Takase

Reservations are essential at Takase, a traditional sushi shop found on an Otsuka backstreet and open for lunch only on Fridays and Saturdays. The lively master will start serving his stuff practically as soon as you sit down at the small counter, and the rare treats just keep coming: tairagi mollusks, sea urchin and oysters were some of the choices served on our visit, and the bean jelly dessert finished things off beautifully. If you’re going on a weekend, make sure to combine your course with a cup of sake off the impressively long drink menu. Expect to pay around ¥4,000 per head at lunch, while the price roughly triples at night.