Sugared & Spiced

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Sushi Oyama 大山鮨

Address: 2/F, 20 Donghu Lu, near Huaihai Lu /東湖路20號2樓, 近淮海路
Tel: 5404 7705
Hours: 6:30pm – 10:30pm (closed Sunday)
Price: 800 RMB/person, drinks extra

Once in a while I eat a meal so perfect that I can’t help but grin from ear to ear until long after the meal has finished. Such was the case after my dinner at Sushi Oyama, an omakase Japanese restaurant with menu that changes nightly. It’s a small but elegant place. The decor is simple, the air is filled with light-hearted jazz, and the focal point of the room is an open sushi bar where Oyama-san and a couple of helpers slice, scorch, press, fold, and roll with determined confidence.

I’m charmed by Sushi Oyama beyond remedy.

Sushi Oyama

Business card case

Work station with fresh ingredients

Oyama-san at work

Sushi Oyama serves only one 800 RMB seasonal set menu every evening. For those sitting at the counter, the menu becomes more of a reference – just tell Oyama-san your cravings, and he’ll do his best to satisfy.

Tonight’s menu

Table setting

The meal started with a trio of meticulously prepared appetizers. Cashew Nuts Tofu with Sea Urchin stood out as the most memorable one for me. A dot of sea urchin, with its intense orange color and soft, sensual texture, rests languidly atop a piece of slightly sticky tofu punctuated with cashew nut bits.

Cashew Nuts Tofu with Sea Urchin

Smoked Whelk in Plum Sauce

Grilled Pike Eel

Then came a small cup of Edamame Soup with Kelp, which glided smoothly down the throat, leaving only a trance of fragrance. It was equal parts hearty and refined.

Bonito Soy Bean Soup with Kelp

The assorted sashimi - needle fish, toro, red clam, flounder – was a plate of specular seafood with contrasting flavors and textures.

Assorted Sashimi

Needle Fish, Toro, Red Clam, Flounder

Fresh-grated wasabi

I could easily down a bowl of rice with these Japanese pickles. Happily. Everyday.

Pickles

Then commenced the glorious, glorious procession of nigiri sushi. Each a luxurious sensation in the mouth, almost unbearably delicious. Oyama-san hits the ideal fish to rice ratio and adds a little spark with the perfect seasoning – a glaze of soy sauce, s few slices of shiso leaves, a bit of ginger, a few flakes of dried bonito, or a sprinkle of sesame and scallions…whatever he placed in front of us, we placed in the mouth without hesitation. There was always a moment of silence, then a satisfied smile would sprawl across our faces, followed by the slow nodding and “mmmm…oishiii.” Oyama-san just grins on the background.

Striped Jack

Akami

Botan Shrimp

Chutoro

We were then given a short break from sushi with a bowl of warm and crunchy roasted conch.

Roasted Conch

Then continued with the glorious, glorious procession of sushi.

Sea Urchin

Salmon Roe

Bonito

Grilled Sea Eel

Towards the end, Oyama-san fixed us something special from his hometown Hiroshima – a squid and cucumber roll with sesame and shiso. It was an exceptionally clean flavor that marked a perfect ending to tonight’s sumptuous sushi galore.

Squid & Cucumber Roll

Somewhere along the meal, we were also served a bowl of steamed egg with clam, thoughtfully prepared with refreshing bits of orange peel.

Steamed Egg with Clam

And a bowl of Fisherman Soup – a variation of misoshiru with shrimp heads and other goodies which made the soup that much more delicious.

Fisherman Soup

There was also a sweet and fluffy tamago yaki with an almost cake-like texture, different from any tamago yaki I’ve tasted before. I wanted to ask Oyama-san how this was done, but the question got lost somewhere admist the conversation…

Sweet Omelet

Sweet Omelet

Lastly, panna cotta with caramel to finish. Simple. Perfect.

Panna Cotta

Though there are private rooms available upon request, counter seats are the best way to experience Sushi Oyama. Watching Oyama-san’s dexterous hands form each piece of sushi (he even did a slow motion to show me how the steps are done), and conversing with him about his cooking and life stories make the meal all the more enjoyable. I rarely say what my “favorite” restaurant for any cuisine is, but Sushi Oyama is most definitely my favorite Japanese restaurant in Shanghai. This is a dinner that I’ll be dreaming about for days to come.

Oyama-san

Private Room

Decor

Sushi Oyama & Kappo Yu