This text began technique support when as a bolt to acquire the finest price sushi in town.
Now, we’re no longer essentially talking budget here; there’s some issues we’d reasonably pay additional for to guarantee quality, and sushi is one in every of them.
We’re talking price – bang-for-your-buck when the craving for a taste of Tokyo hits.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That’s
Image by Sophie Steiner/That’s
Then, BAM!
In the heart of scouring town, our sushi consumption came to a screeching cease, as Japan announced that it would launch up releasing Fukushima radioactive water into the ocean…
READ MORE: Japan to Liberate Fukushima Water Amidst World Worry
And, in response, China imposed a ban meals imports from 10 Japanese prefectures…
READ MORE: China Bans Food Imports from Japan Over Nuclear Water Liberate
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What this translates to on a micro stage for Shanghai’s dining scene is a lot much less (concentrate on zero) imported Japanese sea merchandise for the foreseeable future.
Goodbye Hokkaido scallops, hiya China-farmed replacements.
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But, as we mentioned sayonara to Japanese seafood, we welcomed a extensive diversity from assorted sources all the diagram in which thru the globe – and some equally standout seafood from inside of our glean borders – permitting us to proceed to glean that sushi (and travel!) fix in, despite the ban.
READ MORE: 5 of Our Licensed Shanghai Spin Bowls
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Now chilly weather is upon us – the season that ensures the freshest and top seemingly quality seafood – we’ve any other time hit the streets to proceed our price sushi escapade, to search spherical for out shrimply the finest – because that’s staunch how we roll.
Haiyu Sushi 海鱼寿司
A 15-seater, Haiyu Sushi is hidden away on a small off-aspect road staunch north of Of us’s Sq..
The vibe… leaves something to be desired: minimal décor, fluorescent lights, and no tune – staunch the sound of a buzzing TV exhibiting a looped video of a Japanese fish market.
There are three group total, two of which will probably be the owners. But, while their files of growing an environment might maybe maybe well no longer be the most intensive, their fish familiarity is unmatched.
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The usual menu affords the fashioned sushi fare, nonetheless the chalkboard posted above the bar aspects the day’s freshest imports, like reside scallops and horse mackerel.
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If intelligent obscurer cuts of raw isn’t your goal, everyday nigiri (concentrate on salmon, tuna, scallop, and the like) vary in heed from RMB10-22 per allotment, with about a splurge-great alternate options like Goose Liver (RMB28) and Sea Urchin (RMB48).
There don’t seem to be any souped-up Cali-style rolls here, staunch small Hand Rolls (RMB10-15) full of pickled daikon, avocado or crab salad, amongst others.
In the smash, they’re guiding you to the true deal – the freshest of Sashimi (RMB28-68).
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Our no 1, attain-no longer-fling away out chunk is the Eel Nigiri (RMB58). A lengthy wedge of more than 100 grams of eel is drizzled in sticky unagi sauce and torch-charred to pronounce sooner than being placed atop two quarter-size ovals of rice.
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One more classic that delivers on all fronts, Three Forms of Sashimi (RMB98) (tuna belly, salmon and scallops) is a trio that might maybe maybe well be came all the diagram in which thru on any sushi menu, nonetheless no longer of this quality.
Or ball so laborious and dish out for the rarer cuts; either technique, you received’t be upset.
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Whereas Haiyu sushi is no longer ‘low-heed’ per se, the cost is in the superiority of the fish, where visitors can allotment collectively what might maybe maybe maybe be an RMB1,000+ omakase quality meal for a allotment of the cost.
That’s because any and all ‘abilities’ frills glean been eradicated, leaving staunch the seafood to shine.
Haiyu Sushi 海鱼寿司, 137 Guling Lu, by Baihe Lu, 牯岭路137号, 近白河路.
Jin Yan Shitang 金焰食堂
The Dianping wanghong plan Jin Yan Shitang began in the mall all the diagram in which thru from Tianzifang, a build that’s much less relating to the sushi and more relating to the sushi tacos (identified as temacos to those in the know).
Delighted that these had been more hype than heft, we took on the distress by ordering up no longer one, no longer two, no longer three, nonetheless four of the six temaco flavor alternate options, every coming in roughly the weight of an genuine Mexican taco.
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Precise one chunk proved us depraved – all doubts diminished.
These might maybe maybe well very well be a a small ‘bastardized’ technique to sushi, nonetheless culinary rules are supposed to be broken in the title of scrumptiousness.
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A fried outer seaweed shell is lined in a lace-like tempura to salvage its contoured form, thus making sure the general structural integrity of every temaco.
Subsequent, a pressed layer of Japanese sticky rice is topped with matchsticks of novel cucumber and a drizzle of inspiring mayo.
In the end, the seafood toppings are added, of which we recommend the Spirited Sushi Taco (RMB29.90) – a mix of cubed raw salmon and yellowtail, sprinkled with beads of fish roe.
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A finish 2nd is the pure Salmon Sashimi Taco (RMB29.90) adopted by a third-build tie for the Scallop and Exiguous Taco (RMB31.90) and the caramelized Eel Taco (RMB29.90).
That mentioned, even the bronze deserves a medal – the inviting amalgamation of tacos and sushi glean the Frankenstein price of recognition of being concurrently absurd and divine.
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We never concept we’d pronounce this, nonetheless skip the Nigiri (RMB6/allotment) – a generally ideal vessel for fish and rice consumption – as this model is essentially rice, inflicting an earth-shattering shift of equilibrium.
Rule no 1 of nigiri: don’t mess with proportions.
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As an different, the sashimi arrives in abundance, of which the Yellowtail (RMB45) is lush, while the Thick Decrease Salmon (RMB39.90) is novel, plump, and equally at ease.
Bonus: the Scallops (RMB15) melt like butter.
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Disclaimer
After visiting the Moho Mall store on Jiangning Lafew months later, we had contrasting experiences – the more sure being at the conventional Tianzifang storefront, the more sauce-smothered, no longer-so-novel sushi tacos at Moho Mall.
So proceed with caution Jing’an-ers, and level to that there might maybe be some inconsistency in quality all the diagram in which thru areas.
There are for the time being 11 areas of Jin Yan Shitang spherical Shanghai – yow will detect the closest plan to you on Dianping.
Kinaburi Sushi 金炙板前料理
Located on the 5th floor of 1 in all Shanghai’s most awaited mall openings – Tian’an 1000 Timber on Moganshan Lu – Kinaburi Sushi, first and important perceive, appears like all assorted shopping heart sushi joint.
It ticks your full containers of exhibiting unapologetically moderate – a plastic-laminated menu on a pedestal by the doorway, cookie cutter wave and scalloped-sample décor, sushi cooks in those goofy, jokingly big paper hats, and group that greet every newcomer with an in-unison salutation.
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Switch previous the triteness, scan the desk QR code menu, and fling straight to the Salmon Nigiri (RMB15.50/allotment).
Invent no longer circulate fling, and earn no longer safe $200.
The thick slab is subtly painted with soy sauce, a dot of nostril-tingling wasabi hidden below on a knuckle-size mound of sticky rice.
The fish is novel. AF. Even supposing it’s almost double the cost for the same portion at Shanghai institution Tokyo Condominium (be taught about below), the fish quality is at the least double…
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… and because the sayings fling – quality over quantity, cream of the cut, crème de la crème, size matters… maybe we threw in that final one for lawful measure.
Account for as you’re going to, and pronounce at the least three per person.
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Sashimi offerings are fashioned – a mix of fatty and standard Salmon (RMB68.80), Tuna (RMB83.50), and Yellowtail (RMB48.50), amongst others.
Besides some easy rolls – like Cucumber (RMB13), Eel (RMB15.90) and Tuna (RMB25) – fried and novel chirashi-style rice bowls (RMB50-70), and some grilled chicken or fish skewers (RMB10-19.50), the first option is nigiri.
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A high vendor on Dianping, Eel Nigiri with Plum Sauce (RMB19.50) appears to be a huge scheme – a serving or two of every on every desk in the restaurant.
Nonetheless we recommend selecting a a lot bigger portion of the protein on a skewer for the same heed sans carbs because… keto?
We don’t if truth be told glean how that works, staunch bring us more eel.
No might maybe maybe well peaceable be a rocket scientist to pronounce here and preserve it in the budget-pleasant realm while peaceable scoring on the cost entrance.
Kinaburi Sushi 金炙板前料理, 0513, 5/F, 1000 Timber, 600 Moganshan Lu by Changhua Lu, 莫干山路600号天安千树商场L5W-0513, 近昌化路.
Ling He Ding 令和町
Typically budget translates to price, assorted cases no longer so powerful. Sadly, Ling He Ding belongs in the latter class, a build with doable that… falls on its face.
The décor is quaint, a small shabby nonetheless in a charming technique, like a hidden gem hole-in-the-wall we all secretly desire to be the first to present an evidence for.
Alas, the group’s gruff attitude carries over to the meals – fully a fling away out all the diagram in which thru the board.
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The menu is pan-Japanese, with everything from sashimi and nigiri to sukiyaki, ramen and rice gadgets.
To align with our article premise, we began with the Salmon Sashimi (RMB48), arriving on crushed ice, flippantly purple, sliced thick.
A instant chopstick travel unearths it’s at ease – no longer lush – nonetheless nothing jarring but. Except it goes down the hatch, and straight needs to return support up.
That is the antithesis of novel.
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Miraculously, we push forward, hoping the blunder modified into as soon as standalone.
Nonetheless, the Salmon Nigiri (RMB20/2 pieces) continues down the same plotline. Day archaic rice that a small crusts all the diagram in which thru the aspects is hid below a cap of thriller “salmon belly,” the feel so off-placing we came all the diagram in which thru ourselves removal the nob of rice fully and staunch going for the fish.
Nonetheless the fish itself modified into as soon as no better – stringy and spongy – adjectives never to be associated with meals, especially raw fish.
At this level we threw in the chopsticks and made an executive decision to circulate on the remainder of the meal.
Ling He Ding 令和町, #302-5, 3/F 2000 Longyang Lu, by Baiyang Lu, 龙阳路2000号龙阳广场3楼302-5, 近白杨路.
Mona Sushi 末那寿司
Metro Metropolis, or Meigui Fang (玫瑰坊), staunch down the block from Zhongshan Park, is a mecca for all issues Japanese eats.
An homage to Shinjuku’s Piss Alley – an aspect road with dozens of small, shotgun restaurants and bars (like the Yongkang of Shanghai’s no longer so newest previous) – a handful of yakitori nooks, izakaya hideouts and sashimi stalls take a seat at the support of closed doorways that are staunch asking to be opened.
Once inside of the mall, enterprise as a lot as the 2nd stage to acquire retail outlets specializing in Japanese BBQ, okonomiyaki, chilly soba noodles. and eel rice.
Whereas most flock to 親父的右腕 – a Shaded Pearl-awarded sushi plan – it be considerable to e book as a lot as 2 weeks in reach. No longer the most life like for those aiming for an impromptu sushi lunch.
That is where Mona Sushi is accessible in, our fling-to plan in the residence for price sushi and sashimi. This no-frills build is inexpensive and contented; what’s misplaced in ambiance is made up for with pleasant carrier and excessive-quality fish.
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The menu isn’t giant: half a dozen appetizers like Seaweed Salad (RMB16) or Wasabi Octopus (RMB18); a smattering of Sashimi (RMB48-70); about six Rolls (RMB48-68); about a Nigiri (RMB16-29/2 pieces); some fashioned Maki (RMB12-20); and some mains like Grilled Fish (RMB48).
But, all that’s there might maybe be easy but well completed.
The sashimi parts are the finest price – with out distress more than 100 grams of buttery Salmon Sashimi (RMB69) that melts reasonably than desiring to be chewed, or eight thick slices of Australian-imported Scallops (RMB48) served up in a martini glass.
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The nigiri desire is fashioned – salmon, small, egg, fish roe – with the rice-to-protein ratio skewing a small too some distance in opposition to rice.
That mentioned, the elementary maki rolls are a standout price, with six giant pieces of Eel Maki (RMB18) full of fatty, marinated eel, or a similar quantity of Salmon Maki (RMB18).
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The rolls are where they lose us, most of which will probably be drizzled in mayo, aioli or overly candy renditions of eel sauce.
The exception being the Amy Roll (RMB58), full of salmon and topped with thin slices of avocado and small.
(Still much less novel than assorted alternate options, we recommend sticking to the sashimi, nigiri and maki.)
The meal ends with a complimentary Hokkaido milk pudding, velvety and candy, a pleasant contact to an already pocket-pleasant lunch.
Our completely gripe is that the menu is curiously missing in tuna, generally a staple at most sushi spots.
Mona Sushi 末那寿司, #88, 2/F, 890 Changning Lu, by Huichuan Lu, 长宁路龙之梦2楼城市集市88号, 近汇川路.
Sushi Numazuko 寿司沼津港
With 30 areas (yup, THIRTY!) spherical Shanghai, we figured Sushi Numazuko has got to glean something going on.
Why else would there be so various them?
Economies of scale?
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In point of fact, this build is proof incarnate of the pronouncing, “You glean what you pay for.”
The menu is your fashioned Japanese izakaya and sushi fare at unnervingly low prices (which can maybe well peaceable glean been the first red flag).
Nonetheless, like a drunk woman at the neighborhood pub on a Saturday evening, red flags did no longer seem to discourage us.
There’s everything from grilled Meat Skewers (RMB9-20) to Nigiri (RMB17-23/2 pieces), from Sashimi (RMB50-90) to Sushi Rolls (RMB25-35/4 pieces).
They additionally glean rice bowls with raw or cooked seafood or meats from RMB55-70, and your full archaic appetizers like seaweed salad, wasabi octopus, and the like.
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For the title on my own, it’s seemingly you’ll maybe well’t no longer glean the Mountain Stack Tuna Belly Warship Nigiri (山堆枪鱼腩军舰) (RMB19/2 pieces).
We half anticipated it to roll up on a tank, six pack abs glistening with sweat, a machete slung all the diagram in which thru its shoulder.
As an different, it arrived similar to a cadet that pounded too powerful of the thriller meat rations and ended up with the squirts – one in every of poorest excuses for nigiri we’ve maybe ever choked down; watery mashed tuna belly tasting – well – staunch as described, pressed atop some mealy rice.
The Salmon Nigiri (RMB17/2 pieces) modified into as soon as equally flavorless, a skinny ribbon of some mediocre – disturbingly neon-colored – salmon over a golf ball of more of that bland excuse for rice.
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We had been noticing a pattern at this level, because the Mango Eel Roll (RMB28/4 pieces) is 80% – you guessed it – rice.
And no longer the particular person mirin-slick kernels of Japanese lengthy-grain rice either, staunch like Uncle Ben’s microwave occasion rice from the lawful ol’ discount retailer.
The miniscule quantity of filling inside of the roll includes those counterfeit crab sticks from Family Mart, a hunk of egg and a sliver of cucumber.
Atop the roll, the eel is slathered in a sugary molasses-esque sauce (eel sauce here is interestingly syrup) and an overripe chunk of mango.
Precise bottom of the barrel stuff.
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We shamelessly ate the Tuna Belly Sashimi (RMB42/60 grams) in its entirety – more hunks of flavorless nonsense that we soaked in wasabi soy sauce to glean down (protein bulking and cumbersome – gotta retain that swole, y’all).
One silver lining – there’s free whisk pickled ginger on the desk, so , price.
Whereas there are locations in town that bring on the cost entrance (and we’ve came all the diagram in which thru them) – Sushi Numazuko ain’t one in every of them.
We sacrificed our tummy for this meal so you don’t have to.
There are for the time being 30 areas of Sushi Numazuko spherical Shanghai – yow will detect the closest plan to you on Dianping.
Tokyo Condominium 东京屋
Pretty maybe Shanghai’s busiest price sushi plan, Tokyo Condominium is the build to talk about over with for all issues everyday sushi.
Even when Tokyo Condominium remained money completely – lengthy after WeChat Pay and Alipay grew to develop into the norm – lines peaceable persisted out the door every damn day.
Why?
Because Tokyo Condominium low key has that high-quality hookup for novel seafood and pumps it out at an astonishing price at beyond cheap prices.
Plating might maybe maybe well exercise some work, restaurant decór hasn’t been as a lot as this level in years, and repair is on the gruffer aspect, but all of that’s quicky skipped over when the sushi arrives, every flavorful detail meticulously accounted for.
Foie Gras Nigiri (RMB18), Image by Sophie Steiner/That’s
From the gleaming mirin and sugar-slick particular person lengthy grain rice kernels, to the daub of wasabi exactingly placed on every knuckle of mentioned nigiri-topped rice, to the compact sushi rolls that master the rice-to-fish ratio, diners construct zero concessions for heed here.
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The menu is giant, with diversified gadgets of Sashimi (RMB79-259), both seared and novel Nigiri (RMB15-30/2 pieces) plus varying gadgets of six mixed nigiri for RMB49-69.
There are Sushi Rolls (RMB49-69), chilly dishes (like natto or inspiring mini squid), grilled fish alternate options, sizzling meat hotplates, hotpots and sukiyaki, and soba noodles dishes.
Invent level to that pickled ginger is no longer always if truth be told complimentary, nonetheless a heaping portion will probably be ordered for a additional – and well worth it – RMB5.
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The have to-pronounce roll here is the Summer season Roll (RMB49), the freshest of the lot with salmon, tuna, and white tuna belly, sheathed by creamy avocado slices and texturally contrasting popping roe beads.
This tight roll has completely a skinny covering of rice so the novel fish shines, scoring patrons serious protein for his or her kuai outlay.
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Whereas you probably can’t fling depraved with staunch about any of the nigiri, the Unagi Nigiri (RMB16/2 pieces) is a no brainer, every stout cut painted with a sticky eel sauce.
And, while the Scallop Nigiri (RMB23) is pricier than the leisure, one be taught about and likewise you heed the justification – a stout wedge of unctuous scallop butterflied launch all the diagram in which thru glistening rice, candy with a supple chunk – our current scallop nigiri in town.
Tokyo Condominium 东京屋, 1106 Wuding Lu, by Yanping Lu, 武定路1106号, 近延平路.
READ MORE: Discount, Balanced, Ballin’: 20 Foie Gras Dishes For All Budgets
