Toro- bluefin fatty tuna. The star of the Kusakabe show! I dream of it all the time. No kidding.

Started off with welcoming tea: kombu cha, kelp tea

I'm on a roll visiting newly Michelin rated restaurants in the city. After Benu and State Bird Provisions, I found myself at one out of two Japanese Michelin star in the city. Honestly, I was on a hunt for fatty tuna after dreaming about Sushi Sam's Edomata melt-in-your-mouth fatty tuna. It was the omasake's final dish, ensuring that the Kusakabe experience ended with a big bang. Indeed, it did.

The moment I stepped into the simply decorated establishment, I told the host that one of my dining buddies bailed out on me just a few hours before. He was polite enough not to bill me for not canceling 24 hours beforehand. Thanks! That set a positive tone of my highly meticulous meal served with precision. Gotta give it to the Japanese who have exquisite taste in fresh seafood and making everything so beautiful. Ironically, I watched the movie, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, before my epic meal at Kusakabe so I was definitely dreaming about fatty tuna for many days.

The additional desserts were superb. The green tea affogato and chestnut creme brulee were both distinctively Japanese and not heavy on the tummy. My sister, the pastry chef, and I gave them a two thumbs up!

Sushi prelude: zuke chutoro, lightly seared bluefin medium fatty tuna cured in soy sauce; 2 kinds of seasonal sushi of the day

Chef's sashimi nestled in shaved ice with fresh wasabi and yuzu onion sauce. Fresh wasabi is a cut above the packaged version.

Kamo-dango, duck miso soup with Mitsuba leaf. A different take of miso soup.

Shigoku oyster with french Daurenki Caviar and 4 kinds of Chef's assorted Le petite plates. I was most excited about the oyster but everything for left to right left me speechless.

Caviar on oyseters, why not?

Simply full of bursting flavors.

Must watch Jiro Dreams of Sushi on how complicated this egg is made.

"Kinki" big hand snapper, "Mizoreni" with "Matsutake" mushroom.

Seasonal sushi: Kan buri/wild winter yellowtail, Kohada/gizzard shad, Ivory King/Alaskan white king salmon with Oboru Konbu and dill. Thank you to my waitstaff who patiently explained to me three times what all these were :)

Plus desserts- match affogato. Better than coffee affogato. Distinctively Japanese. I will try to recreate this at home.

Chestnuts gave this creme brulee a different, yummy twist.