Sushi Sugita (Tokyo, Japan)

Honestly, I'd be happy just eating sushi here for the rest of my life. Every visit here is relatively flawless. Sure, there are ebb and flows depending on the catch of the day, but the consistency here is unparalleled. The average quality of each dish/piece is extremely high. It might not be the best depending on the day, but I'd say everything is at least an 8 or 9 out of 10. This level of consistency is amazing as my preference is to have a high average rather than selective high peaks.

You typically start with a seasonal opener. Today, it was ginko nut as it's fall. Then you move to various snacks/otsumami. The otsumami here is more on the simple side but very very well executed. You will usually get sashimi, steamed egg, a grilled fish, and other items. While it may be simple, the ingredients are clearly highlighted in the best possible way. I prefer this to more simple style otsumami where they do mainly sashimi (e.g. shimizu, sawada) or even the more complex ones like Namba.

The one thing I think Sugita does extremely well to me is the balance of textures. The way each piece of fish is cut or processed renders extremely pleasant textures that makes it fun to eat.

After your otsumami, you're offered a chance to order other dishes. There's typically 4 or so. I added the grilled scallop in seaweed today. Brilliant.

Then, you move into the nigiri. The opening piece is always kohada and there's no better kohada than Sugita's IMO. The rice here is incredibly balanced — flavorful but it doesn't steal the show, working very well with the fish. Highlights today were the Aji, Chutoto, Kurumaebi, Katsuo, and the Bafun Uni. You are then served a soup (not pictured) and offered to add on more items. I got the Aka Uni today, catching the end of the season. Finally, you end with anago which you can choose to be seasoned with salt or sauce (sauce is typically the best choice) and then an egg.

The sake selection is amazing here. He gets the best seasonal selection of sake from the best producers. It's honestly one of the best "sake bars" too. It's somewhat of a contentious topic whether or not Sugita is the best sushi in Japan as others might prefer other top stores, but to me, this is definitely my favorite sushi spot as he always delivers flavor, texture, balance, and good sake.