Restaurant Review: Sushi Taro Ten

By Betty Richardson

The Place
Be it down to Shanghai's advantageous coastal location near Japan, our multitude of Japanese expats, or the unending Shanghainese love affair with seafood (or, more likely, a combination of all three) high-quality sushi is relatively easy to find in this city – provided you are prepared to pay through the nose for it.

Distinctive and interesting restaurants like Sushi Oyama, Sushi Naoki and Sushi Aoki have all made their own mark; accrued accolades and followings, and ultimately set the bar for omakase dining (prix fix, chef's choice) rather high.

Joining them is Sushi Taro Ten, a smart omakase sushi counter restaurant on Jianguo Lu that outprices the aforementioned three, serving two menus priced at RMB1380 and RMB1980 respectively. Unlike the aforementioned however, Taro Ten has a Michelin Star holding alma mater in Fukuoka, Japan, from which it draws similar style and character. Bolstering this pedigree is head chef Nakanishi Hirohisa, a Tokyo native who we are told previously trained at restaurants in Ginza and the original Sushi Taro with eponymous chef-proprietor Taro Fujii.

Needless to say, we stroll into Sushi Taro Ten with high expectations and a faint degree of cynicism.

The Food
Opting for the 'cheaper' of the two sets, our meal begins with a series of seafood appetizers before chef Nakanishi serves the nigirizushi courses. Highlights from these included tender steamed 'ripple cut' abalone, which in this case serves to adhere soy sauce to the abalone, and a sashimi bowl. The latter included two exceptional slices of hay-smoked tachiuo (scabbard fish); we can still remember the subtly smoky flavor and meaty texture of this fish, which is more commonly seen grilled.

Finally, onto the sushi. According to the restaurant, Sushi Taro Ten in Shanghai specializes in Edomae sushi, a style most obviously notable for its use of different vinegars added to the rice depending on the topping. Like the original in Fukuoka, red vinegar (azaku), apparently rare in Shanghai, gives Taro Ten's shari (sushi rice) a distinctive and balanced flavor, though we found its acidity relatively mild.

Nakanishi's neta (sushi toppings) are reserved and traditional, but don't assume that equates to basic. Exceptional pieces on our visit included mind-blowingly luscious and thick-cut aji (horse mackerel, above), topped with minced ginger and scallion that mingled piquancy with the fish. Chu-toro (medium-fatty tuna belly, below) delivered a superb balance of fat and minerally flavor; flavors catalyzed with a lick of savory soy sauce.

Other exceptional pieces included Nakanishi's treatment of hokkigai (Arctic surf clam), a classic Edomae sushi-tane. Often, the preparation of these clams – which are still live at this point – sees them slapped on a hard surface after cutting to tighten the flesh and enhance 'crunchiness.' Nakanishi takes a softer touch with his hokkigai, resulting in a gorgeously supple texture that enhanced its sweet and crisp flavor.

Uni (sea urchin) showed further deft handling from Nagasaki. The small, meltingly tender tongues of uni were lightly brushed with soy sauce and so precariously perched atop the loosely compacted rice that we had barely a few seconds to pick it up.

Finally, robust maguro maki (tuna rolls) were a satisfying and substantial conclusion to the meal, followed by miso soup and a yangmei-based dessert.

Food Verdict: 2.5/3

The Vibe
Sleek and spacious, Sushi Taro Ten offers an ambience befitting of its lofty price point. But that's almost beside the point; die hard sushi lovers will at this point be wondering, 'yes, but is it as good as than the other omakase sushi restaurants in Shanghai that I already know and love?' Ultimately yes, but it is different; more understated and formal, though the quality of the ingredients were as good if not better in some cases.

We certainly enjoyed Sushi Taro Ten's luxuriously simplicity, though we'll be sticking with the cheaper set or lunch menu on our next visit. After all, RMB1980 is pretty much the price of a flight to Japan.
Vibe Verdict: 1.5/3

Total Verdict: 4/5
Price: RMB680-980 per person for lunch; RMB1380-1980 per person for dinner
Who's going: mainly locals, Japanese expats
Good for: special occasions

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