Quietest "waiting room" ever! Kyubei

I have never queued up at Kyubei @ Ginza. Well there's a first for everything.

The "waiting room" is on the 5F. It felt clinical - there's 2 groups in addition to us. People were literally whispering to each other - because it's so damn quiet there! (As if we will disturb the dead fish). So it felt like we are in a museum - or, well, a clinic (waiting for our culinary treatment).

Inside the room, there are potteries on display. WSJ articles litter around, on Imada-san and his 20 million USD a year business (I was surprised the Kyubei empire was so big, there's only 1-2 big ones, with the others inside hotels etc, eg, in Keio, Okura).

So we all breathlessly and quietly wait for our sushi experience....and being an old man now, had to say, "back to basic" really work. No fancy, Michelin so-called three star restaurants. Food was just great at Kyubei. Lunch omakase - and it was "only" 8000 Yen per person! (when I had thought it'd be the usually 15,000 Yen like at dinner). We just couldnt believe it's such a great bargain - maybe with the recession, they notched down the price a bit, and go easy on the sashimi servings at lunch....

Around 2-3 years ago, I felt Kyubei was "too much of a dining experience". We were late for 30mins once, a big group, 12 of us. And I sort of recall it was Imada-san serving us (or someone equally old). He was totally pissed and yelled at us for being late - which of course was disrespectful. Anyways, after that time, I didnt went back to Kyubei Ginza, and only "dare" to go to the one in Okura Hotel - not least because it's so much more convenient since I always stay there for work.

But making my rounds at so many Michelin-starred sushi places, I think Kyubei, you are still my favorite!