Joji Nonaka and Anna Osawa took their sushi pop-up to permanent status in 2023, opening Sushi Salon in Oakland. Nonaka and Osawa both hail from Alameda’s Utzutzu, and before that, Nonaka also worked at Delage in Oakland and (now closed) Ichi Sushi in San
Francisco.
Much of the fish at Sushi Salon comes from fish broker Hasegawa Hiroki, who is based out of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. He’s renowned for his “fish connoisseurship” and won the Innovation Award at the Gault & Millau guide’s 2024 awards in Japan. He typically only deals fish to chefs in Asia; in fact, Sushi Salon is the only U.S. restaurant that he works with. Hiroki deals in sustainable and lesser-used fish, often providing seafood that isn’t typical at other sushi restaurants.
In addition to the carefully sourced fish, Sushi Salon uses akazu, or red vinegar, from Iio Jozo, a legendary vinegar brewery that’s been open since 1893. Iio Jozo won its own award from Gault & Millau in 2026, earning the Tradition Award given to “artisans or chefs who preserve the traditional culture nurtured by the land,” Savor Japan writes. In Nonaka’s hands, this translates to an unforgettable meal made of carefully sourced ingredients.
The vibe
The cozy seven-seat sushi restaurant measures out to just 500 square feet, but it’s the perfect size for watching Nonaka carefully slice through fish or grate wasabi roots, leaves still attached. The space is light and bright, with modern tiles on the walls and a light wood counter. Nonaka is center stage and readily available for questions about each bite, offering bits of information on each course and the origin of the fish. Otherwise, the space is largely unadorned, keeping the focus on Nonaka and Osawa — who makes the dessert and helps diners navigate the sake selections — and those beautiful bites of sushi.
What to order
- Sushi Salon offers a 17-course omakase meal for $245 per person. As such, there aren’t any choices to make here other than beverage selection, but the variety of fish Nonaka works with shows off a breadth I haven’t seen before at a sushi counter. Crescent sweetlips, snake mackerel, belt fish, and unicorn leatherjacket linger together with more familiar (to me) standards like uni, chutoro, and maguro. I suspect these options may change according to the time of year, but one standout at my dinner was an opening bite of maguro dressed by Nonaka. The fish came dressed in a sauce made with Kalamata olives with shiso on top; somehow that rounded olive note played so well with the bluefin tuna in a way that I never would have guessed.
- Another excellent course featured two bites of curled seabream hit with a bit of sansho pepper and freshly grated wasabi. The wasabi was a bit of a revelation, as it tasted almost floral and so far from the horseradish-made lumps seen in most trays of sushi.
- It’s almost a sensory experience when Nonaka torches the fish on a blackened plank of cedar, the smell of the wood wafting gently in the air. Just two bites — the snake mackerel and belt fish — get a hit of the torch before being pressed onto rectangles of the red vinegar-tossed rice.
- I can’t resist ikura, so when Nonaka offered an extra bite at the end of the meal, I helplessly said yes. He wrapped the rice and ikura in seaweed, before adding a bit of lemon zest at the end and presenting it to me. And there’s nothing else to say beyond that it was one of the best bites of ikura I had ever eaten, with just one little zhuzh of citrus.
The drinks
I think sake fans will be pleased by the options, with sake from Japan and a few from the United States. The restaurant offers both a “classic” sake pairing ($85) and a domestic sake flight ($48) from stateside brands. I was intrigued by a junmai daiginjo from New York-based Brooklyn Kura and ordered a glass ($20), and most options stay below $20 on the whole. For nonalcoholic options, the restaurant serves hot and iced tea options, plus three organic sodas, including a house spiced pineapple shrub soda.
Insider tip
True sake nerds might want to pay attention to the items designated as “Limited.” During my visit, these selections included two hiyaoroshi sakes from Heiwa Kid and Shichida.
The takeaway
For the sushi enthusiast looking for an exceptional place to treat themself, Sushi Salon is an easy bet. Not only does the restaurant offer an easygoing environment to enjoy sushi in, but Nonaka’s skills, Osawa’s hospitality, and the high-quality ingredients will likely make the meal great. It’ll be a pricey night, to be sure, but one that is worth it if you’re looking for a new sushi experience.
