As experienced by Jesse, co-owner of Sen restaurant in the Hamptons:

The Reservation

It took years to line up the timing. Sushi Sho at the Ritz-Carlton in Waikiki is one of the hardest seats to get.

I started checking for reservations the moment I knew we were going to Hawaii. I finally landed one. Just one seat. Couldn’t even take my wife. But I booked it. Prepaid. Locked in.

Then the storm of the decade hit Hawaii.

Torrential rain. Flash flood warnings on the phone. Telling people not to go outside. But I was determined. The Uber driver couldn’t see the road. He thought a tree might fall on the car. I told him: I’m not missing this.

We pushed through. I got out at the hotel. I had to step over sandbags, sprint out around the pool deck. Then I slipped, and slammed into a cement trash can. I cracked my rib.

The Experience

Soaked, limping, in pain, I still made it to the counter. I told them, Don’t give away my seat! They didn’t. And thank God, because the dinner was incredible. Chef Keiji Nakazawa is that good. Just a beautiful experience.

He now opened in NYC and has already gotten two Michelin stars. It’s a whopping $450 - prepaid - for a short omakase. I would still go, at least once.

Inside Tip 📌

Sushi Sho is truly amazing, but not cheap. If you're in New York, Chef Kei Yoshino at Sushi Oku offers a stunning omakase for a fraction of the price - see card below.

Still, Nakazawa-san is one of those once-in-a-lifetime things. Even if it costs a rib.

Contact

🌐 sushisho.us

About Jesse

This card is by Jesse Matsuoka, a Hamptons resident of over 25 years. Jesse is a sake sommelier, Tip Top Hospitality partner, and co-owner of Sen, a legendary Japanese restaurant in Sag Harbor. Jesse was born in Manhattan, grew up in Tokyo, Hawaii, and Sag Harbor, and is now married to a third-generation Montauker.

Lead-in Image

@sushishohawaii / Instagram