Sushi Shunei (*) – Paris, France

Tucked away on a side-street in Montmartre, Sushi Shunei is a ten-seater sushi omakase led by Takeshi Morooka (who served all of the nigiri during my visit for lunch), and with additional assistance given by chef Chizuko Kimura. The story of Sushi Shunei is a tumultuous and tragic one: Kimura-san and her husband, the sushi chef Shunei Kimura, opened the restaurant in 2021, won a Michelin star in 2022, but lost it after Shunei Kimura's passing later that year. Through grit and determination, Chizuko Kimura – along with the former Ginza Onodera sushi chef Takeshi Morooka – regained a Michelin star in 2025.

With a slanted 7-metre long hinoki counter and overhead beams intended to evoke origami, Sushi Shunei is a peaceful retreat, physically only steps from the Parisian streets, but mentally much further away. I aim to visit at least one sushi omakase when travelling (if available), as I'm always interested to see how the location and national cuisine may be represented through sushi, as well as discover the range of seafood on offer, and the quality therein. Given prior commitments to Plénitude and Arpège, Sushi Shunei's lunch menu, priced at a very reasonable 150 EUR, won out (there are others at a similar or lesser price point, including Jin and Sushi-B, but these did not have availability for my visit).

The lunch consists primarily of a nigiri sequence (where 12 pieces are offered), bookended by an amuse-bouche of crab (deliciously fresh and clean, with a bright sweetness provided by the jelly), miso soup, and a fruit jelly dessert. Shari for the nigiri is very, very lightly seasoned; this is intentional, as Morooka-san uses additional seasoning for the individual nigiri, adjusting to the fish. The shari for the ika (squid) nigiri was lightly pressed into yuzu zest, before the squid was placed atop it and several drops of sudachi were squeezed as final seasoning. This was a particularly bright and acidic nigiri, while the suzuki (sea bass) was brushed with soy sauce, and had some shichimi togarashi added to provide a slightly spicy kick. The hamachi (yellowtail), meanwhile, was brushed with soy sauce and accompanied by wasabi, the tender fish rounded out by that most delectable of spicy roots.

All of the nigiri on offer during my lunch outing were good (and that's coming from someone who prefers a more sour shari, as well as a slightly larger nigiri than what is given at Sushi Shunei), but of particular note were the delightfully sweet ebi, the tender akami and chutoro (tuna cuts are sourced from Spain), and the unagi. In addition, the negitoro nigiri, which may not be a tuna tartare but certainly evokes it, was fun given the setting. When all is said and done, and all the sushi consumed, Sushi Shunei provides solid sushi at a good value for lunch. I don't have any other sushi omakases to compare to in Paris, given that I'm not a local, but suffice it to say that I'd be rather happy if this was in London.

Menu:

1. Amuse-bouche of crab

2. Hirame

3. Suzuki

4. Ebi

5. Ika

6. Himachi zuke

7. Negitoro

8. Saba

9. Ikura

10. Akami zuke

11. Chutoro

12. Shake zuke

13. Unagi

14. Negitoro Temaki

15. Miso soup

16. Jelly dessert