Edomae-style sushi. With origins extending back about 200 years, this style has been returning, and there are a few spots in the Boston+ area where it's now available. In short, this style refers to aged sushi, seafood which has been preserved through a variety of methods. Most people think that fresh sushi should be eaten as soon as possible, but aging and preservation can actually enhance the taste of the seafood, especially bringing out more umami notes.
On March 8, XOXO Sushi Bar opened in Chestnut Hill, on Route 9, and it specializes in Edomae-style sushi. I was recently invited as a media guest to dine there and experience their Japanese cuisine and sushi. I was extremely impressed with their food and their sushi is definitely some of the best I've ever tasted. It's a great addition to Chestnut Hill and I suspect it will become extremely popular.
They hired Executive Chef Kegan Stritchko (pictured above) to oversee and create the menu at XOXO. Kegan has over ten years of restaurant experience, having worked locally at Uni and Fat Baby Sushi. He has also worked at other Japanese restaurants in Texas, Colorado and Florida. One of maybe his most impactful experiences was when he worked as a sous chef to the famed Makoto Okuwa, who specializes in Edomae-style sushi. At XOXO, Kegan follows many traditional practices of Edomae-style sushi, but also uses modern technology to enhance those traditions.
The restaurant is casually elegant, modern and cozy, large enough for about 55 guests, including 16 at the sushi bar. We sat in one of the booths, although the seats at the sushi bar might be the best location in the restaurant, allowing you to watch and interact with the chefs preparing the sushi. Chef Kegan was hard at work behind the sushi bar, assisted by three others, Pedro, Dayne and David. It was a Tuesday night, and it was fairly busy, probably partially due to the restaurant only having been open for a couple weeks. From what I could observe, the other guests seemed to be quite happy with their food.
The term "Edomae" is a combination of two words: "Edo," which is an old name for Tokyo, and "Mae," which means “in front." It basically referred to the Tokyo waterfront, where the fisherman brought in their fresh catch. The fishermen and vendors realized they needed a way to make their fish last longer, so it didn't rot before they could sell it. They started preserving the fish in a number of ways, such as curing it in salt or cooking it with soy sauce. Today, with modern refrigeration, such preservation methods may seem unnecessary, but they actually can enhance the taste of Sushi. Thus, Edomae-style sushi has seen a return, with clever chefs using innovative preservation methods to enhance the taste of their fish.
At XOXO, behind the sushi bar is a glass case of hanging fish, which is actually a dry-ager, helping to preserve and enhance the fish. It currently is aging Tyee King Salmon, Ishidai, Sakura Masu and Kanpachi. I asked Chef Kegan about this matter and he explained, “Despite being a relatively new innovation for most countries around the world, dry-aging fish has been part of Japanese tradition for centuries. Primarily, dry-aging techniques prevent fish from going bad as it makes its way from the fishing nets to fish shops and restaurants. Apart from extending the fish’s shelf-life, dry-aging also improves the quality of its flavor and ironically tastes even fresher than fresh fish!"
"Have you ever had sashimi at a sushi restaurant and thought this had to be the freshest fish you’ve ever tasted? Ironically, good sashimi comes from dry-aged fish and most sushi restaurants still incorporate these techniques in their food preparation. Unlike dry-aged steak, for which dry-aging is used to magnify flavor and texture, the primary objective of dry-aging fish is to enhance their freshness. There are different ways to dry-age fish, some techniques using salt or baking soda to reduce moisture, whilst others involve a controlled, low-humid environment designed for this specific purpose. Yet, in all cases, the fish have to be scaled and thoroughly cleaned before put through the dry-aging process. The precise dry-aging period entirely depends on the size of the fish. Small fish are typically dry-aged for a few days whilst larger cuts – including salmon and bluefin tuna – need around two weeks to dry-age properly. In the end, by ridding the fish of any excess blood, moisture and slime, it loses that unpleasant fishy smell and yields a much cleaner flavor and a firmer texture.”
I'm sure this eye-catching display sparks questions from the guests dining at the sushi bar, allowing the Chef to explain and educate about the benefits of dry-aging fish. And the excellent taste of the Sushi will showcase those benefits.
Their Beverage Program, overseen by General Manager Ashif Nirola (who used to work at Douzo), ranges from Cocktails to Sake, Japanese Whiskey to Wine. Their Cocktail list has 9 listed cocktails, all priced at $18 each, including the Lychee Martini, Shochu Expresso, and Matcha Vesper. Many of the cocktails are created with some Japanese ingredients, such as Yuzu, Shochu, Ume, Ki No Tea Gin, and more.
I ordered the Tokyo Old Fashioned, which is made with Toki Whiskey, Rihei Ginger Shochu, Japanese Bermutto, Sakura Bitters, Cherry & an Orange Slice. It was a hearty drink, with a large ice cube, and a complex and intriguing taste. A very tasty and well-balanced cocktail. Bermutto, used in some of their cocktails, is the first Japanese "Vermouth," a fascinating product, made from Junmai Sake and Kuma Shochu. Four botanicals are added, including Yuzu, Kabosu, Sansho & Yomogi. I first tasted Bermutto back in 2021, and keep a bottle in my home bar.
The Beer list has 5 choices, priced $9-$18, including Sapporo and Hitachino Nest. Their Japanese Whiskey list has 10 choices, from Suntory Toki to Kaiyo "the Rye" 10 Year old. The Wine list ranges across the world, including California, New Mexico, Australia, Italy, Argentina, France, Austria, and Spain. There's also a Reserved List of higher end wines. Many of the wine selections are from well-known wineries, but there are some lesser known wines scattered amidst the list as well.
I was particularly interested in their Sake list, which includes 3 Junmai, 2 Ginjo, 8 Daiginjo, 2 Nigori, 2 "Others," and 5 choices on a Reserved List. Prices by the glass range from $13-$20, and bottle (720ml) prices generally range from $64-$225, with a few 300ml and one 500ml bottle for certain selections. There are plenty of good choices on the Sake list, and during the course of our dinner, we ordered glasses of the Wakatake Daiginjo and Dassai 39 Junmai Daiginjo, both excellent choices which pair very well with the restaurant's cuisine.
The Reserved List has five exquisite choices, although more splurge choices are they priced from $280-$650. For example, the Katoukichibee Shouten, Born Yume Wa Masayume Junmai Daiginjo ($650/720ml bottle) commonly retails for $250-$300, if you can find a bottle. This Sake is "specially limited" and is said to be an exceptional Sake. The Tatenokawa 18 Junmai Daiginjo ($575/720ml) commonly retails for $200-$250, and its rice has been polished down to 18%. It's also considered to be a very impressive Sake.
The Sushi/Sashimi menu has about 19 options, with Sushi priced per piece and Sashimi priced per 6 pieces. For example, Bluefin Akami is priced at $6 per piece of Nigiri Sushi and $18 for 6 pieces of Sashimi. The Bluefin Chu-toro is $10/$30 and the Bluefin O-toro is $15/$45. A5 Waygu is available as Nigiri for $28 per piece. Other choices include seafood such as Hamachi, Hiramasa, Kinmedai, Madai, Ikura and Snowcrab. The nightly Specials menu adds a number of additional Sushi choices.
Other menu options include Temaki Handrolls (7 choices, priced $12-$22), such as Miso Scallop and Crab Butter. There are also Hot dishes (12 choices, mostly $12-$29), such as Tempura Rock Shrimp and Miso Black Cod, and Cold dishes (7 choices, mostly $23-$45), including Tuna & Truffle and Wagyu Tartare. You can also select the Robatayaki, charcoal grilled dishes (9 choices, priced $10-$20), such as Japanese Street Corn, Skirt Steak, and Hokkaido Scallop.
I began my dinner with a cup of Miso Soup ($9), made with green crab dashi, White Rose Farro Miso, and negi (Japanese long green onions). With an alluring aroma, the miso soup was delicious, with a nice depth of flavor and plenty of umami. It definitely ranks with some of the best miso soups I've ever tasted, so much more flavorful than the average miso soups you find at many Asian spots. I often order Miso Soup at a new Japanese restaurant, as I've found that if the soup is impressive, then the rest of the cuisine is likely as impressive.
This Miso Soup is also more unique as it uses a different type of miso paste. Most miso paste is made with fermented soybeans, but the White Rose Farro Miso is made from Emmer Farro grain, an ancient grain, and the paste is said to possess aromas of whiskey, banana, and butterscotch. Chef Kegan stated, “The farro grain miso is an organic miso made by keep well farms in Pennsylvania (two ex-pastry chefs that now own a farm). They ferment all their own produce turning them into miso and vinegars. I like supporting local farmers and people that push the industry forward with passion. That's why I use there farro grain miso. It's also delicious.”
From the Hot menu, the Unagi Crispy Rice ($29) consisted of four pieces of BBQ American Eel, atop fried sushi rice, and sprinkled with crispy onions. The eel was tender and flavorful, with a slightly sweet BBQ sauce, and complemented by the crisp, crunchy rectangles of sushi rice and crisp & sweet onions. I'm a big fan of eel, and this was an excellent dish, a nice combination of flavors and textures.
I opted for two types of Robatayaki. The Pork Belly ($15) was made with pork tare and sweet chili miso. I received three large pieces on a wooden skewer, and each piece was a wonderful combination of silky fat and tender meat, with crispy charred edges. It possessed a delicious, lightly sweet and savory sauce. Each bite felt like it melted in my mouth. A great choice!
The Chicken Thighs ($16), with negi and brown sugar soy, were moist, tender and flavorful, again with a delectable sauce and a touch of char. Based on these two options, I suspect the rest of the Robatayaki would be equally as tasty.
From the Hot menu, I chose the Karaage ($18), which is another iconic dish I often order at a new Japanese restaurant. The Karaage is made from chicken thighs with ponzu (a citrus-based sauce) and togarashi. This dish was a rather large bowl of chicken, with a crisp coating, tender and flavorful meat. It was enhanced with citrus notes and pleasing spices. A great bar snack, and a nice accompaniment to a glass of Sake.
The Live Uni ($28), on the nightly Specials menu, was sourced from Maine and the uni sits atop a yuzu panna cotta. With an appealing plating, the Uni was superb, both creamy and briny, and the panna cotta provided a sweet and citrus aspect to balance the saltiness of the uni.
Our first plate of Sushi included Chu-Toro ($10), medium fat cut bluefin tuna, and O-toro ($15), the fattest cut bluefin tuna belly. All of their sushi is delivered to your table already seasoned with the amount of soy sauce and wasabi which the Chef believes it should possess. However, if you desire more soy sauce or wasabi, you can request it. I chose to accept the Chef's preparation for all of the sushi I ordered, and didn't feel any of it needed more soy sauce or wasabi.
Just look at the sushi, and you'll delight in its color and fattiness. And once you take a taste, you'll find it to be buttery smooth, with a mild briny touch, and a hedonistic deliciousness. Such compelling pieces of tuna, and if you've never tasted these cuts before, you really need to change that fact. In some respects, these cuts are like the Wagyu beef of tuna, rich and fatty, melt-in-your mouth pleasure.
Our next plate of Sushi included 6 different choices, and I'll mention them from left to right. First, there was the Bluefin Akami ($6), a lean cut, which was nice to compare with the prior Chu-Toro and O-Toro. With a deep red color, it was tender and flavorful, but not as silky smooth as the Chu-Toro and O-Toro (although that was expected). It was definitely an excellent piece of Bluefin. I'll also note that all of the Sushi seemed quite fresh, even those which were dry-aged.
Next up were two pieces of Ora King Tyee Salmon, including the regular version ($6) and the Toro ($8). This is a sustainable Salmon, farmed in New Zealand, and has been a hot item in the seafood industry for at least the last 5-6 years. It has won a number of sustainability awards and its flesh is considered to be exquisite. I've previously tasted this salmon and loved it, finding it rich, tender and flavorful, better than many other salmon. And this Sushi too was excellent, especially the Toro, the salmon belly.
The fourth piece was on the nightly Specials list, Ishidai ($9), a fish I had never tasted before. This fish is known by a number of other names, such as Knifejaw Snapper, Striped Beakfish, Barred Knifejaw, and Stone Snapper. The Ishidai was sourced from Japan, and it's a small fish with distinctive black and white stripes. It had a bit of a chewier texture, with a mild sweetness and a good amount of fat. A pleasant flavor, which would appeal to many Sushi lovers.
Another fish from the nightly Specials list was the Sakura Masu ($9), listed as "cherry blossom trout," and which was also sourced from Japan. Again, this is another fish I'd never tasted before. Interestingly, although it is seen as a trout in Japan, others see it as a salmon, and it is sometimes called Masu Salmon or Cherry Salmon. Its scales have a pink-cherry color, which is the reason for its "cherry blossom" name. If you look at the sushi, it certainly looks like a piece of Salmon, and is tender and fatty, with a pleasing taste which did remind me in many respects of an excellent piece of salmon.
Finally, and also from the nightly Specials list, I had the Muki Hotate ($10), Japanese live scallop, which was tender with a mild chewiness, and its flesh was sweet and delicious. I often order Hotate at sushi restaurants, and this was one of the better ones I've ever tasted.
I had the opportunity to ask Chef Kegan his three favorite types of Nigiri Sushi, and he replied:
Saba (Mackerel), Kinmedai ("Splendid Alfonsino"), and Shima Aji (Striped Jack). All three are available on their regular Sushi menu.
From the Temaki Hand Roll menu, I chose the Unagi Foie ($22), made with BBQ Unagi, Foie Snow, and a Truffle Kabayaki sauce. It was crunchy and meaty, savory and sweet, with hints of truffle, a wonderful melange of flavors and textures. Another hedonistic pleasure.
From the Cold menu, I also chose the Hamachi & Blood Orange ($24), made with yellowtail sashimi, blood orange zu, supremes & zest, and thai chili. It was a light dish with bright citrus flavors, silky & fatty fish, and a little spicy heat.
They only have two options on their Dessert menu, including Tropical Yuzu and Nikka Choco (both priced at $18). We opted for the Nikki Choco, which is made with chocolate sauce, almond chocolate sponge, Nikka Coffey malt whisky ice cream, chocolate thai chili ice cream, and cocoa tuile & nips. A decadent and tasty dish, the chocolate was rich and flavorful, enhanced by the ice creams, one which was spicy and the other with the taste of whiskey. Another excellent combination of flavors and textures, this is a dish that would appeal to all chocolate lovers, or anyone who loves an interesting and delcetable dessert.
Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with their cuisine, from their excellent Hot and Cold dishes to their superior Sushi. All of their dishes, from the Miso Soup to the Robatayaki, were elevated above the usual Japanese cuisine you'll find at an average restaurant. Sourcing is very important at XOXO, including some local seafood, such as Uni and Scallops, as well as imports from Japan. And the dry-aging process is fascinating, with such excellent results.
Service was good, without any significant issues, especially considering they had only been open for a couple of weeks. Although we had a primary server, other servers assisted as well, often delivering some of the dishes to our table.
Prices are high, but they are comparable to other high-end Japanese sushi restaurants. You also need to consider the excellent quality of their ingredients. You can certainly find lesser quality Sushi at a cheaper price, but if you desire higher quality fish, Sushi which will thrill and excite your palate, you need to pay a higher price. Dining at XOXO Sushi Bar is well worth the price so grab a seat at the Sushi bar and indulge.
XOXO Sushi Bar earns a hearty recommendation and I will definitely be returning, to try more of the menu, as well as re-order some of my favorites.
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