Houston Japanese Culinary Discovery

Passing through the cypress wood entrance draped with noren curtains, the glint of the chef's knife suddenly merged Texas with Tokyo's Tsukiji Market. Though I had low expectations for Houston's Japanese food, the moment otoro melted on my tongue became a revelation. "Tsukise," hidden under jacaranda shadows in Montrose, delivered a culinary shock during my final trimester. 🍣 Edomae Excellence ▪️ Seasonal Twelve Vinegared rice at body temperature awakened the fish's soul Kinmedai glowing like amber after binchotan searing Kohada aged three days delivering an umami storm ▪️ Bluefin Trilogy O-toro marbling resembling Van Gogh's starry night Chu-toro with fresh wasabi revealing springwater sweetness Akami meeting shiso blossoms like a summer breeze ▪️ Uni Trio Bafun uni's richness like molten sunset Murasaki uni's sweetness like honeyed moonlight Kita-murasaki's crispness like ocean spray 🎎 Hidden Rituals The chef silently replaced sakizuke with pumpkin chawanmushi upon noticing my pregnancy When I said "omakase," he produced katsuobushi from a cedar lockbox Parting gift of taiyaki with congratulatory ginkgo nuts in red bean paste Though fullness limited my enjoyment, witnessing authentic Edomae sushi in Texas soil revealed how culinary arts transcend borders. In the chef's "o-daiji ni" farewell, I secretly reserved a parent-child seating for six months later—when I'll reintroduce my baby to this gastronomic pilgrimage starting with the first sea bream nigiri. #HoustonEdomae #PregnancyPalateDiary #SushiPilgrimage