Yamato - Edinburgh, City of

I went to Yamato for my partner's birthday lunch yesterday. From the moment we walked in until we left, the food and service were outstanding. We were escorted to our table by a waitress who was attentive without being intrusive, ensuring we had water and taking care of our orders. We tried a couple of specials from the menu, the wagyu tataki and lobster and wagyu roll, both of which were fresh and delicious. We also enjoyed the chunmushi, tuna tataki, assorted tempura, and grilled sushi, all of which were well-presented and tasty. The atmosphere at Yamato was elegant, chic, and clean, complementing the food perfectly. As lovers of Japanese cuisine who have visited many Japanese restaurants in Edinburgh, we were impressed by the ambience and food quality at Yamato. We will definitely be returning! A nice touch at the end of the meal was a complimentary scoop of homemade black sesame ice cream for my partner's birthday.

I had an amazing experience at this restaurant, one of the best sushi places I've ever been to. I highly recommend it. The food was prepared quickly with top-quality ingredients, and the restaurant itself had a lovely design.

Upon trying dishes such as oysters, tuna tataki, a mini unadon, karaage, and agedashi tofu, I found them all to be disappointing. The fish and seafood lacked freshness, and there was no option for rice or miso soup to complete the meal (curiously, there is no rice on the menu). The waitress even suggested thinking of the food as Japanese tapas, which I found to be a stretch. Teishoku, or set meals, should be recommended to diners for a more satisfying and cohesive dining experience. The restaurant's fusion of classic and modern dishes, such as fried Brussels sprouts reminiscent of a Japanese Wetherspoons and high-end wagyu donburi next to oysters, is confusing and lacks direction. The highball drinks, while a nice touch, are overpriced and seem unnecessary. Overall, this restaurant needs to reconsider its menu and pricing, as it reinforces the misconception that Japanese cuisine is overly pretentious and complex. The focus should be on preparing quality dishes that showcase the best of Japanese culinary traditions, rather than offering a confusing mix of options.

Went for dinner on a Wednesday night at 8pm and most tables were taken. The decor is minimalistic and the service was fantastic and always refilling water and checking to see how everything was. Since we never tried sake before, the waitress let me try different types of sake beforehand and her pairing suggestions were spot on. The chef here is a true professional and can really tell how much effort he puts on each dish. I loved the sushi here because even though it was a bit pricey, the sushi truly spoke for itself. The rice was incredibly seasoned and the fish is very fresh. There were several pieces of fish that I've never had before, such as bluefin Otoro and Botan ebi, so it was great trying new nigiris. Highly recommended and will definitely come back.

Delicious food, highest quality service, and great atmosphere.