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Founder Shiro Kashiba sold the controlling interest in Shiro's years ago, when he reached "retirement age," to fellow Japanese restaurateur (and sometime golf partner) Yoshi Yokoyama of I Love Sushi, but he still turned up behind the sushi counter several nights a week. Now Yoshi has announced a new lineup of six chefs, but promises to keep the traditional edomae menu of seafood classics at the Belltown restaurant.
Heading the team is a relatively young Jun Takai, a seafood expert who learned his trade in the fish markets of Kyoto. He gave a demonstration of his prowess Wednesday, carving up a 73-pound, $2,000 Bluefin tuna for the cameras. Providing the gravitas is Toshio Matsudo, a 47-year veteran sushi chef who will be on hand three nights a week to create special omakase dinners.
Shiro-san himself (who learned the craft under Jiro Ono of Jiro Dreams of Sushi) made a surprise appearance and confirmed to Eater the rumor that he's on the hunt for a little place where he can do his own thing, independently. Boundless energy, that man.
