess up anago for me not to like it. I’m already predisposed to warmly receiving this dish and I’m excited to see Yoshi warming up to it with his long knife. Most places coat the eel repeatedly in a sweet bbq sauce and roast it in stages in order to give it a complex smokey taste and a laquered appearance. If there is a bbq sauce on Jiro’s anago than I can’t locate it. I’m not actually sure if Jiro is grilling or steaming his eel. The texture of the fish is sublime. Instead of the eel being soft or chewy the meat is deliciously flaky, crumbly and moist. The eel collapses on the palate and crumbles into fragrant goodness as it mixes with the sushi rice. It has a sweet, tangy but not overpowering after-taste with no hit of muddiness or fishiness. This is unquestionably the best sea eel I’ve ever eaten. I went back for seconds on this dish and could cheerfully eat only anago for the whole meal. Katsuaka Den grills their anago to order on the overhead oven and it’s a large juicy chunk of fish anointed lightly with bbq sauce. I like Katsuaka Den’s preparation better, however, Jiro wins by a hair on the sheer quality of the eel offered.Tamago (Egg Flan) - Apprentices spend years at Jiro’s learning to make this dish. Before they can even think of putting their hands on fish they need to able to perfect this specialty. And this is after several years of peeling vegetables, washing dishes and cooking rice. But in the end, an egg tart is an egg tart. Jiro’s is good but it falls somewhat short of the hype and the extreme expectation put in this dessert. Perhaps this is one example of something that I’m missing by not being absorbed in sushi-bar culture. Or maybe it’s just not possible to refine the essence of “egg” down to its minimalist form and still make it taste good.Upon completion of the tasting menu we are given the opportunity to repeat favourite dishes and order more sushi. One has to fight the urge to just ask for the whole sequence again. Only bulging waistlines and tight belts prohibit this. After the meal diners, are invited to retire from the sushi bar and take a seat at one of the tables lining the wall. This area gives one the chance to step back from the intensity of Jiro’s gaze and finish the meal with glasses of tea and a large slice of musk-melon. Sure enough, again we have strong traces of the personal philosophy of the proprietor. The dessert is cool but not chilled. A perfect quarter of the ripest and juiciest melon available. It’s a relatively complicated flavour but one that is a long, sustained note rather than a collection of competing or complementary ingredients. It’s also a refreshing change after the tremendous amount of protein that we’ve just ingested. Sukiyabashi Jiro doesn’t allow photography of anything but the sushi in the restaurant but after the meal Jiro and Yoshikazu were nice enough to come outside and snap a couple of pictures with us. Although fairly brusque in demeanour and purposefully stoic, they did appear to take a shine to Michelle, who giggled spontaneously throughout the meal as she kept forgetting to take photos of each bite before she popped it into her mouth. Father and son laughed and joked with each other as they made fun of either her forgetfulness or hurry to gobble down each nigiri or possibly both.So the big question: Is Sukiyabashi Jiro worth the splurge? There are several answers to this depending on what you are looking for. About 1/3 of the nigiri we had were the best of that type that we had ever had. And they were the best by a large margin. Another 1/3 of the dishes were equal to or slightly better than previous favourites. About 1/3 were excellent dishes but not surpassing those we have had elsewhere. Out of these few our favorite was usually Katsuaka, which is also difficult to get to and not cheap. Speaking as a sushi fan I would say, YES it’s worth the splurge! Considering that 2/3 of the 15-­course menu are pieces that are the best examples that you will ever likely try, it's a steal even at the price. If you are just looking for consistently great sushi then there are probably cheaper and more accessible options even if you have to fly to Japan to try them. If you've seen the movie and are a fan and interested in sushi culture, then it's worthwhile just for the surreal experience of having the great man make sushi for you. It's sad to think that it's unlikely Jiro will be around by the time my child is old enough to belly up to the bar. But if we are lucky, then one of his sons will carry on the tradition and still be behind the stick in that anonymous little section of the Ginza metro once she's gotten a few more sushi meals under her belt.