We were instructed to be at the restaurant in Tokyo's glitzy Ginza district at 8:30 p.m. sharp. When we arrived, just in time, all the other diners were seated. For the next two hours, we enjoyed a multicourse meal of delectable dishes including chawanmushi savory egg custard topped with sea urchin and abalone with a slightly bitter sauce made from abalone liver.
Everything was perfect, from the impeccable service to the artistic ceramic ware and exquisite food. But after several courses, I became uneasily aware that we were being served what seemed like a multicourse kaiseki (haute cuisine) meal, even though the restaurant was a sushi establishment. And by the time we finally got to the nigirizushi (vinegared rice with toppings) I felt like I had already eaten a full meal.
