Sushi Au

Sushi Au (鮨 逅)

⭐⭐⭐

🍣 Sushi / 📍 Shibuya

📓 Visits: 1

Sushi Au opened a few months after Nikuya Hikari in a building they share.  Both were crowed-funded and originally membership-only restaurants but since August 2024 both have been taking reservations from Tabelog.  Multiple red flags had I done my research beforehand but anyway I went with moderate expectations and at most JPY 9,900 to lose for the cheapest course.

The restaurant seats eight at a small, straight counter in a windowless basement.  The tuna and the futomaki were the weakest items that were served.  The maguro was from a 203kg fish from Oma supplied by Yamayuki but the chutoro was quite irony and the akami needed to be better quality to not be served zuke.  The futomaki contained lots of vegetables and a small amount of sukimi.  Other than that, everything else was genuinely excellent.  The problem was (1) there was so little and (2) it was too slow.  If you order the cheaper course you have to wait while customers who ordered the more expensive course are served the extra items.  It took over 25 minutes for the first three items to be served, and then imagine my surprise when the anago came out as nigiri #6.  That's right, just six nigiri in the course (either course), a new low and beating even Sushi Yuu.  You can order extras at the end but I didn't want to stay any longer.  I did order the bottan ebi, which is available as an add-on to both courses half way through, and while it was good, it was about half the size I expected (as if the chef had sliced it in half) and to add insult to injury, it was 2000 yen.

All you can drink is included in the price and with the location it's a great choice for a date on a budget.  Service was excellent with drink requests fulfilled quickly, though the ryokucha was awful.  The chef seems like a nice guy, has some charisma, most importantly, good skills.  I hope he can realise his potential in a better setup.

📌 https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1303/A130301/13286592/

❓ My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 3.45

📱 Booking: 🟩 An easy booking via Tabelog.

📍 Location: 

B1F Takahashi Bldg., 1-9-5 Shibuya.  B1F street-facing entrance.  Around 5 mins up Miyamasuzaka from Shibuya Station (Ginza Line Hikarie Exit, JR Line Miyamasuzaka Exit, Hanzomon/Fukutoshin/Tokyu Toyoko Line Exit B4)
Map data ©2025 Google

📅 Visit February 2025

🍙 Kanedai uni, okra norimaki 
🍲 Clear soup, maguro katsuoboshi, tara-ni
🍣 Madai
🍣 Aori ika
🍣 Akagai
🍣 +Bottan ebi +2000
🥚 Zuwaigani, yurine chawanmushi 
🍣 Chutoro 
🍣 Akami
🍣 Anago 
🍲 Miso soup
🍙 Futomaki 
🥚 Tamago

💴 Damage: 11,900

⏱️ Time taken: 90m