[Shanghai Secrets] Ochiyo Japanese Omakase SH's Chefs' Go-To

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We had heard of Ochiyo before, but only in passing. It was not until we launched our Chef's Table series that we realized just how popular Ochiyo is among the city's culinary talent. First mentioned by Chef Michael Wendling, then by Chef Juan Campos, and finally by Carlos Sotomayor, each named Ochiyo as one of their favorite haunts. It was clearly time we did a piece.

The Place

Omakase sushi by home-grown talent Sun Jianguo. Sun cut his teeth under Takeo Oyama. If you've lived in Shanghai long enough, you'll remember that he brought this style of Japanese dining to the city center. Sure, there were omakase joints in Gubei, but you probably didn't know about them unless you were Japanese.

After his tenure in Oyama's eponymous restaurant, he worked under Yohei Terada, an Oyama protégé known for Kappo Yu, a restaurant that did for Japanese kaiseki cuisine what Oyama did for omakase. In 2013, he took what he learned and ran Ochobo, a kaiseki restaurant that once resided where you will now find this fancy hot pot place I wrote about.

Ochiyo is Ochobo's next natural progression, Sun explains, a more "grown-up" concept. When it first opened in late 2019 on Huaihai Road, it was one of those restaurants that chefs (Michael Wendling, Juan Campos and Carlos Sotomayor have each declared Ochiyo a favorite haunt) and other industry types would gush over. You were lucky to get a seat.

A brief closure sent a shockwave of withdrawal symptoms across the Shanghai foodie community. Thankfully, Sun reopened last spring at this new location in Changning.

The Space

True to form, Ochiyo is a small and intimate affair. A bar seats 14. A private room seats 10. That suits this kind of cuisine just fine. Add a few more covers and you risk compromising on quality. The décor is simple and almost forgettable – bright lights, lots of blond wood, some fish-themed art on the walls. Clearly, the chef doesn't want anything to upstage the food.

The Food

Omakase dinners don't lend themselves well to thick descriptions, because so much of the experience is about nothing. And no, that's not some sort of high-minded Zen Buddhist conceit about the inherent emptiness of all experience. Sushi at its best is about minimal intervention. In case the term is unfamiliar, omakase is a Japanese dining style where you leave the food choices up to the chef, who serves a personalized sequence of dishes based on what's freshest and best that day. It literally means "I'll leave it up to you."

A great sushi chef knows which knife technique brings out the best texture in a fish. They season and sauce just enough to coax or counterbalance flavors. The rest of it is about recognizing and respecting good product.

Sun gets high marks on all these counts, and one of the highlights of the Ochiyo experience is simply watching him work. Each movement is deliberate and composed, from the way he slices through glistening fish to how he gently shapes the rice in his palm. There's a quiet focus in his demeanor – a sense that every gesture is the result of years of careful practice.

Here's another thing I like about Sun: He'll drink with you.

He keeps a frothy glass of IPA at the ready to toast with you after every few courses. And here are some examples of said courses.

A tiny tower of textures. He begins with a foundation of raw tuna, building upon it with shreds of crab, a layer of white shrimp, and then a dollop of caviar.

Creamy sea urchin rolled in a paper-thin sheet of flounder tastes like fresh sea spray.

A chunky wedge of imported Australian abalone gently poached to tender perfection. A sauce made with the mollusk's liver adds layers of complexity. It's earthy, minerally, pleasantly pungent, and packed with umami.

A smear of yuzu kosho, a Japanese condiment made from yuzu zest and green pepper, adds a bright grace note to vinegar-marinated mackerel.

Fatty tuna with a generous dollop of sea urchin. I think this image speaks for itself.

At the risk of overselling the sea urchin, it is downright decadent when rolled in perilla leaf and tempura-fried.

The menu also takes a brief detour back to land with a hearty – and oh-so sublime – M9 wagyu sukiyaki.

Of course, like the leaves on the trees, the ice in the stream, or the mist in the mountains, none of the above is a permanent fixture. The menu changes every month to suit the season.

The Damage

All the above and quite a bit more will set you back 1,280 yuan (US$184.3). Liquid refreshment will cost extra. Sun will probably kick a few off-menu items your way, too – perhaps a few extra bits of nigiri or a hand roll or two. Rest assured, you will leave satisfied.

Good For

Impressing your date or your potential Japanese business partner. Flexing your foodie cred.

The above is just a smattering of the total meal. We'll drop a few visuals of what else we had, but leave the captions blank. You'll have to experience Ochiyo for yourself.

If you go...

Address: 2/F, T8 Block, 1398 Kaixuan Rd (凯旋路1398号T8区2楼)

Or you can add Chef Sun to make a reservation by adding his WeChat: 15800349060
He doesn't speak English, but there are good translator Apps so don't let that stop ya.