When booking one of the 12 available seats arranged around the sushi counter, they will tell you politely, over the phone, that they don’t do mayonnaise or a la carte. The sushi is traditional, authentic, and omakase. And indeed, a rare gem among the over-the-top mouthfuls of mayo and tobiko that charge €28 for a 6 piece roll.
If basing off the competition, Sushimou owner and chef Antonis Drakoularakos could easily charge over €100 for a seat at his table. But he doesn’t. He wants his restaurant to be affordable and accessible, and not just for the elites and mafia types that unfortunately, there are a lot of. So he charges €45 for the full course. And everyone is welcome to come and have a taste of the real Japan.
Tucked in a backstreet behind Syntagma Square, Sushimou first started as a blog and a promise. After mastering the Japanese language, Antonis traveled to Tokyo to master his craft, graduating in 2015. His blog – although in Greek, I use Google translate to read it in English – gives a detailed account of his experience. From learning to shape the perfect nigiri every 10 seconds to deboning a fish in under 10 minutes, Antonis demonstrated his exceptional talent, and has continued to perfect his craft ever since.
You’ll find Sushimou listed both in the Athens Michelin Guide and also among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and Bars. But even though getting a table here doesn’t involve the kind of gymnastics required to book a place like London’s Sushi Tetsu, you should still try booking well in advance. There are also tables on the street outside, but for the true experience, sit at the counter.
Sushimou Omakase: What We Ate
Oh this sounds wonderful and a great price too!