I only went to one Food Bowl event – the Kimura-san aged sushi event that @J_L attended – and hearing about food running out, I’m glad to say that there was enough catered sushi for the entire event, although there were waits as they ran out and had to get more from the back.
I was a bit surprised that we only got one piece of aged sushi from Chef Kimura-san (the rest of the sushi was regular sushi, albeit from a good caterer), although in retrospect given the crowd and that Chef Kimura-san made each piece of aged sushi by hand and the size of the crowd, there is no way you could have run the event by giving more than one piece.
I’m glad I went to the Kimura-san even because he was beyond charming and the event was very educational, but I have to say if you are looking for a relaxing dining experience and don’t like crowds Food Bowl is not the way to go. There were long lines for both the catered regular sushi and for the one piece of aged sushi. A relaxing dining experience this was not and we went out afterwards for tempura and sashimi at Tempura Endo.
I loved that they sent us home with plastic wrapped matcha cake from the Kimura-San event, which I had the next morning for breakfast.
On another subject, is anyone going to the Emilia Romagna Food Bowl event this week? I would have liked to go, but they are sold out. If anyone goes, please report back.
Thanks for the report back @Omotesando. Wow, so in the end, you only got 1 piece of aged sushi from Kimura-san and the rest of the food was from the caterer? It sounds disappointing.
Actually, it was $80, not $100. And in addition to the one piece of aged fish, we also got to have a separate roll of rice and nori (but no fish) at the beginning of the event from the hand of Kimura-san. He cooks his rice in a special way.
I wasn’t offended by the price. It’s just that I probably detest crowds more than the average person does (I remember in my youth absolutely refusing to walk through Washington Square in NYC because of crowds), so that portion of the evening wasn’t so fun for me. But I don’t regret going. The sake station was fun (and there were whiskey and beer statiions as well, although I am not a whiskey or beer drinker) and absolutely no one was at the green tea station. Not the best green tea in the world, but I’m always happy to be able to get a cup of green Japanese tea anywhere.
I thought it was worth the $80 price of admission. Sure, I only got to eat one piece of Kimura-san’s sushi, but it’s better than flying all the way to Tokyo, only to get get rebuffed with reservations at his restaurant, and ultimately end up with zero pieces of his sushi!
Also, Taka-san’s catered sushi was pretty great, and it was AYCE! Epic battera. I had more than my fair share heheh…
Also, I got to chat with Kimura-san, take a few photos with him, and asked him to join FTC.
Also, I got to bangbang at L’antica Pizzeria da Michele afterwards by walking over, without having to move my car.
I LOVE the idea of AYCE Battera! Some torotaku and negitoro would be nice too. Hmmm real AYCE sushi? Is such a thing even possible? Probably not but it’s nice to think about
I agree that’s true for the general-admission-feed-the-masses events which I try and avoid but events that have reserved seating like the yu bo dinner and the shibumi x kimura dinner are totally different.
It sounds disappointing.