In Taipei, hungry punters must wait six months to a year for a reservation at Sushi Amamoto. Opened in 2015 by master sushi chef Shogo Amamoto, news of the restaurant’s traditionally guided and interactive omakase experience quickly spread, and waiting lists grew – before long, it was the most sought-after restaurant in Taiwan.
In 2019, Sushi Amamoto debuted in the Michelin guide with two stars – rumor has it that its omission up until then was due to inspectors being unable to get a table. The restaurant has since moved to a members-only concept (which has, naturally, done little to help with the scarcity of seats), making it ineligible for the guide, but its status as one of the country’s best sushi spots remains intact.
See also: The Best Private Dining Rooms in London
Now, Amamoto has taken his first professional step outside of Taiwan, with the opening of Sushi Amamoto on Mayfair’s Albermarle Street – and, at the time of writing, bookings are readily available for the coming weeks. While the restaurant’s namesake was in town for the grand launch, he has since returned home to manage his flagship, leaving head chef Jogho Park, who has spent six months training under Shogo in Taipei, to run the ship. (I was told that Amamoto is due to be back in the UK before Christmas, though).
It’s being billed as a ‘new’ restaurant, but this isn’t entirely truthful, as the concept has taken over the site (and indeed social media accounts) that formerly housed Taku, another omakase venue. But still, the anticipation is palpable. I visited less than a month after opening and my fellow diners’ excitement was barely concealed. “We tried to eat at the Taipei restaurant but couldn’t get in!” one told our chef. Another was box-ticking: “I’ve eaten at nearly every Michelin-starred restaurant in Europe,” he told me. “And I’ve got reservations for the ones I’ve not been to.”
As with the original, the new Amamoto upholds the time-honored Edomae traditions, which prioritizes respect for the craft of high-end sushi making, as well as ingredient seasonality and locality.
Twenty-two courses make up the extensive blind tasting menu, the majority of which are nigiri. Each is rolled, pressed, and presented by hand to 16 guests, seated around the high-top counter. Most fish is sourced around the UK, from gently charred Cornish red mullet to a sweet Scottish langoustine, but exceptions have been made for some portions of Europe – most notably the buttery, melting tuna, which comes from the shores of northern Spain.
While sushi is to be expected in an omakase experience, other courses veer away from the ordinary. For example, foie gras takes an unexpected turn in a so-called ice cream sandwich, coated with chocolate, stuffed with salted caramel, and wedged between two wafers, while a seemingly innocuous strawberry yoghurt ice cream has sundried tomatoes hiding below the surface.
Related Story
The number of courses sounds excessive, but in reality the small portion sizes make it far more manageable. The timing is approachable too: guests seated for 6pm are sharply wrapped up by 8pm, just in time for martinis at the nearby Dover Counter, while the subsequent 8.30pm sitting allows for a pre-dinner cocktail.
