The seasonal prix fixe meal takes you through a series of ten small dishes, followed by a dozen nigiri. The small dishes are diverse in ingredients and cooking styles, ranging from sashimis to grills. Nigiri are made with precision. Every variety is made from warm shari rice but served at slightly different temperatures that best matches the flavor of that specific fish.

“I want the meal to be dynamic, with each sushi adding its own momentum,” Ishiyama explains.

He carefully curates the order of the sushi to make sure strong flavored fish isn’t served before a lighter fish. He always begins with lighter white fish, work toward stronger flavors such as the richer anago salt-water eel, which is served towards the end. The sweet and soft egg slices wraps up the evening.

Having learned under renowned chefs like Shinji Kanesaka and Takashi Saito, Ishiyama understands the importance of how to prepare each fish. The flounder, caught off the Aomori shores, is prepared that morning using ikejime technique to ensure the fish stays fresh. Yellowtail from Rausu has been maturing for four days for a deeper flavor. Instead of wasabi, he hides a special paste made of grated scallions and tops it with spicy Japanese radish garnish.

Fall is not the best season for Japanese tuna so he prefers to find the best catches from New Zealand. The flavorful and marbled toro is rested for over a week. The red meats have been marinating in a soy marinade and are scorched in boiling water just a few minutes before serving. Pacific saury from Nemuro is accented with the grated scallion paste and drizzled with a rich but not overpowering sauce made from its liver. The spoonfuls of ikura, salmon roe, from Hokkaido is fresh, juicy and ever so sweet. If in great condition, he likes to serve some on its own.

The sea urchin is bought fresh from Maruhira in Hokkaido. If firm enough, he likes to serve it as nigiri, and not wrap seaweed around it to focus on its pure and powerful flavor. Anago saltwater eel is soft and roasty, it is first steamed then grilled”. Tossed with sansho peppercorn powder, the deep aroma lingers on your tongue.

Another important aspect of sushi making that he learned from his teachers is your form. The angle at which he stands and the movement of his arms are all part of the sushi he creates. “My masters taught me that movement is part of the flavor,” he explains. In fact, watching his flawless and smooth movements as he crafts each dish is a memorable part of the Sushi Ishiyama experience.

INGREDIENTS
Ishiyama visits the Tsukiji market every morning to select as many as thirty different varieties of fish. He prefers to serve them fresh rather than to mature them. The rice for the shari comes from a single brand that has a firm and solid texture. The grains are mixed with a blend of three different kinds of vinegar, but flavored lightly to avoid interfering with the taste of the fish. His favorite wasabi is grown in Mazuma in Shizuoka Prefecture. The aromatic seaweed comes from Ariake in Saga.