I love sushi.  No surprise there, right?  I like traditional sushi–not the fancy stuff with cream cheese and creative names. On this trip to Oahu, I had plans to meet my brother for dinner. We were trying to decide where to eat when he got word about a cancelled reservation at Morio’s Sushi Bistro and jumped on it to get us in.  I heard that if you want to eat at this small sushi restaurant that seats 15, you have to make a reservation a year in advance.  Sounds just like Takenoko in Hilo. We sat right at the sushi bar in front of Chef Morio and promptly made friends with the sushi master.  As our seat neighbor posted on his IG account (@highlightsguide), these were the best seats in the house.  We made friends with the chef as well as our neighbors at the sushi bar and enjoyed yummy sake from all over Japan.We had the omakase menu which takes the decision-making process out of the evening. I hate making decisions about what to eat because everything always sounds so good. By going with omakase at Morio’s, you know you will get the chef’s favorite and freshest dishes.  I heard that if you want omakase, you have to let them know in advance.  I checked with my brother before we went there and he said that he had already submitted our omakase order. Our courses started with a delicious hamachikama. Next up was the best chawanmushi I ever had. My final bite with the shiitake mushroom was so savory and yummy.  I want more. The sashimi moriawase was a perfect next dish.  The fish was fresh and delicious!Oysters with ponzu–YUM!I really enjoyed the lightly battered flounder.  I hope you forgive me for not quite remembering the exact order in which the courses were served.  If you notice the empty sake glasses behind this plate, you might understand why I forgot to take careful notes. I did get lots of pictures, though. FYI:  You can bring your own drinks here so bring sake, beer, whatever you want to drink.  
Amaebi is always a great choice!
The abalone was crunchy and fresh.  The little portion on the bottom right of the dish is the innard of this abalone.  I was apprehensive about trying it, but my brother convinced me to partake of it. I have a video of the experience.  If you see me around, ask me and I’ll show the video to you. It was quite delicious. It was slightly cooked and was chewy and creamy at the same time.  It went perfectly with sake.The baby anago (noresore) was fresh and clean tasting.
Toro and its oily goodness is always one of my favorites.Lobster miso soup hit the spot at we ended the meal.  We also ate Hokkaido uni, but I think I forgot to take a photo of that one before popping that buttery bite into my mouth. I also forgot to take a picture of our dessert–a Drumstick with natto.  Never heard of that combination before.  I love natto but that was my first time having it with ice cream!I know the picture of our group is blurry, but it seems to convey a little of the enjoyment we had at the restaurant.  You can also see all the sake labels papering the walls of this cozy restaurant.I wasn’t the only one taking photos.  We all were documenting the evening’s delights so we could look back on it after the evening and remember the delicious tastes.I enjoyed the sushi and the sake, but most of all, I enjoyed my time with my brother, his wife, and their friend.  Always a good time with this group. Can’t wait for my next trip to visit Morio!  I need to get on that notification list for cancellations!  Can anyone help me?