Taste of Japan: Sushi, price right at Sushizanmai in Roppongi

(Photos by Takahiro Takiguchi)

Sushi is one of the most popular washoku dishes in Japan. No matter where you go in the country, you’ll have plenty of options of fresh sushi and sashimi spots to choose from.

If you find yourself exploring Tokyo’s busy Roppongi District, make time for a delicious and inexpensive sushi lunch set at Sushizanmai, a chain restaurant on the ground floor of the Lapiros Roppongi Building.

Sushizanmai has a colorful exterior and is closest to Roppongi Station Exit 3. As it is a short seven-minute walk from Hardy Barracks, my coworkers and I often head for the popular sushi restaurant for a quick lunch during the workweek.

The spacious restaurant has plenty of seating, so don’t worry about the wait if you’re there during a busy time.

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi)

The menu in Sushizanmai is filled with virtually any kind of hand-shaped and rolled sushi, sashimi (raw fish) and various a-la-carte fish dishes.

I usually order the Kasumi Lunch Set (12 hand-shaped and three small, rolled sushi) for 1,250 yen ($8) or Kaisendon (bowl of seafood and rice) Lunch Set for 1,050 yen.

The Kasumi Lunch Set includes 12 hand-shaped tuna sushi (fatty and lean), squid, octopus, conger, yellow tail, shrimp, scallop, mackerel, sea bream, gizzard shad and egg, and two small sushi rolls of tuna and ikura (salmon’s eggs). On the side, you get a large portion of gari pickles. The set is a good sample of the daily catch from Tokyo’s Tsukiji and Toyosu fish markets.

For the Kaisendon Lunch Set, the vinegar-flavored rice in the bowl is topped with large slices of tuna, salmon, yellow tail, bonito, ikura, egg, and ginger pickles, radish pickles and wasabi. The bowl has a nice color combination of vibrant, shimmering hues almost too delectable to disturb.

Both lunch sets come with complimentary miso soup, and chawanmushi (cup-teamed egg custard hotchpotch).

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi)

The impeccable presentation of both sushi and bowl sets always makes me pause before digging in. The chew of each slice of fresh raw fish is incredible. The full-bodied rich, sweet and tender slice paired with the tangy vinegar rice and wasabi kick is delectable.

Besides my quick lunch routine with my coworkers at Sushizanmai, I used to take a half day off on Friday to enjoy the lunch set with a couple of glasses of beer. The restaurant’s “lunch beer” is only 200 yen and served ice cold and is a great way to start the weekend!

Don’t skip Sushizanmai next time when you’re in Roppongi and want to try tasty sushi in a relaxing atmosphere for reasonable prices.

Sushizanmai Lapiros Roppongi

Address: 6-1-24 [1F] Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo (a 7-minute walk from Hardy Barracks)

Hours: 24/7/365

URL

Tel: 03-5772-1005

*Sushizanmai is a large sushi chain, check a shop near you on their website.

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