Tokyo Table Trip

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壽司店這門生意,或許是因為老闆與客人面對面的緣故,無論是哪間店也好,都必然會有讚譽、也有批評。
若要以一個單純的算式來呈現壽司店的評價方法,那就是:「味道有多符合自己的喜好×老闆和自己有多合拍」了。
即使壽司的味道足有滿分,只要和老闆一點兒也合不來,對這間店的評價就會落到0分。
反過來說,即便味道只能稱得上是一般般,只要和老闆成了至交,評價便會一下漲至70分左右。
就像這樣,根據乘法算出來的結果,評價是會相當因人而異的。
正因如此,我認為在判斷一間壽司店的好壞時,最應該重視的乃是自己的感受,而無需太過在意他人的評價。
而在這樣的壽司店當中,又有一間店的口碑尤為兩極分化——
曾到訪的顧客,不是成了「粉絲」就是成了「黑粉」,並在網上冷戰不休。
那間店便是赤坂的『はしぐち(橋口)』。
這間爭議如此激烈的壽司店,究竟是否會讓我成為它的粉絲呢……
還是說,會讓我成為它的黑粉呢……
無論結果如何,似乎都能得到不斐的收穫。

就在前幾天,我一邊這麼想著,一邊邁動腳步,朝這家壽司店走去。
這間店座落於赤坂御用地的後方,從赤坂見附車站步行約10分左右便能抵達。所在之處行人寥寥,頗為隱密。
穿過自動門,走進店內後,竄進鼻中的就是上等壽司店方有的獨特香氣。
右手邊是等候室。
空調溫度正好,令人十分舒適。
我一邊眺望著作為裝飾的仙人掌,一邊悠悠等待著開店時間到來。
到了晚上6點,只見笑容可掬的老闆娘從店內現身,將我帶向設有吧台的房間。
吧台被打磨得閃閃發亮,共有9個座位。
冷卻盤管上放著4個食材箱,上頭擱著鋪滿竹葉的盤子,整齊擺放著五顏六色的魚,看起來美味至極。
廚房後方擺著一個小花瓶,醞釀出了端莊凜然的氛圍。
而傳聞中爭議紛紛的老闆・橋口敏郎,則是筆直地注視著我的雙眼,開口道:「歡迎光臨。讓您久等了。」
橋口專注此道已是45年,乃是一位技術純熟、經驗豐富的壽司師傅。
他畢業於鹿兒島的高中,之後來到東京當上班族;一次,被公司前輩邀請去壽司店打工,以此為契機,便開始了壽司師傅的生涯。
最先是從市區的大眾壽司店起步,而後輾轉數店(包含當時的壽司名校『勘八』),之後便作為主要師傅,在乃木坂的『鮨処はま(鮨處濱)』大展身手。
而1992年,『鮨 青木』遷至銀座,他便將原本的店鋪連帶家具、設備都一起包下,直接在此開業獨立。
2011年,遷至現址。
他的眼鼻都顯大,五官宛如演員一般,相貌堂堂。
身軀則宛如運動選手,若從他的背後望去,他的臀大肌有多麼發達可說是一目瞭然。
手掌則無比寬厚,幾乎像是戴了副手套。
我不禁想,這是一雙師傅特有的手啊。

橋口見我向老闆娘要了杯茶,便問道:「要開始替您握壽司了嗎?」
這間店似乎可以彈性對應客人的要求,無論是想請師傅安排菜色、還是想按自己喜好點菜,哪種方式都沒問題。
所以我便道:「是的,麻煩您了。今天的壽司食材,請全都給我一份。上菜的順序就交給您了。」
只見橋口從食材箱中取出了真子鰈,並以寥寥幾手便捏出了精湛的成品。
然後,他厚實的手指輕撫過塗抹了壽司醬油的壽司表面。
「為您上真子鰈,請用——」 
我毫不猶豫,立刻將擺在京燒長方盤上的壽司放入嘴中。
……這、這個壽司,究竟是怎麼回事啊。
一道淚水自我的眼角緩緩滑落。
太……太美味了。
壽司飯的鹹淡絕妙。
壽司食材本身的鮮美被徹底發揮了出來。
這兩者的平衡感。
人的體溫。
捏的鬆緊正好,米飯會在嘴中溫柔鬆散開來的輕盈感。
毫無任何可批判之處!
這般美味,簡直非同凡響。
橋口見我擦乾了淚,便繼續輕快地握起了壽司。
「為您上比目魚,請用——」 
「為您上昆布漬,請用——」 
「為您上新烏賊,請用——」 
「為您上鮭魚卵,請用——」 
「為您上花蛤,請用——」 
「為您上小柱貝,請用——」 
「為您上赤身,請用——」 
「為您上鮪魚中腹,請用——」
「為您上鮪魚大腹,請用——」
「為您上醋烏賊,請用——」
「為您上竹莢魚,請用——」
「為您上虎蝦,請用——」
「為您上海膽,請用——」
「為您上星鰻,請用——」
「為您上煎蛋,請用——」
他一邊觀察著客人吃得如何了,一邊動手握著壽司,那時機實在是掌握得剛剛好。
最精華的莫過於小肌、醋醃竹莢魚、醋醃沙丁魚、鮑魚、海松貝。
那微甘的餘味,讓我不禁再次落淚。
我從未吃過這樣的壽司。

好了,我究竟是否有成為『はしぐち(橋口)』的粉絲呢?
還是成為黑粉了呢?
結論自不必說。
我成了超級大粉絲!!!
實在是棒呆了。
人們多在說什麼「壽司會下沉」、「壽司會起舞」,但根本不是說這些話的時候。
如今,會提供下沉壽司的店根本就多得數也數不清。
這壓根就不是該關注的要點。
『はしぐち(橋口)』的過人之處,乃是在於食材和壽司飯之間的絕妙平衡。
一言以蔽之,便是和其他店家的壽司徹底不在同一個水平。
所有魚都被引出了120%的自然鮮美與甘甜,
而毫無一絲會令人蹙眉的腥臭味。
特別是亮皮魚和貝類,那滋味尤為出類拔萃。
這非同一般的技術,可謂只有經驗豐富的師傅才能做到。

在此,雖然我資歷尚淺、瞭解片面,但作為這裡的一個新晉大粉絲,我還是想來驗證一下諸多黑粉的主張究竟是否合理。
這裡被批判得最多的,莫過於是待客時的冷淡了。
確實,橋口除非必要,否則不會主動向客人搭話。
反應也很含糊。
即使我說「真好吃!」,他也默不作聲。
然而,他絕非態度冷漠。
若定睛細看,在握壽司時,橋口的唇邊確實浮現著笑意。
神情上充盈著滿足感。
他握壽司時,對壽司是充滿憐愛之情的,簡直就像在注入自己的一番心意一般:「變得更好吃吧、變得更好吃吧」。
我認為這就是橋口的作風。
順帶一提,因為剛才說「好吃」他也毫無反應,讓我實在想多少給他留下點印象,於是在將一份套餐吃得一乾二淨後,我又加點了10個壽司。
對此,即便是沉靜如橋口,也忍不住睜大了雙眼,吃了一驚。
和師傅的拉鋸戰——這也是壽司店的妙趣所在。
再說,其實只要向他搭話,他也會告訴你許多事情。
對客人的無比自然的關懷也十分帥氣。
對於倒翻了醬油的客人,他會說:「我們這兒的吧台,只要之後擦一擦就會乾淨了,沒問題的。請不要介意。」
對於嘟囔著「都訂不到位子啊」的回頭客,他會說:「如果能為您準備全年專用座位就好了,實在非常抱歉……笑。」
一見到醉酒而體溫上升,想要脫下西裝外套的客人,他就會立刻喊一聲「麻煩妳了——」,喚來老闆娘,那對應可謂無比迅速。
他絕不是沒將客人放在眼裡。

將要離開的時候,我送上了一番讚譽:「不借任何人之手,還能做得起這樣一間了不得的店,我認為真的非常厲害。」
「年輕人都不肯來啊。」
只聽橋口這麼說著,揚起唇角一笑。
「但是,到了我這個年紀,就會打從心底覺得,人生就宛如個鐘擺了。會有好事,也會有壞事。但只要努力,便總有回報。我是這麼想的。」
將作為壽司師傅的純粹,昇華於赤坂的偏遠一角——親眼見識到了橋口的這樣一種生活態度,我感覺彷彿也看見了自己在人生當中逐漸丟失的東西。
橋口所握出來的一個個壽司、所吐出來的一言一句、所經過的一分一秒,就是純粹到了如此地步,幾乎令人感到呼吸困難,直直地逼近了我的心扉。
那無比符合壽司師傅的誠摯之姿,簡直就像曾幾何時見過的不落太陽一般,帶著無窮餘味,直至此時此刻,仍然銘刻於我的視網膜上,不曾消逝。

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guest

what's the booking policy for Yamazaki now? Is it intro only? Looking to book for Dec 2023 if it's still possible!

大约一年 ago 1675539703

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mirugai

I have had the pleasure of visiting Hashiguchi twice, in 2017 and 2019, and would happily have visited more often if not for it being slightly tricky to secure a reservation as a foreigner. It is truly a special place. Purity and sincerity are a perfect choice of words. I agree that the hikarimono and shellfish are truly wonderful. On my first visit when I admired the hikarimono chef was thoughtful enough to serve me iwashi nigiri plainly and then with vinegar to show me more fully the different tastes of the day's fish.

I greatly admire the choice to have staggered seating, flexibility with the course, and the level of attention to the enjoyment of the guests. It is such a different experience to the more typical set seating and set menu with flurries of ostumami. It's surely the most tranquil and calm place to enjoy delicious sushi.

一年多 ago 1658260960

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gomaizo

I also LOVED Hashiguchi.

Saito-san (@Leo Saito), what other restaurants would you recommend (maybe even for lunch) for those who love Hashiguchi and hikarimono?

Here is my review:

Sushi Hashiguchi
Tokyo, JP
11/3/22

Reservation obtained through hotel concierge.

Sushi Hashiguchi was LEGENDARY.

Unfortunately, the chef doesn't allow any pictures. He doesn't accept any awards either so he has no Michelin stars.

Sushi Hashiguchi is located in the residential suburban neighborhood of Akasaka. You walk into the restaurant and the world around you fades away.

Sushi Hashiguchi is run by a husband, wife team - sweet, friendly people who deliver a wonderful experience.

Sushi Hashiguchi has a 4 . 32 on Tabelog and ranks in the top 15 sushi restaurants in Tokyo. Yet they have no Michelin stars (anti-establishment type of place) and does not allow photography. The wife did provide me with a pencil and paper to record my notes.

We arrived a few minutes early and sat in a small waiting area. When it was time for the meal, the wife came to gather us and led us to the main room with a beautiful sushi counter set for 8. We sat with a Thai family and were later joined by Japanese patrons. I chatted with the girl next to me throughout the meal about traveling, anime, restaurants, and Japan. She was a great companion for the evening.

There was one thing about the sushi counter that really caught my eye - how the ingredients were displayed and presented to the customer rather than facing the chef. There is one picture of this online. The cases were filled with shellfish and fish - four types of hikarimono staring me in the face. I chatted with the chef for a bit in Japanese and did my best to translate for the family to my left. Itamae Hashiguchi asked if we wanted sushi and sashimi and if we preferred omakase (a la carte seemed like an option albeit an inferior one). We agreed to sushi and sashimi and waited for the meal to begin.

The Meal:

Sashimi:
-Hirame
-Chutoro
-Aoyagi
-Mirugai
-Ikura
-Aji (fresh) prepared with soy sauce, scallion, ginger
-Kuruma ebi (boiled w/tail)
-Kawahagi in liver sauce

Nigiri:
-Hirame (kombujime)
-Sumi ika
-Akamizuke
-Ikura
-Kohada
-Aji (pickled)
-Kobashira
-Chutoro (Aomori)
-Otoro (Aomori)
-Shime Saba
-Uni
-Su ika
-Anago
-Tamago
-Tekka maki

Menu: ~50k yen (we had been expecting 30k yen so we were surprised but there was no itemized receipt so we're not sure what happened).

Whereas Hakkoku featured mostly fish, Hashiguchi featured a wide array of seafood in multiple preparations.

The sashimi course was magnificent. Generous portions of the highest quality seafood - dishes like 3 thick cuts of chutoro that knocked our socks off, aoyagi with excellent texture, a massive clump of fresh, thick slices of aji quickly marinated in scallion, ginger, and soy sauce, kuruma ebi cooked to perfection with slight sweetness, and kawahagi mixed with liver sauce. This was the most impressive collection of sashimi and raw fish preparations I had ever eaten.

The meal continued with the sushi course and featured a combination of new fish and repeated fish in new preparations. Even the repeated items felt new. The chef served a number of nigiri, of which some highlights were his sumi ika, aji, chutoro, and otoro.

Itamae Hashiguchi is known for his "dancing sushi" and his nigiri compress once he puts them on the counter due to the light pressure he uses when constructing the nigiri. It is a fun phenomenon to witness. Additionally, his rice is very lightly seasoned - the only negative I could find in the meal. That said, each chef has their own style - my preference for a bit more seasoning did not interfere with my ability to enjoy the nigiri.
Our meal at Sushi Hashiguchi was a symphony. With 30+ years of experience, Itamae Hashiguchi is a true master of his craft and delivers a world-class meal for an appropriate price. It is the best sushi I have ever eaten. If you get the chance, eat here.

---

I heard about Sushi Hashiguchi from Eric at The Pursuit of Food Perfection.

He ate at Sushi Hashiguchi in 2015. It's amazing how consistent these Tokyo restaurants remain compared to the steady decline of NYC eateries.

大约一年 ago 1675434775

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guest

Sorry, wrong thread - please delete or ignore.

一年多 ago 1663955549

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guest

Saito San, planning to visit Tokiwazushi later this year thanks to your great writeup. May I ask what your thoughts are on Nakajyo, as I might consider visiting both during the same trip? Do they really often purchase the best fish compared to shops like Kiyota, Arai, etc? Or is there another restaurant in Yokohama that you think is more interesting and worth checking out at this time? Thanks!

一年多 ago 1663955518

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