Sushi Karashima – 鮨 唐島
Fukouka, Japan
1 Michelin Star
This is a test post to see if the my blog entries will port over. Thanks for your patience!
Finding your way around a foreign country can be pretty difficult, especially with a language barrier, and it can go from mildly stressful to full on panic rather quickly if you’re not careful. Out of all the countries I’ve been to across the world, Japan is still by far the most confusing, and negotiating the restaurant system is probably the hardest one of all.
The near complete lack of English, the autonomy of locals going through their daily motions without obvious signage, the known but unspoken traditions, the myriad of train stations (and train stations within train stations), and then everything made twice as worse with often inaccurate information from Google Maps…even when everything lines up perfectly, it can still feel impossible.
So when you’re rushing across town and already late for a fancy Michelin starred classic edomae sushi meal that has only 8 seats and they’re waiting on you to begin service, the last thing you want to happen is to find out the address you were given from the reservation company (more on my experience with PocketConcierge) is actually an incorrect random dark passage between apartment buildings, and that you’re a 15 minute run from the actual location! It’s pretty much enough to make you sit down, crack a beer, start crying, and take advantage of the public drinking laws (well, lack thereof).
Upon finally reaching the well reviewed but also nondescript Sushi Karashima (3.98 on Tablelog), sweating through our fancy dress clothes and out of breath, and also still unsure if we were walking into the right place since nothing has a sign, it felt like we had escaped some apocalyptic event only to burst into what could only be described as a serenely quiet sanctuary (albeit an austerely decorated one, as is tradition with every sushi restaurant in Japan). Ultimately we calmed down, caught our breath and profusely apologized, and enjoyed a stellar (but predictable) omakase meal. Chef ________ and his adorable father were exceptionally polite (this is Japan after all) and highly skilled, although it should definitely be noted that they do not speak English so you’ll need to be up on your fish translation skills.
The fish was all perfect, the cuts were beautiful, there were no disappointments, and the red wine vinegar rice (his speciality and what sets it apart) was a personal favorite of mine across many high end sushi experiences in Japan. The rice is served body temperature, which was new for me as well, and now I want all my sushi rice like this. My only complaint about the overall experience was that there weren’t as many courses as some other shops, but an a la carte can be had afterwords if you’re still hungry.
We booked through Pocket Concierge and after 4 false starts with other restaurants, they finally secured us this early 6pm reservation a couple days prior. I was happy with the personal level of customer service PocketConcierge provides, but their information (like the incorrect address) isn’t up to date and it took quite a few tries to finally get something secured. Due to a $40 off coupon PocketConcierge had online for new members, our meal wasn’t any more expensive than purchasing at the restaurant, as it covered the service charge they normally enforce (and they do not accept credit cards, which is the case at most restaurants in Japan).
One big recommendation for reservations; regardless of where you are staying in Japan, the main barrier for securing a spot is language, and nearly all restaurants in Japan require you to call ahead. If you can find someone willing to make some phone calls on your behalf, be it a neighbor or someone at the front desk of your hotel, you can likely avoid any additional surcharges and might even get more favorable positions without having to go through a concierge. Another option would be to utilize the Chase Sapphire Reserve or our Amex Platinum concierges, but these are better when you have quite a few days of lead time.
If you’re in Fukuoka, I would highly recommend Karashima, especially for the price. Don’t forget: nigiri is eaten with your hand, and you don’t use your pointer finger when you pick it up! Also, soy sauce is only for sashimi, follow the instructions of your chef and don’t be afraid to ask. Finally, there are lots of easy to understand fish ID books for eating sushi; there are about 20 basic different types of fish or cephalopods served most of the time, so it’s pretty easy to learn how to translate.
Sushi Karashima 鮨 唐島
Classic edomae sushi
$$$ ($150-$200/person)
Reservations require
