When it comes to truth in advertisement, the seafood bowl at “Nihonbashi Kaisendon Tsujihan ARK Hills” in Tokyo doesn’t disappoint.
Their signature dish, called the “Zeitaku Don” (literally, “extravagant rice bowl”), is so over-the-top that anyone who sees it will agree it’s the height of indulgence.
“ぜいたく丼（特上）,” Zeitaku Don Tokujo (Supreme) Course 3,600 JPY (tax included)
The Zeitaku Don is overflowing with luxurious seafood
The base of the dish is a combination of nakaochi (richly marbled tuna scraped from the bones), lean tuna, squid, shrimp, kazunoko (seasoned herring roe), tsubugai (whelk), mirugai (horseneck clam, listed as “geoduck clam” in their English menu), cucumber, and green onion, all generously heaped on top of steamed white rice.
This base layer alone is impressive and serves as the foundation of the Zeitaku Don.
The Zeitaku Don comes in four variations: “Ume,” meaning plum; “Take” (pronounced ‘ta-keh’), meaning bamboo; “Matsu,” meaning pine; and “Tokujo,” meaning supreme. Each one varies in the amount of toppings. The Tokujo version includes an extra serving of salmon roe, sea urchin, and crab, making it the most extravagant of all.
The sea urchin is piled so high it looks like it could topple over at any moment.
The salmon roe is poured over the bowl in such a generous amount that it almost covers the other ingredients, adding to the dish’s luxurious feel.
This seafood bowl, packed with luxurious ingredients, is like a “jewel box of the sea,” with each bite offering a new delight.
A drizzle of Tsujihan’s special egg yolk soy sauce creates a blissful taste
Tsujihan’s special egg yolk soy sauce enhances the flavors of the seafood even more. This mildly sweet, homemade soy sauce mixed with egg yolk has a rich, smooth taste that perfectly complements the seafood.
Egg yolk soy sauce
Drizzle the soy sauce mixed with wasabi over the Zeitaku Don, and the harmony of deep, rich savors will leave you utterly satisfied. The egg yolk soy sauce wonderfully brings together the various seafood topping flavors.
The different textures you can experience with each bite are another reason the Zeitaku Don stands out. With the meaty red tuna, the chewy shellfish, and the salmon roe popping in your mouth, each bite offers a new texture, ensuring you never tire of the dish.
The smooth, creamy texture of the sea urchin, in particular, is exceptional. Its rich, buttery flavor gently unfurls on your palate, making you want to savor it slowly.
How to enjoy your Zeitaku Don as an ochazuke broth
It’s tempting to devour the delicious Zeitaku Don—with its rich flavors and perfectly cooked rice—all at once, but try to resist. The true essence of the dish has yet to reveal itself!
With some of the dish left in your bowl, you can ask the chef to pour sea bream broth over it, transforming it into a delightful seafood ochazuke (a dish made by pouring tea or dashi broth over rice).
The broth, made from sea bream heads and aromatic vegetables, has a rich, deep flavor and an irresistible fragrance. The exact ingredients and seasoning of this amazing broth, which you could call the very soul of Tsujihan, are a closely guarded secret.
Extra rice is available upon request
The sashimi that comes with the Zeitaku Don can be eaten as is, or the leftovers can be added to the ochazuke. When you dip it in the sesame sauce, it adds a sweet flavor that enhances your experience.
The sashimi served with the Zeitaku Don changes with the seasons
Tsujihan also recommends adding this sesame sauce to the ochazuke along with the sashimi. The roasted sesame flavor blended with the broth elevates the aroma and taste of the dish even further.
The combination of delicious seafood umami, the rich egg yolk soy sauce, the broth brimming with flavor, and the nutty sesame sauce creates a unique and delicious taste profile different from the Zeitaku Don in its original state.
The light finish leaves a lingering umami that will have you reaching for more, relishing it until the last spoonful!
Tsujihan’s Zeitaku Don offers unbeatable value, attracting long lines daily
Tsujihan opened its first location in the Nihonbashi neighborhood of Tokyo in 2012.
By focusing solely on the Zeitaku Don, the restaurant has mastered the art of creating the ultimate seafood bowl, earning such popularity that people are willing to wait two hours in line to get a taste.
Since then, Tsujihan has expanded to nine locations in Japan, including Tokyo Midtown near Roppongi Station and ARK Hills near Roppongi-itchome Station. They’ve also opened three overseas locations in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The reasons why people are willing to wait in line go beyond the luxurious taste and impressive ingredients. The outstanding value of the Zeitaku Don is also a major draw. Even the most extravagant Tokujo version is reasonably priced at 3,600 JPY (tax included).
By carefully selecting high-quality ingredients without being bound by specific regions or brands, Tsujihan is able to keep costs down while maintaining top-notch quality. The result is an incredible seafood bowl with unbeatable value, making the long wait in line well worth it.
The Zeitaku Don at Tsujihan offers a rare experience that lets you truly savor what culinary extravagance means, both visually and on the palate. There’s no doubt it will continue to captivate many diners from all over the world.
Information
| Store name | 日本橋海鮮丼 つじ半 アークヒルズ店 Nihonbashi Kaisendon Tsujihan ARK Hills |
|---|---|
| Address | ARK Mori Building 3F, 1-12-32 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
|
| Access |
Roppongi-Itchome Station 3-minute walk from Exit 3
Tameike-sanno Station 8-minute walk from Exit 8
|
| Phone number | 03-6277-6385 |
| Reservations | Not accepted |
| Payment |
|
| Service charge/Table charge | None |
| Hours | Mon-Fir. 11:00-22:00（last order 21:30） Sat., Sun. & Nat’l holidays 11:00-21:00（last order 20:30） |
| Closed | No fixed holidays excluding ARK Hills holidays |
| Seating | 20 counter seats |
| Smoking | All seats are non-smoking |
| Official website | https://www.tsujihan-jp.com/ |
| Other information |
|
※Menu contents, prices, store information, etc. are current as of August 2024.
