Even though I really like Otoro81 and consider it as one of the best options around, I was underwhelmed by the overall atmosphere and layout of the restaurant and terrace as well as the offering on the menu, which is limited to fixed sets of maki and sashimi alongside some starters. I might try out the Vomero outlet as well, which seems to have a larger and more sophisticated indoor restaurant and it might provide a more intriguing experience.

Anyway, we went for some ebi tempura (fried shrimp) and some Fiano di Avelino white wine while waiting for the main dish. We opted for the a luxury uramaki set that in comparison to other places around was quite underwhelming. Even though it looked nice, in the end all rolls where more or less identical and covered with dressing, rendering the taste of the fish a bit indistinguishable. We had maguro (tuna back) uramaki (inside out roll) with maguro topping, ebi (shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll) with zuzuki (sea bass) topping, sake (salmon) uramaki (inside out roll) with gari (pickled ginger) topping, maguro (tuna back) tartare uramaki (inside out roll) with avocado topping and ebi tempura (fried shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll) with ebi (shrimp) topping. It was not bad, but also not great.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Overall, Otoro Lab seemed to be a nice new addition to the realm of sushi restaurants in Napoli, but did not live up the expectations. Being associated with Otoro81, a premium Japanese restaurant, it really disappointed both from a perspective of atmosphere as well as from culinary experience. The menu options are limited, but even more drastically the dishes offered all focus on the same ingredients, mainly tuna back, salmon and shrimp. Considering it is an upscale and expensive restaurant, this is hardy what I would expect. The food quality is good but due to the heavy use of sauce and dressing, the taste is somewhat indistinct and does not pay tribute to the ingredients or to Japanese cuisine in general. The drink menu is limited as well, but some nice wines are available. The service was nice and forthcoming, but also there was not flexility to adjust fixed sets from the menu to our desires. All in all, it was not a bad experience, but certainly not what I expected from Otoro Lab.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: January 7, 2022

The post Otoro Lab – Japanese Bites in Chiaia, Napoli appeared first on Sushi Guide.

I went for an extensive dinner and even though I knew better, I started off with some fried options. As fried food is the prime discipline of any Neapolitan kitchen, fried dishes are always tasty and outperform international competition, but they are also very heavy and add quite a load for the rest of the meal. I hat some ebi tempura (fried shrimp), takoyaki (fried octopus) and few pieces of sake (salmon) maki tempura (fried roll). I am a big fan of takoyaki and have to say, that usually these are outstanding in Napoli as the ability to fry food is superior to most other regions I have been to.

Orders are managed though iPads, making the overall experience a bit impersonal. By now this is common in most all you can eat sushi restaurants in Napoli. On the upside, its easy to keep track of all the dishes for the review, so I did not need to take notes. I ordered some suzuki (sea bass) and tako (octopus) sashimi alongside sake zuke (grilled salmon) and maguro (tuna back) nigiri. The tako was outstanding and also the sake was nice. As usual in Napoli, the maguro was not so interesting. So I took another oder of the sake zuke (grilled salmon) and added some ika (squid) nigiri alongside some hotategai (scallop) sashimi. The hotategai was also very nice and overall I was impressed with quality of the food and variety of options to choose from.

Usually, all you you can eat restaurants have limited options available and focus on salmon, tuna back and shrimp. Here, there were a lot of interesting things to discover. I ordered some more sashimi. It came with sake (salmon), ibodai (butterfish), ika (squid), ama-ebi (sweet shrimp) and hokkigai (red clam), which is a rare find in any sushi restaurant around. Also the ibodai was actually the best I had in Napoli so far. Therefore I went for another round of nigiri with ibodai (butterfish) and ama-ebi (sweet shrimp) to close the meal.

Sushi Guide Verdict

All in all, I was super happy and satisfied with my experience at Sushi Sapporo. The atmosphere of the restaurant is welcoming, even though it is quite large and loud. The menu options are outstanding for an all you can eat restaurant and easily outperform the competition in Napoli. The taste and quality of the fish was very good and some pieces rank well even compared with upscale Japanese restaurants around. The drink menu is a bit limited but offers enough options for a nice night out. The service staff is friendly and welcoming, but interactions are limited due to the fact that all interactions are managed through the iPads. Apart from being seated and paying the bill, there are few interactions. I can recommend Sushi Sapporo as a nice option in Napoli and the best all you can eat sushi restaurant in the area.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: October 25 2021

The post Sushi Sapporo – All You Can Eat Sushi Dining in Vomero, Napoli appeared first on Sushi Guide.

We opted for one of the limited outdoor dining tables and started the meal with an exquisite dish of ise-ebi (lobster), that was served as a whole with a very nice and creamy dressing. Paired with a nice Fiano di Avelino white wine, the dinner was ready to evolve.

The main course was served as a huge luxury sushi plate selected by the chef that covered more or less what the menu had to offer that night. It came with sake (salmon) and ibodai (butterfish) sashimi as well as some super outstanding karuma ebi (tiger prawns) from Mazara. It is always a delight and if you ever come across Mazara shrimp in southern Italy, it is an indication that you are in a good place. Also the maguro (tuna back) nigiri was quite nice, which is rare in Napoli.

The plate then featured sake (salmon) uramaki (inside out roll) with quail egg toppings, which is a certainly uncommon but nice combination. Another set of sake (salmon) uramaki (inside out roll) came with ika (squid) topping and was also nice. There were some maguro (tuna back) tartare tempura uramaki (inside out roll) with sake (salmon) topping as well as a nice maguro (tuna back), sake (salmon), ebi (shrimp), kani (crab meat) futo maki (big roll) alongside an ebi tempura (fried shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll). All in all, the variety was nice, but a lot of the rolls were quite similar and not as amazing at it was at previous dinner experiences here. Anyway, it was certainly enough to satisfy the needs for this night.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Even if in international comparison there is much left to be desired, Jap One is certainly one of the prime options for Japanese dining in Napoli. The restaurant is upscale and elegant and caters to its tenants with stylish interior, and upscale cocktail and wine menu and a very decent sushi menu. The variety of the menu has decreased a bit in recent months and years and tuna cuts became rare, but anyway the menu is among the best around. The food quality and taste is excellent and also the service is always friendly and forthcoming. Overall, the restaurant has moved a bit more towards mainstream taste in its more exposed location. In its previous back allay location, it had much more specialties to choose from, that are to be missed.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: January 7, 2022

The post Jap One – Japanese Delights in Chiaia, Napoli appeared first on Sushi Guide.

With outdoor seating, I opted for their nigiri set. It came with ibodai (butterfish), maguro (tuna back), sake (salmon), suzuki (sea bass), ebi (shrimp) and tako (octopus) nigiri. While the salmon and tuna were really standard, the octopus was excellent. This is quite common in Napoli, where octopus is a typical delicacy. Also the butterfish was quite good, which is a rare find.

Sushi Guide Verdict

All in all, Kokore Sushi is nothing special, yet a nice place to drop by. If you are looking for some quick bites in between, it is a nice option. The atmosphere is not very inviting and the tiny space just offers the absolute minimum to consume food quickly. The menu options are limited, but the available dishes are nice and quality and taste is average and quite good for select items. The drink menu is a bit limited, but its enough for some quick bites. The staff is friendly but didn’t put any effort into making the dinner something special.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: October 10, 2021

The post Kokore Sushi – Easy Sushi Bites and Poke in Napoli, Italy appeared first on Sushi Guide.

An All or Nothing Dinner at Jap One

On one of the rare occasions to go out for dining during the COVID-19 pandemic, we stopped by for a late dinner and were in luck to get the last two seats of the night. Based on previous experiences and starving from the search for an appropriate restaurant, we decided to share some of the exclusive dishes on the menu. To say the least, it was worth it. After a small amuse-bouche in form of a taki yaki ball (deep fried octopus) and a sophisticated maguro (lean tuna back) tartar with avocado and kanji (crab meat), we were presented with an amazing ise-ebi (lobster) plate.

The lobster did not just look amazing but was an absolute delight. Seared in an excellent creamy sauce with some grilled seeds and bedded on wakame (dried lobe-leaf seaweed), it was a mind-blowing dish. The lobster had amazing texture and still melted in our mouths. The dish was crowned with the amazing teriyaki sauce on the side, that pushed the taste arrangement over the top for me.

Afterwards we had an omakase style plate of their sushi exclusives, which was also outstanding, even though it was hard to impress after the ise-ebi (lobster) dish. The plate came with sake (salmon), suzuki (sea bass) and hamachi (yellowtail) sashimi, sake (salmon) and mazara ebi (shrimp) nigiri, maguro yaki (grilled tuna) uramaki (inside out roll) with ibodai (butterfish) topping, sake (salmon), suzuki (sea bass), maguro (tuna back) futo maki (big roll), ebi (shrimp) and maguro (tuna back) uramaki (inside out roll), sake (salmon) tempura maki (fried roll) with quail egg and sake (salmon) tempura maki (fried roll).

Especially the mazara shrimps were outstanding and I cannot recommend them enough. If they are on any menu, they should be a must have. the grilled tuna roll with butterfish topping was also amazing and only surpassed bu the fried salmon roll with quail egg topping. Even though this rather feels like an Neapolitan composition than a Japanese delight, it was amazing and a signature dish of the restaurant in my perception.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Jap One is an amazing restaurant and deserves its rank among the best in Napoli. The menu is extensive and covers all basics and exclusives one would wish for. The taste and quality of the dishes is excellent and way above average in comparison to other Japanese restaurant around. The drink menu is also quite good and offers a nice selection of cocktails and both regional and international wines. The service staff was friendly and very forthcoming, but due to the layout of the restaurant we felt a bit left alone in the basement area. In any case, I highly recommend Jap One as one of the best restaurants in Napoli.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: October 9, 2020

The post Jap One – Fine Japanese Dining in Chiaia, Napoli appeared first on Sushi Guide.

Rolls and more for dinner

We started of with some light starters, such as a mixed set of gyoza (dumplings) that were nice but nothing special. The seared maguro (tuna back) tartare with sesame came in a unique packaging and was quite nice. Yet, as usual in Napoli, the quality and taste of lean tuna back is rather basic and nothing that special. The tartare was a nice dish, yet other restaurants are able lot make more out of the bland tuna options available locally.

Then we had some sake (salmon), maguro (tuna back) and ika (squid) nigiri, some same (salmon), maguro (tuna back) and suzuki (sea bass) sashimi and then went on to the dominant offers on the menu, makis (rolls) and uramakis (inside out rolls). We tried the ebi tempura (fried shrimp) uramaki (inside out soll) with maguro (tuna back) topping, which was a nice composition with the avocado inside. The maguro (tuna back) maki (roll) with cream cheese topping however, was not that appealing as the cream cheese dominated the dish without adding any special flavour to the mix. The maguro (tuna back) maki tempura (fried roll) with cream cheese topping was better, but also not that amazing.

Also the maguro (tuna back) uramaki (inside out roll) with aioli topping was quite nice and matched well with the visually appealing ebi tempura (fried shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll) with grilled maguro (tuna back) and aioli topping. To our surprise, the most unconventional composition amazed us most. The ebi tempura (fried shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll) with strawberry topping was outstanding and by far the best dish we had at the restaurant.

Sushi Guide Verdict

All in all the dinner at Sushi & Co was nice but nothing overly special. The atmosphere was welcoming but a bit cold and impersonal. The interior design and architecture results in very high ambient noise levels, which makes a loner stay rather unpleasant. Yet, the menu options offers some nice surprises among the otherwise basic dishes to choose from. Taste and quality of the food is good and some dishes were very pleasant surprises. The drink menu is average and focuses on wine rather than Japanese spirits etc. The service was friendly and forthcoming and made the dinner a pleasant experience. Overall it is a good restaurant that stands out among the many sushi restaurants to choose from, but doesn’t rank among the best. Considering the alternatives around, another choice might come with more pleasant surprises.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: February 11, 2020

The post Sushi & Co – Casual Sushi Dining in Porto, Napoli appeared first on Sushi Guide.

An Amazing Dinner Experience at Urubamba

The opulent dinner experience started with a nice starter plate with a composition of maguro (tuna back) tartare with crab cream and quail egg, which was an absolute delight, even if it was not particular Japanese or Peruvian for that matter. It was an outstanding start that was followed by some amazing gunkan (battleship sushi) pieces with Mazara ebi (shrimp) – a regional delicacy – and hamachi (yellowtail) with caviar topping served alongside fresh wasabi and ginger. To say the least, the ebi was amazing and if available, Mazara ebi is must have from any menu in Southern Italy. Also the hamachi was excellent and very well matched with the caviar topping. As if this was not amazing enough, we continued with the main dish of the dinner experience.

It came with some flambéed sake (salmon) and maguro nigiri with seared onions. Even though maguro usually is not that good in regional sushi restaurants in Napoli, the composition with the onions compensated for this fact white well. We also had some ebi tempura (fried shrimp)with flambéed cheese and sake (salmon) with suzuki (sea bass) topping uramaki (inside out rolls). There were some maguro (tuna back) maki with guacamole, some maguro (tuna back) with sake, few more ebi (shrimp) and lastly sake (salmon) with avocado and hotategai (scallop) uramaki (inside out roll).

The flambéed pieces really stood out and also the ebi (shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll) with mayonaise and fried sweet potato had a nice Peruvian touch to it. We also really enjoyed the sake (salmon) uramaki (inside out roll) with suzuki (sea bass) ceviche topping. But the most delicious highlight was the sake (salmon) uramaki (inside out roll) with avocado & hotategai (scallop) topping. It was breathtakingly delicious. Even though we would have loved to sample more items from the menu, we had to come to a close after this huge plate of the restaurant’s finest pieces.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Even though the Peruvian twist makes Urubamba a less Japanese restaurant than we would like, it ranks among the best options for sushi in Napoli. It is a very modern restaurant with stylish atmosphere that fits the target audience of posh night life customers in the area. Menu options are excellent and we especial appreciate the focus on sustainable sourcing of their fish and other ingredients. The Japanese and Peruvian cross-over seems well balanced and compensated well some taste deficiencies especially in the tuna range. The overall quality and test of the raw fish is excellent and among a short list of outstanding sushi restaurants in Napoli. The drink menu is extensive but focusses heavily on cocktails and night out drinking rather than fine dining. Overall this was a very nice experience and the restaurant can be recommend as an excellent choice for a nice dinner.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: July 24, 2019

The post Urubamba – Peruvian Japanese Delights in Chiaia, Napoli appeared first on Sushi Guide.

Sushi Bites

Even though the menu options are a bit limited to standard sushi items and various fried dishes, which is a common theme in Napoli, I found some nice dishes to try. I had a sake (salmon) tartare gunkan (battleship sushi) wrapped in sake(salmon) and it was quite tasty. I ordered one uramaki tempura (deep fried inside out roll) with sake yaki (grilled salmon), avocado and cream cheese. It was very tasty but not particularly Japanese. At last, I chose some more traditional nigiri pieces of tako (octopus) and aka (squid). Both were nice, but I had better octopus at other places in the area. The squid however was very good and a delightful finale for the quick dinner.

Sushi Guide Verdict

It is safe to say that even though It’s Sushi will not rank among the better choices of sushi restaurants in Napoli, the restaurant improved a lot since my last visit. The atmosphere itself is still lacking and doesn’t stand out. The menu options however have improved and offer some nice surprises. The overall quality and taste of the fish was quite good, especially considering it is mainly take out restaurant. Drink options are still basic, but fitting the setting of the restaurant. The service was nice and forthcoming and it feels like a valid option to grab some quick bites before having a night out in Chiaia. For a full features dinner experience I would not recommend this restaurant. There are many better options around.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review Date: July 5, 2019

The post It’s Sushi Bar – Simple Sushi Bites in Chiaia, Napoli appeared first on Sushi Guide.

Some Basic Sushi Bites

My choices were out in a plastic box even though I dined at the restaurant which underlined the grab and go vibe I had while inside. Yet, as I was on the move anyhow it matched my individual situation. The options were somewhat limited to basic options, so I had some sake (salmon) tartare, suzuki (sea bass), maguro (tuna back) and sake (salmon) nigiri and then some kappa (cucumber) with cream cheese uramaki (inside out roll) with sake (salmon) topping, sake yaki (grilled salmon) uramaki (inside out roll) with sake yaki (grilled salmon) topping and lastly some sake (salmon) and avocado uramaki (inside our roll). All in all everything was kind of average and nothing stood out in particular. The salmon was perfectly fine but nothing special. Only the tuna back was a bit tasteless, something quite common in my experience in southern Italy.

Sushi Guide Verdict

I cannot say much about the Daruma restaurant chain in general, but from my visit to their Parioli restaurant, I was not impressed very much. Reminding me of the Giappo sushi chain, they cater the modern trend of casual sushi dining and take away food. The atmosphere at this restaurant was very cool and uninviting. This was underlined by the obvious emphasis on take away orders. The menu options are quite limited but among the usual standard sushi dishes they offer a good variety of bento boxes to choose from. The food quality is average. Even though I was hoping for more, the quality is ok for take out. The drink menu was very limited and basically only covered essentials. Service was focussed on quick sales and not particularly inviting. Based on this experience, I think I would explore other options next time I am around.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: July, 4, 2019

The post Daruma Sushi Roma – Quick Sushi Bites appeared first on Sushi Guide.

Dinner a la Carte

I went there for an early dinner on a Saturday and got a nice table outside that they set up just for me as all other seats were already taken or reserved. The menu ist not that extensive and covers the usual basics of a restaurant of this kind. The Peruvian twist is apparent but not dominant and mostly focusses on sauces and other accents for the traditional sushi selection.

The meal started with a tara (codfish) gyoza tempura (fried dumplings) that were quite nice, but not outstanding. Codfish is a very common fish in Napoli, which made the dish rather Neapolitan than Peruvian. Afterwards I samples the Victor Roll of the specialties menu, which was a sake (salmon), suzuki (sea bass), hirnmasse (amber jack) uramaki (inside out roll) with red ebi (shrimp) topping. The shrimps were advertised as coming from Mazara in Sicily and were in fact outstanding. The roll was nice but the distinct taste of the individual fish got lost in the mix.

As a final plate I tried the premium nigiri selection, which in fact was more a plate of classical items rather than anything special. It cake with sake (salmon), suzuki (sea bass), maguro (tuna back), ebi (shrimp), tai (sea bream) and sake yaki (grilled salmon) nigiri. The salmon was of good quality and also the tai was nice with the mango sauce they served it with. The ebi was not the same type from Mazara and therefore a bit disappointing. Same goes for the tuna which is usually nothing special in Napoli’s sushi restaurants. On the plus side, the plate looked very nice, much better then it was from a culinary perspective however.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Cariño Nikkei is tiny but stylish sushi restaurant that offers a nice vibe on a square with many other restaurants and bars. If you like being in a hectic and compressed place, it could rank among a cool place to hang out. However, it doesn’t invite for a romantic or quiet dinner. The menu options are quite nice, but do not extend beyond very typical fish to choose from. Rarities are not available. The quality and taste of the fish is average and nothing special apart from the Mazara shrimp, which is outstanding. However, many Japanese restaurants around serve excellent shrimp. The drink menu is simple but fitting for the setting of the restaurant. The service team at Cariño Nikkei was friendly and forthcoming, but since the place is rather busy, they didn’t create a very personal atmosphere. Considering the rather high price point of the restaurant, I would recommend it for small snacks or lunch, but an extensive dinner will be quite expensive and not worth the money compared to other options around.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: June 22, 2019

The post Cariño Nikkei – Peruvian Japanese Kitchen in Chiaia, Napoli appeared first on Sushi Guide.