01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Positioned directly outside Sugamo Station, Sushi no Uotsune is the sort of welcoming sushi stop you can duck into on an impulse. Orders are written down on paper slips and handed over to the chefs, who swiftly press seasonal fish onto modest, bite-sized portions of seasoned rice, keeping the meal brisk, unpretentious, and well-paced.
The menu features handy three-piece samplers like the tuna trio—bringing together fatty otoro, medium-fatty chutoro, and lean akami—or a salmon flight comparing raw and seared cuts, making it easy to taste different varieties side by side. Accessible two-piece plates are plentiful as well, spanning staples like squid, cured mackerel, and flounder fin alongside substantial single-piece orders of whole simmered conger eel or top-grade sea urchin. Adding a bowl of ara-jiru fish-bone soup or clam soup, both brewed with rich broth, makes for a satisfying meal even on a brief lunch break.
In the evening, lingering over small dishes such as stewed Pacific bluefin tuna offal or grilled ginkgo nuts is an easy way to unwind. The drinks list pairs these bites with crisp dry sake like Kisenju, Yamagata's Bakuren, and aromatic Dassai, as well as a broad selection of barley and sweet potato shochu. Fitted with both counter and table seating, the space works just as smoothly for a solo lunch as it does for a few casual bites after work.
