This post was written in 2006. Shop details and prices may have changed since then.
Sushi Yoshi is a down-to-earth Osaka sushi place with great value for money. It’s near Fukushima Station, one stop from Osaka Station.
The sign
The starter
The little dressed dish that came out was apparently baby akagai (blood clams). With a nibble in front of us, everyone ordered nama biru (draft beer) and we got into a debate about why Japanese draft beer tastes so good. Honestly, it costs two or three times what it does back home, so it would be weirder if it didn’t.. Personally, Asahi suited me better than Kirin draft. But the best one I’ve had was the Yebisu draft I drank in Ginza.
Mackerel sashimi
Lightly cured in vinegar. The chrysanthemum on top of the sashimi is edible, so it has no real taste, but eating it won’t kill you. Mackerel cured in vinegar and then aged a little is just superb. It’s not like the ingredients are hard to get, yet it’s an everyday Japanese taste you can’t find in Korea.
Sanma sashimi
Pacific saury, an autumn delicacy. It was a little on the soft side.. I actually wanted to order aji (horse mackerel), but they said it had all sold out.. Probably because we went on a Sunday when the fish market is closed..
Simmered sea bream head
The sauce has soaked in nicely and it’s delicious. There was more meat on it than you’d think from looking at it ^_^ The tofu looked like it came from the supermarket..
Matsutake dobin mushi
A clear broth made with matsutake mushrooms and various other ingredients. You pour it into the little cup and drink it. It has a subtle, elegant matsutake aroma. It made a nice appetizer ^_^
What’s inside
I just snapped the photo and quickly put the lid back on.
After finishing the broth
You fish out the solids and have them as a snack with your drink.
Kubota Koju
After finishing our draft beer we ordered sake. They poured it right up to the brim. Pouring sake until it overflows seems to be the courtesy at Japanese izakaya. Usually they pour until the glass spills over into the saucer underneath, so you drink the sake in the saucer first, but this place didn’t go quite that far. The wine-glass-style sake glass may look a little odd, but it’s handy for junmai sake, which tastes best chilled.
Kubota Koju is a famous sake from Niigata, a grade above Senju and below Manju. It went down really smoothly. It felt like drinking clean, clear groundwater freshly drawn from a well. Some people might find it bland, but I was more than happy with it.
A hearty jo-nigiri for three
We ordered three of the 1,570-yen jo-nigiri (premium nigiri) sets and this is how it came out. From akami (lean tuna) that was almost like chutoro, to fresh uni, to anago that just melted away, I was happy with everything except the shrimp. The quality of the toppings was good. They were thick and paired beautifully with the rice. These days a lot of sushi places slice the toppings thin to keep prices down, or skimp on the rice because it’s trendy, but this place served proper sushi. And at a ridiculous price, too!!
Akadashi
The miso soup.
Shako, kazunoko, chutoro
We ordered some sushi that wasn’t in the set. I had the kazunoko (herring roe), and the way it popped between my teeth was a work of art.
Sanma sushi
I ordered it because it’s autumn, but it didn’t do much for me. Again, probably because we came for sushi on a day the fish market was closed. Proper sanma sushi won’t be at its best until about a month from now when it really gets cold, so I’ve resolved to eat it every single day then.
P.S. I tried making the photos bigger.. I wonder if it gets in the way of viewing.. If there are no particular problems, I’ll keep going like this..