Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on March 2014

The firm of Caviar House & Prunier has been selling the fishy delicacy in Geneva for 145 years and served the royal family in London for generations. Now its ultra-premium offerings are available in Japan with the opening of the Seafood Bar in the Fresh Market section of Shinjuku Isetan (3-14-1 Shinjuku. Tel: 03-3352-1111). Fine sturgeon eggs are usually associated with deep pockets, but you can initiate yourself to the elite with a single spoonful (¥1,200). Another eat-in option, the introductory Balik classic (¥3,500), lets you taste  slivers of salmon served with toast, chives and sour cream. If you would like to take something home, be sure to stop at the ATM first: a 30g tin of Punier St. James caviar will set you back ¥19,719 and a 450g Balik Tsar Nikolai filet of salmon is ¥38,850.