Inside The 10-Seat Sushi Bar That Left Anthony Bourdain Speechless

Of all the things Anthony Bourdain did like a pro, it was his ability to communicate his unique worldview with pinpoint precision that made him so magnetic. With his words and his reverence, he didn't just take his viewers on adventures to faraway lands; he made us fall in love with the things that he loved. There was one restaurant in Tokyo that even he couldn't quite find the words to describe.

A 2008 episode of "No Reservations" took Bourdain to Sukiyabashi Jiro, the 10-seat omakase sushi bar, which, at the time, was run by sushi master Jiro Ono. In case you're unfamiliar, Omakase is a Japanese style of sushi-making in which the menu is entirely the chef's choice and based on seasonal ingredients. As Bourdain described it, the freshness of the ingredients, the skill of the sushi chef, and the time and temperature at which things are served are the three things that set a perfect sushi experience apart from a mediocre one. As far as he and many others were concerned, Ono's sushi was, indeed, perfect.

Throughout the 13-course menu (which only took 20 minutes to consume), Bourdain appears to have a transcendental experience. Finally, when the uni — otherwise known as sea urchin – was served, Bourdain said in nearly a whisper, "Oh, this one has to be eaten right away." He closed his eyes in veneration before describing the dish, "That interplay between the perfect rice, the perfect seaweed, and the perfect uni is just ... oh man, I'm ready to die now."

Though Bourdain expressed his admiration for Ono and his sushi during the "No Reservations" episode, it's comforting to know that his deep feelings for the food and the experience didn't fade with time. Almost a decade after eating at Sukiyabashi Jiro, Bourdain told The Guardian that if he could choose his last meal, it would be a tasting menu at Ono's joint. He said he wished, for his final dinner, he could be alone at the bar, have nine or ten more courses than he had the first time, and as much fine sake as the sushi master would allow. Omakase sushi chefs each have their own way of doing things, so in saying this, Bourdain wasn't just expressing his love for the fresh fish. He was expressing his love for Ono's vision for it.

Of course, he wasn't alone in his opinion that Ono served some of the best sushi in the world. Sukiyabashi Jiro had three Michelin stars before being dropped from the guide for being too inaccessible. As it turns out, the restaurant has closed to the general public, and only those with connections or a recommendation from an upscale hotel concierge can get a seat at the hinoki wood bar Bourdain loved so much.