Since it opened in 2015, Tomohiro Sawaguchi and Ayumi Onoda’s Sushi Rei, in Saigon’s District 1, has continued to serve superlative seasonal omakase menus of traditional Edomae sushi.
That makes it eight years since Sushi Rei slid open its modest wooden door, beside the gray concrete exterior, in an alley off Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, in Saigon’s District 1.
There are hints of the magic inside: the splash of decorative geometric patterns along part of the exterior and the small illuminated sign that whispers the restaurant’s name.
Sushi Rei’s Unblinking Introspection
Despite Sushi Rei’s unblinking perfectionist introspection, where time, during those eight years, has mostly stood still lots has changed around it.
A couple of blocks over, the road now ascends up and across the new bridge to Thu Thiem. The flashy ROCK Kitchen & Bar opened opposite a year ago. And in the alley next to it, there’s a branch of the freshly franchised Bun Quay Kien Xay, and a line of bars and restaurants – like Aviation Chamber and The Liquid House – which are great places for a nightcap and a chat about the dinner that just unfolded.
“Few people back then…even knew what omakase was”
“Sushi Rei opened on October 30th, 2015,” Ayumi, Sushi Rei’s restaurant manager and sommelier and, since March 2020 – when Ayumi and Tomohiro took over the restaurant – co-owner and president of the company, remembers. There were the same eight counter seats and the same small private dining room as they have today.
“But few people back then, here in Vietnam, even knew what omakase was,” she remembers.
These days, Saigon is in thrall to izakayas – which seem to be popping up all the time – and, it feels there’s almost as many sushi-yas serving omakase in Saigon. “If I could go back in time, I would tell myself and Tomohiro to be patient,” she decides.
Not Much Has Changed At Sushi Rei
Although, at Sushi Rei, in those eight years, it seems not much has changed.
The gently undulating wall, layered with over 4,000 individual pieces of hinoki wood from Kyoto, to look like fish scales, still looks down on the dance of the chefs below.
But there have been small incremental changes.
“What is different since we opened?” Chef and co-owner (and Ayumi’s husband) Tomohiro Sawaguchi asks. “Now, we have two kinds of sushi rice. I choose which one to use depending on the fish,” he explains, proving that although on the surface things seem the same, he’s constantly looking to evolve and improve Sushi Rei’s menus.
Another small change is that Chef Tomohiro has a new knife. And like the wall, his latest blade has a gentle curve to it too.
He’s been buying his knives in Japan for the past 20 years. But this one was a gift to himself when he became a father. He had the blade engraved with the name of his son, he tells us. And the long, elegant, curved knife seems to sensitively slice through the fish, as if laying it down and bidding it goodnight, like he would do his child.
Sticking To Their Style Of Traditional Edomae Sushi
As he slices perfectly even pieces of fish, the jazz soundtrack bubbling and brewing in the background, chaotic, downtown Saigon seems a world away.
The city’s restaurant scene has changed beyond recognition since 2015. But, despite that, Sushi Rei has cemented its position as the place to go for omakase in Saigon. Its focus on the best seasonal produce served the traditional way might be responsible for that, Tomohiro muses, honored at the thought.
“While lots of luxury Japanese restaurants have opened, we have stuck to the traditional style of ‘Edomae sushi’ for the entire time,” he nods.
And Serving Produce As Fleeting As Cherry Blossom
Behind the seasonal, ingredient-driven approach are daily phone calls between Tomohiro and suppliers in Japan. And so, right now there’s three kinds of uni: rich murasaki uni, creamy bafun uni and a saltwater ensui uni, with a more refreshing taste. The bafun uni, Tomo says, is particularly special as it comes straight from the producers in Hokkaido, before it even goes to market.
In fact, all year round, the country’s four seasons offer produce as fleeting as the cherry blossom season.
The shiroebi, or glass shrimp, that’s on the menu now, is a good example. Its peak season lasts for only one month, which starts at the beginning of April. And currently Chef Tomo is serving it as a light, crispy tempura in which its natural sweetness glows against the crackle of a light seasoning.
A Way Of Experiencing Japan’s Seasons Here in Vietnam
The entire omakase selection is a curation of seasonal produce. The shiroebi, from Toyama Prefecture, or noresore, a young conger eel that comes from Ehime Prefecture, and sakura masu, or cherry trout, caught in Aomori prefecture, are all in season for only a month, or an even shorter time. And, licensed to prepare fugu, Tomohiro also offers a winter course of the puffer fish.
“The menu is a way to experience the seasons of Japan here in Vietnam,” Tomo explains, pointing to the reference book containing all the fish they serve that’s on the counter.
As each course arrives, one of the kitchen team dutifully flips the page to show a picture and the name of the fish being served: madai, kasugodai, kinmedai, and amadai; kinki, menuke, akamutsu, and kuromutsu.
“And no set menu is exactly the same,” he continues. His recommendation, to take the middle of Sushi Rei’s three set menus (at VND 4M), is as modest as the restaurant’s demeanor.
With that course, he says, he can play around more, supplementing and switching out courses here and there based on the guest and his mood, like serving the ‘Tuna Dog’ that’s usually on the premium dinner set as part of the medium set menu.
It’s a dish inspired both by the classic American hot dog and Vietnamese banh mi with tuna meat from the head of the fish and uni served in a piece of seaweed (instead of bread).
Making Sure Guests Tastebuds Are Never Bored
Overall, though, the courses do follow a certain philosophy, often switching between hot and cold “to ensure guests’ tastebuds never get bored.”
And Ayumi has a wider selection of sake to pair them with than ever, like the Houraisen Junmai Daiginjo Kuu, made in the mountains of Aichi Prefecture, co-incidentally the part of Japan Tomo is from. “We had to negotiate with the local producers,” Ayumi says, “to allow us to serve it exclusively at Sushi Rei.”
Same Restaurant, Same Location, Same Team
So, eight years since opening the superlative Sushi Rei, with lots of almost imperceptible, incremental improvements, we wonder what ambitions Tomohiro and Ayumi have now. “We’re not interested in trends. And we don’t want to open any new restaurants. We’d just like to continue here in the same restaurant, in the same location, with the same team,” Tomohiro smiles finally with typical modesty.
Photos by Nghia Ngo for The Dot Magazine.
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