In the Montparnasse district of Paris, Toricho opened thirty-three years ago. The atmosphere of this sushi restaurant is very similar to those in the working-class districts of Tokyo. This sober look is no longer fashionable in the Japanese capital, and it has become rare to find yourself in such an authentic setting. It is only in Tsukiji, an old suburb famous for its large fish market, that you can taste this nostalgia. Basically, the Japanese prefer these restaurants that don't look like much, even if they don't have a Michelin star.
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Toricho, the one
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Tokyo used to be called Edo. It was the time of the samurai. When I'm at Toricho, I feel like I'm travelling back in time, smelling the smells of that bygone era. So it's very surprising and precious to be able to enjoy such simple yet fresh and exquisite sushi in Paris. I'm very lucky to be able to recall the flavours that lulled me to sleep as a child, like a Proust madeleine that has travelled ten thousand kilometres. The charcoal-grilled kebabs are also to die for. True fans of Japanese cuisine go here. So do Japanese who have lived in France for three decades. When they feel homesick, this is where they eat.
It's delicious!
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Hitonari Tsuji
Writer