Although Joushitsu have dubbed themselves a “high class Japanese restaurant,” there’s little about the place to back up that lofty claim, except possibly that they’re nestled in Ekkamai. The atmosphere is quite plain and uncomfortably old-fashioned with lots of beige tones, plastic banana trees on the tables and a low-ceiling. As for the menu, the focus is on sushi and sashimi, which the staff say is imported from Hokkaido. But if we believed everything they say, then we would think that the Joushitsu sushi set (B3,500) is the be all and end all of Japanese cuisine. Consisting of nine types of sushi, such as engawa (flounder’s fin), shrimp, scallop and uni (sea urchin), the meat is fresh and agreeably fatty but there’s nothing to really make it stand out in the competitive sushi scene in Thonglor and Ekkamai—we’ve certainly had better sushi elsewhere. It’s a similar story with their unagi don (bowl of rice topped with grilled eel with soy sauce, B400). The sauce is nice enough, but the fish is rather bland and the rice undercooked. For B400, we expected something more delicately concocted. The grilled snowfish with soy sauce (B390), though, is much more satisfying. The fish is grilled to perfection, with the flesh a lovely texture, the skin slightly crispy and the sweet sauce full of flavor. One thing we should add is that Joushitsu seems to regularly offer 30-50% discounts, so it’s worthwhile checking their current promotions before visiting, as we don’t think their regular prices represent value for money—or just go for their lunch sets (starting from B280). On the whole, the Joushitsu dining experience is a less than inspiring one, typified by a lack of real effort to stand out. And it’s hard to see the point of returning, unless it’s for the 50% discount. No Corkage charge.
