OmakaseNigiruSushi Matsu + Epsilon

3.0

at Ichi Go Ichi E

-Malate, Manila-

with ME, TL

Sushi + Alpha*, Day 5.  Engaging in a week-long sushi binge, just because I can now afford to.  In college, I had reportedly proclaimed that my financial ambition in life was simply to earn enough money so that I could eat sushi every day.  I was reminded of this over a recent get-together in Seoul with DP — actually, I don’t recall ever setting such a target, but it sounds like something that I would’ve said.  Even back then, apparently, my primary frame of reference had been food.  For a college student, I suppose that sushi would’ve been quite a luxury.  And as an English lit major, getting rich obviously hadn’t been part of the plan.  In any case, I’ve since attained that relatively humble measure of success, and perhaps a stretch beyond.

*In Korean, the phrase “plus alpha” — pronounced “plus al-pa” — describes “something more, a bit extra on top.”

1. Izakaya Den (6.118 Sushi Moriawase Matsu…) (2.25) / 6 nigiri + 1 gunkan + 6 maki (+ soup) = 420 PHP / alpha : tako karaage (2.5)
2. La Tuna (6.119 Sushi Set M…) (0.5) / 10 nigiri (+ soup + salad) = 650 PHP / beta : grilled shrimp (1.5)
3. Tanabe (6.120 Tokujyuo Nigiri…) (3.25) / 9 nigiri + 1 gunkan + 6 maki (+ tofu) = 1,200 PHP + 10% / gamma : horenso tofu orentashi (2.25)
4. Kushimasa (6.121 Tokojyo Nigiri Sushi Moriawase…) (1.5) / 8 nigiri + 2 gunkan + 6 maki (+ soup) = 740 PHP + 10% / delta : geso karaage (1.5)
5. Ichi Go Ichi E (6.122 OmakaseNigiruSushi Matsu…) (3.0) / 9 nigiri + 3 gunkan = 780 PHP / epsilon : roast baby potatoes (2.0)

Whereas the point of this project is to enjoy the symbolic fruits of my modest success, Manila is a poor place for implementation, particularly this part of town, where the sushi leans towards the mediocre (see generally 5.250 Assorted Sushi).

The sushi was … disappointingly okay.  In light of all the old-male-smoking-drinking Japanese customers — a kind of Ajeossi Bellwether Standard (see most recently 4.163 The Eulji Myeonok…) — as well as the Japanese menu, and most significantly the Japanese chef/manager/owner — the first time that I’ve encountered a Japanese person working in a Japanese restaurant here — I’d hoped for more.  The chutoro and negitoro maki were excellent, but the remaining pieces were reasonably tasty if unremarkable.  Oh well.