Sushi Sho in Waikiki
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Sushi Sho in Waikiki masterfully blends traditional Edomae style sushi techniques with Hawaiian ingredients. The restaurant is located at the Ritz-Carlton Residences in Waikiki. Reservations can be made directly through the Ritz Carlton’s website or by using Tock and can be made up to two months ahead. Seating is extremely limited, so we recommend making reservations as early as possible.
Refreshing green tea while we wait to be seated.
We arrived at Sushi Sho about 15 minutes earlier than our reservation time, so we were seated in the lounge along with a refreshing cup of iced green tea. It was just enough time to peruse the drink options for dinner and flip through their copy of Sushi Shokunin: Japan’s Culinary Masters by Andrea Fazzari. This book is a beautiful compilation showcasing 20 sushi masters around the world, including chef and owner of Sushi Sho, Keiji Nakawaza.
Omakase Sake at Sushi Sho Waikiki
The drink menu is well curated so we opted for the “Omakase Sake Experience”, which includes 4 different sakes selected by the chef. We may or may not have added on a couple more to round off our meal.
Kokuryu “Ryu” Daiginjo - banana, nice body
Nishida Denshu - lychee
Hiroki Junmai Daiginjo - clean with slight minerality
Abe Junmai - asian pear, effervescent
Ippakusuisei Ryoshin - clean, acidic, fruity, well bodied
Mimurosugi Junmai Ginjo - pear
Dinner at Sushi Sho in Waikiki
Every detail was well thought out and executed. The chef and waitstaff were so in tune with each diner that the pacing of food and drink being presented never felt rushed. All diners were seated at the same time, but everyone finished at various times until Lawrence and I were the last ones at the counter. We definitely recommend the “Omakase Sake Experience”, as the drink selection either highlighted or complemented the courses very well.
At the end of the omakase, the chef brought out an array of items available as add ons to the dinner. We, of course, could not resist adding on the full spread as well as revisiting a few of our favorite items throughout the meal. Some of our favorites that we got to have a second time include:
Chu toro (fatty tuna) - Chu toro on its own is always a treat, but the shari complemented the fattiness of the cut beautifully
Ohagi (bluefin tuna, maui onion, daikon, macadamia nut) - This was a flavor bomb in the mouth with the different flavors and textures playing off of each other
Iwashi (Sardine cured in salt and vinegar) - The aging process produced a buttery texture which was well balanced against the shari, salt, and vinegar.
Leave Room for Dessert
The dessert course of a great meal is always a bittersweet event, and such is the case at Sushi Sho. We start off with a mango sorbet, which tasted like a fresh and perfectly ripened mango. The “crystals were obscenely fine” according to Lawrence. It was the perfect palate cleanser as we watched the chef pull out translucent sheets and began cutting long strips with his blade. We were delighted to find they were a sort of cold noodle that you dip into a brown sugar sauce called “kuzukiri noodles”. Ending the meal with a salt and milk ice cream which was a great complement against the slightly sweeter and smokey sauce of the kuzukiri noodles.
Final Thoughts of Sushi Sho
Sushi Sho is up in our top favorites right alongside The French Laundry and L’effervescence. It will be the first restaurant reservation we make the next time we are in Waikiki. They also offer a “to go” option for those who aren’t able to get a reservation and we will be more than happy to give that a try next time.
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Sushi Sho in Waikiki masterfully blends traditional Edomae style sushi techniques with Hawaiian ingredients. The restaurant is located at the Ritz-Carlton Residences in Waikiki.