観光客向けの寿司屋の昼飯！ : Toyama Zushi Umi Toyama

I left the hotel around 9 am, taking my time since I had over 2 hours until my lunch reservation. I decided to take a stroll to the Toyama Canal Park.
The surroundings near Toyama Station, especially the north exit, feel like a completely renovated urban area, with wide streets and modern, large buildings. While it's clean and attractive, it lacks a sense of life and character. It seems like a product of local government subsidies, raising the question of whether this really benefits the citizens.

After a 10-minute walk, I arrived at Toyama Canal Park, which felt overly artificial and seemed almost too pristine to find relatable. However, the beauty of the fully bloomed Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms was truly moving. After a leisurely walk around, I returned to the station, but with still an hour to spare, I started browsing the souvenir shops surrounding the south exit rotary, picking up various items until it was almost time for my reservation at 11:30 am.

I hurried to this restaurant located on the 4th floor of a commercial building facing the south exit. As I arrived, it seemed like they had just opened. Upon informing the staff of my reservation, I was promptly guided to a counter seat.
The sushi counter didn’t have a refrigerated case for displaying the ingredients, and a slight elevation ensured that I couldn't see the chef's work up close. Once seated, tea was served, and the chef immediately inquired, 'Have you made your order?'
A single-page menu was placed in front of me, listing about three types of standard nigiri sushi and a few simple appetizers along with drinks on the back. In disbelief, I asked if lunch was limited to just this menu, receiving a strong affirmation, 'Yes, that’s all!'

It felt frustrating to think I'd come to a sushi restaurant in Toyama and leave without trying the hotaru ika (firefly squid) sashimi or tempura during this trip. With this in mind, I ordered a medium bottle of beer, along with the menu items Hotaru Ika no Kurozukuri, Tamago Yaki, and Benizuwai Gani Su.
The Hotaru Ika no Kurozukuri was marinated in squid ink, resembling a proper quality salted squid dish that was delicious. I couldn’t resist switching to sake soon after and opted for UO, a local sake from Toyama, served cold. It was refreshing, dry, and mild, which I really enjoyed.
The Tamago Yaki was labeled as sushi restaurant omelet on the menu, but it tasted more like a slightly sweet castella cake, not quite fitting as an accompaniment for sake. The Benizuwai Gani Su featured shredded red snow crab lightly dressed in a gentle vinegar sauce that highlighted the crab's umami, making it quite tasty.

Since there weren’t many appetizers, I decided to order some sushi. I chose the Toyama Bay Sushi Lunch Set while my wife preferred the Jo Nigiri Set with tuna and mackerel.
The Toyama Bay Sushi Lunch Set included Kamatsu, Kasago, Benizuwai Gani Ashi, Aori Ika, Sakura Masu, Shiro Ebi, Boiled Hotaru Ika, Ama Ebi, Buri, and Aka Karei.
The Kamatsu was filleted with the skin on and nicely grilled, presenting a wonderful toasted aroma and a subtle sweetness from the fatty skin. The Kasago was surprisingly rich in flavor, making it enjoyable despite being typically not a popular sushi choice.
The Benizuwai Gani Ashi featured three thin crab legs together, but they were quite slender, resulting in a lighter taste with lacking substance. The Aori Ika had great quality but could benefit from decorative cuts to enhance texture, as the flesh was quite firm and tough to chew. The Sakura Masu had a refreshing taste, with a silky texture and rich flavor.
The Shiro Ebi wasn’t wrapped in seaweed but on a gunkan maki made with slightly thicker-cut, beautiful tororo kombu. This was more fitting for delicate white shrimp than seaweed!
The boiled hotaru ika was served with two pieces on a gunkan style, slightly drizzled with vinegar miso. The Ama Ebi consisted of two large pieces, showcasing the sweetness typical of Toyama Bay. The Buri was fresh and slightly firm in texture, free from any fishy smell. Finally, the Aka Karei was a white fish that presented a distinct reddish hue, with a dense meat texture that was quite delightful.

Normally, this set comes with Tororo Kombu no Suimono, but I requested Ara Jiru for an extra JPY 150. It was filled with a lot of buri bones that added depth to the broth and was very tasty.

I spent about an hour and a half in the restaurant, during which I enjoyed around three servings of sake, totaling approximately JPY 13,000. While that’s a considerable amount for lunch, I felt the menu options were too limited for tourists wanting to enjoy local flavors while having a drink.
Although the few appetizers were delicious—along with the sushi—it's hard to accept that one can't order sashimi at a sushi restaurant. I came all the way to Toyama and wanted to try nodoguro sashimi, hotaru ika tempura, or fried shiro ebi. Additionally, the small side dish that should usually accompany the sushi set didn’t arrive, leaving the service lacking.
It seems as though the restaurant in this commercial building by the station is catering strictly to tourists, as evidenced by the way they efficiently serve the numerous tourist patrons seated at the counter who, without ordering drinks, are all cranking through sushi orders every 30 minutes. So I guess that may be one reason why they don't welcome customers who wish to savor the local dishes over drinks in the afternoon!