Sushi Punch — Restaurant in Tokyo

I really wanted to like this place, because the chef and staff are friendly and welcoming, but in terms of quality and value, it wasn't my favourite omakase. I will say that this is a good spot for beginner sushi or omakase diners who do not know what to expect. Yes, the staff are charismatic and likeable, but for real omakase foodies and anyone who has a few omakase experiences already, I don't recommend here unfortunately.

I felt because I and some of the other customers were foreigners, the staff chose not to deeply explain the courses or fish fully like I would have expected. e.g. "This is squid. This is trout." and hardly anything was mentioned about why the fish was selected, why a preparation method was chosen, what kind of miso or garnish was accompanying, why the rice was brown... And this was not because of a language barrier, as all 3 of the staff at the counter spoke great English and made entertaining conversation with each customer. The fish selected (at least for us today) did not feel inspiring or original, and for ¥22000 I expected a deeper omakase experience. Normally I am stuffed after omakase but I was barely full after the meal and felt...

First piece given to my partner still had a piece of scale.

After each course, our plates weren't always wiped down for the next course.

Before the course started the chef asked for allergies, or anything specific we don't like. We answered and also requested smaller rice portion for my partner so that she may enjoy the experience in it's entirety. However the chef would forget and would need to be reminded a few times.

On our second last course, the sous chef provided correct amount of eel for the attendees, however the main chef forgot my piece. Had to remind the main chef that my piece was forgotten as they were already moving onto the next course.

From my past experience, chef would ask for anything additional before the experience ends. However, the chef never asked and proceeded to take plates away and provided the bills.

Chefs knew some English and were sociable. Appreciated their short explanation prior to each course.

Monk fish, bonito, and ikura...

A lovely omakase located in the quaint Azabu-jūban district in Tokyo, a stone’s throw away from Roppongi. The shop is small, with probably just 8-10 bar counter seats and a handful of smaller tables. The service is impeccable and the sushi was so delicious - everything was in perfect balance. They’ve also got quite an interesting selection of sake to accompany your meal. All staff, but in particular the owner, who is making most of the sushi, go out of their way to make you feel welcome. I’m not sure I’ve been to a better omakase in Tokyo, even those costing 1.5-2x+ more per person.

Also, don’t forget to explore the neighborhood. It’s quiet and way less busy than the more touristy parts of Tokyo. Lots of small mom and pop shops that aren’t to be missed. It’s quite a nice respite from Shibuya, Shinjuku, etc. It’s also super easy to get to from any part of Tokyo on the metro!

Highly...