Japan: Endo Sushi
1000 POSTS!! When I first started this blog in April 2010, I had just started settled in Chicago and wanted to let my friends know what I was up to. Fast forward six years and 999 posts and I'm three years out of law school, working at a job that I love back in the Bay. I never imagined that I would keep this blog up for this long.
But I did. And at this point, I'm not sure I even know how to stop.
Anyway. It's fitting that my 1000th just so happens to fall on my first post from Japan. Makes it feel all special and stuff.
CK and I arrived in Osaka late at night on Sunday. We considered going out for some late night ramen, but ultimately decided to sleep instead. Which was probably the right thing to do as we woke up early the next morning to trek out to the Osaka Fish Market to have breakfast at Endo Sushi.
Endo Sushi opened at 5:00 am. We weren't that crazy. When we arrived around 8:00 am, there was already a line in front of us:
Except it didn't really look like a line. We weren't sure if this meant we had to put our names down inside. We checked with the Thai tourists there before us (with all of their luggage!) and were told to just wait outside. That was the right thing to do because after a little while, a staff member came out to check how many people were in each party.
Once she came out, everyone waiting shuffled into some semblance of a line, which became an actual line as more people arrived. Soon the line stretched far into the giant parking lot.
Thank goodness we didn't arrive any later than when we did because we actually didn't wait all that long. About half an hour later, we were inside and being directed to the counter:
The place was tiny, with a counter that seats around six and a few tables. Going with one other person (and no more than four total) would probably be most ideal.
CK and I started by sharing an akadashi miso soup (300 yen or around $3):
It came loaded with these tiny clams that were more for flavoring the soup than for eating:
Endo Sushi makes things easy for you by offering four fixed sets (five pieces of sushi each for 1050 yen or around $10.50). The handy dandy English menu lets you know exactly what your options are:
You can switch out particular sushi, but that may affect the price.
CK and I both ordered the set one since that was the one that contained most of what we liked:
From left to right: hamachi (yellowtail), toro (fatty tuna), tai (sea bream), uni (sea urchin), and anago (salt-water eel). CK switched out her tai for a tamago (egg) sushi. I looked at her like she was crazy when she made the request, but she told me she had no regrets because the tamago was delicious. To each their own, I guess.
But damn, sushi in Japan really does taste different. I've never had fish be so...un-fishy. I love uni, but sometimes I have to brace myself for how briny it can be. The uni at Endo? Creamy and subtle and omygawdIwantsomenow! Everything seemed to just melt in my mouth. What the heck?!
We seriously contemplated getting a second set, but we figured we should be good since we planned on hitting up the Kuromon Market directly afterwards.
As we were about to leave after paying our bill, we were each handed a souvenir to take home:
It was a mini-canvas bag with Endo Sushi's newly opened Bangkok branch information on it. Guess that explains why there were so many Thais there that morning.
Fantastic breakfast and a free gift? Damn. Our first day in Japan was definitely off to a good start.
ゑんどう寿司
大阪府大阪市福島区野田1-1-86
06-6469-7108
http://www.endo-sushi.com/
But I did. And at this point, I'm not sure I even know how to stop.
Anyway. It's fitting that my 1000th just so happens to fall on my first post from Japan. Makes it feel all special and stuff.
CK and I arrived in Osaka late at night on Sunday. We considered going out for some late night ramen, but ultimately decided to sleep instead. Which was probably the right thing to do as we woke up early the next morning to trek out to the Osaka Fish Market to have breakfast at Endo Sushi.
Endo Sushi opened at 5:00 am. We weren't that crazy. When we arrived around 8:00 am, there was already a line in front of us:
Except it didn't really look like a line. We weren't sure if this meant we had to put our names down inside. We checked with the Thai tourists there before us (with all of their luggage!) and were told to just wait outside. That was the right thing to do because after a little while, a staff member came out to check how many people were in each party.
Once she came out, everyone waiting shuffled into some semblance of a line, which became an actual line as more people arrived. Soon the line stretched far into the giant parking lot.
Thank goodness we didn't arrive any later than when we did because we actually didn't wait all that long. About half an hour later, we were inside and being directed to the counter:
The place was tiny, with a counter that seats around six and a few tables. Going with one other person (and no more than four total) would probably be most ideal.
CK and I started by sharing an akadashi miso soup (300 yen or around $3):
It came loaded with these tiny clams that were more for flavoring the soup than for eating:
Endo Sushi makes things easy for you by offering four fixed sets (five pieces of sushi each for 1050 yen or around $10.50). The handy dandy English menu lets you know exactly what your options are:
You can switch out particular sushi, but that may affect the price.
CK and I both ordered the set one since that was the one that contained most of what we liked:
From left to right: hamachi (yellowtail), toro (fatty tuna), tai (sea bream), uni (sea urchin), and anago (salt-water eel). CK switched out her tai for a tamago (egg) sushi. I looked at her like she was crazy when she made the request, but she told me she had no regrets because the tamago was delicious. To each their own, I guess.
But damn, sushi in Japan really does taste different. I've never had fish be so...un-fishy. I love uni, but sometimes I have to brace myself for how briny it can be. The uni at Endo? Creamy and subtle and omygawdIwantsomenow! Everything seemed to just melt in my mouth. What the heck?!
We seriously contemplated getting a second set, but we figured we should be good since we planned on hitting up the Kuromon Market directly afterwards.
As we were about to leave after paying our bill, we were each handed a souvenir to take home:
It was a mini-canvas bag with Endo Sushi's newly opened Bangkok branch information on it. Guess that explains why there were so many Thais there that morning.
Fantastic breakfast and a free gift? Damn. Our first day in Japan was definitely off to a good start.
ゑんどう寿司
大阪府大阪市福島区野田1-1-86
06-6469-7108
http://www.endo-sushi.com/
CONGRATS! WOOHOO! PARTAY! 1000! seriously though thats crazy. I only started looking at your blog again because japan...
ReplyDeleteMore to come! Both food-wise and crazy CK antics-wise. ;)
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