It was a cool spring day and families were out creating lasting memories. The air in Kyoto was so fresh and you couldn't look in any direction without seeing rose tinted cherry blossoms fluttering in the wind. We had just finished our early morning walk through the Arashiyama Forest where the bamboo grows so thick it blocks out the sun and loses you in its many shades of green. Some of the stalks there bare the marks of past visitors while others are left untouched, too far for the reach of a keychain or handy pocket-knife.
The Main Event: Sushi Iso
Our stomachs, intuition, and a tip from Yelp led us to a lunch spot known as Sushi Iso. The outside is nondescript. The only way you know you're in the right place is by walking around the corner where you'll find a minimalistic sign displaying the logo, “SUSHI ISO”.
Inside, Sushi Iso is similar to a lot of the restaurants you would find in Japan. The place is lined with beautifully polished wood and seats about twenty. Depending on where you're seated you may have to remove your shoes which is customary in Japan. We opted for the sushi bar this time which gave us a front row seat to the action.
The Sushi Bar: Where the magic happens!
We love sitting at the bar for a few reasons. First, you get to converse with the chef and see him elegantly put together your meal. Second, the chef might even slip you a couple extra pieces of sushi or a generous pour of some saké if you're lucky 😉.
There’s a phrase in the Japanese culture similar to “bon appetite”, or saying grace. It's said before eating any meal. Before we tell you the phrase, read this sentence:
"Eat A Duck You Must."
Okay cool, you’ve got that down. Now here is the japanese word written out in English:
“Itadakimasu”. It’s pronounced (ita-daki-mas) with the "u" being silent. It essentially gives respect to the animal that was killed in order for the meal to happen.
After getting to know chef Masiah and enjoying our meal, which also included miso soup and an egg dish known as Chawanmushi (filled with all kinds of local fish, mushrooms, and tofu) he told us that he wanted to show us something special.
He ducked behind the counter and emerged with an enourmous tray. Peeling away the plastic wrap revealed this beautiful cut of tuna or maguro. This is the tuna's fatty belly, otherwise known as toro. He gave us a quick run down and explained that the lighter, fattier underside is called otoro, followed by the slightly darker chutoro in the middle, and finally the darkest part at the top, just known as toro.
The otoro was our clear favorite. It has that real "melt in your mouth" quality and just thinking about it makes us hungry. Mmm...
What more can we say, this was our first real sushi experience of the trip and Jordan’s first time having sushi in Japan. In America, you say mmm… In Japan you say oishii!
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#1 - Go-Kazoku: Welcome to The Family
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Chongor and Jordan
