In 2012, when I opened MIWA, I was looking for a good sushi restaurant in France. At that time, in Paris, JIN, ONODERA, OKUDA and Sushi B did not open yet so there was no restaurant that served “Honmono” sushi. It was after having tried several sushi restaurants in Paris that I realized why you couldn't eat real sushi in Paris: Paris is too far from the sea. So I searched with google map in all the cities by the sea , to finally find the HINOKI restaurant in Brest.
Hinoki wood (or Japanese cypress) is a fundamental material in Japan, since it is used in temples, Cha-shitsu (room dedicated to tea ceremonies) but also for the counter of high level sushi restaurants. Which immediately made me realize that HINOKI was one. I invite Xavier and his wife at the Miwa pavilion, then went to Brest to taste his sushi.
At the time, he was not as expert as a Tokyo sushi master, nevertheless his sushi made me feel a real gratitude towards nature, and I feel that his wife Miki influences him philosophically. His sushi reminds me of “Edomae” sushi. Edo being the old name of Tokyo, this term means "in front of Edo Bay" and transcribes the spirit of the Edo era where the inhabitants tasted the seasonal fish caught nearby. When I tasted Xavier's sushi, you can see the consideration and love he has for the Brest Sea.
When I asked him to organize a sushi tasting at the pavilion. I can only appreciate and be moved by his reverence and sincerity for sushi. He is a Frenchman who has the "Kokoro", the Japanese spirit, and through his sushi I can feel reconnected to nature.
Hinoki
+33 2 98 43 23 68
Tues - Sat
20:00 - 23:00
Omakase (chefs choose couse with 15 pieces of sushi): €95
