The restaurant is listed among 5 Places to Go in Düsseldorf by The New York Times and same is its mother restaurant, it is also a one MICHELIN start restaurant:

“Yoshi Nagaya’s second eponymous restaurant is not far from its forerunner, also located in “Japantown”. The food is classic Japanese, the setting stylishly minimalist. Large selection of sakes. The more limited lunchtime offering is great value.”

Source: MICHELIN Guide

Amazed by the recent experience at Nagaya, we desperately wanted to also try its little offspring. We were lucky to get seats at the usually fully booked restaurant. Due to the restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the overall experience was somewhat diminished by the measures to ensure safe distancing within the restaurant. Most strikingly, the seats at the sushi bar were not available and so we had to settle on a nice table for two with good view towards the bar but without being able to be mesmerised by watching the chefs prepare the dishes. Still we were excited and anticipated a similarly outstanding experience.

Sushi Classics and Exlcusives

We focused on à la carte options and decided to start the meal with some classic sushi dishes to sample the variety of fish offered that night. We started out with a moriawase style nigiri plate that came with sake (salmon), shima aji (striped jack), maguro (tuna back) and hamachi (yellowtail). Both the salmon and striped jack were absolutely outstanding and melted in our mouths. Only the tuna cut was not so amazing and ranks more among average. We also had specialty rolls, a ebi tempura (deep fried shrimp) uramaki (inside our roll) and a spicy boston uramaki (inside our roll) with avocado, maguro (tuna back) and a spicy chilli sauce. The rolls were very well composed and even though maki and uramaki are not my favourites as usually the overcompensate the taste of the fish, these were excellent and quite tasty. Especially the fried shrimp was still super crispy and the roll was served at the perfect moment.

For the main course we decided to order from the fish menu rather then sushi menu and opted for one signature dish and one of the monthly special offers. We had a gindara saikyo yaki style (grilled black cod with miso sauce), that is certainly a classic and signature dish with its delicate and buttery textures. It was served with grilled nasu (eggplant) with horenso tempura (fried spinach) and senbei (rice crackers) topping as a side. The miso sauce was outstanding and the cod just melted in our mouths. The other dish was the grilled fish of the month, akamustu (rosy seabass), an amazingly distinct white fish with high fat and slightly sweet flavour. It was served with sliced vegetables on nasu (eggplant) purée. It was similarly outstanding, but a completely different spectrum of flavours and considerably lighter than the miso cod. The presentation of the dishes was impressive but not as amazing as the sushi plate we had at Nagaya.

We paired the initial sushi dish with a matching rich and dry white white wine recommended by the sommelier, a 2018 Weingut Keller Silvaner Feuervogel. For the main course we decided so sample the sake options in the the extensive wine and spirits menu. After lengthy deliberation and consultation with the sommelier, we decided to try a 45% rice polish grade sake, the Yamaguchi Prefecture Dassai 45 by Asahi Shuzo, made if Yamada-Nishiki rice. It was an excellent choice. Its taste was fruity and floral, yet soft enough to not dominate the fish of the main course and it has a clean finish.

To round off the meal, we decided to have another 2 of the sushi specialty rolls. We had a spicy sake (salmon) maki tempura (fried roll) and the house roll futomaki (big roll) with maguro (tuna back), sake (salmon), hamachi (yellowtail), ebi (shrimp) and kani (crab meat). The fried roll was excellent and served at the perfect moment to fully enjoy the crispness. The hose roll is outstanding and easily the best of those we tried. It is the same house roll also served in the mother restaurant and even though it was a bit surprising to see that many similarities, it certainly is an amazing roll to try. Also the gari (pickled ginger) had a very distinct signature taste and the fresh wasabi was well appreciated.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Yoshi by Nagaya seems to be more casual and simplistic with is chic interior design and is clearly catering to the trendy crowd, however the overall experience was very similar to the one at Nagaya. Among the MICHELIN star sushi restaurants we tried so far, it certainly deserves it place but it falls behind its mother and also other alternatives on a global scale. In Düsseldorf however, it certainly it stands alone with Nagaya as the best Japanese fine dining restaurants around. The interior design is cooler and more simplistic but the overall atmosphere and attitude of the staff is very similar. It is darker and more inviting for intimate dinners, however the cold vibe might be not as inviting for long stays as it could be. The menu options are only few, which can be a bit limited to the experience. The restaurant offers an omakase style set menu and few select items à la carte. The taste and quality of the food is outstanding and hard to beat even among the fierce competition of various Japanese restaurants in close proximity of the Japanese quarter in Düsseldorf. The sushi menu is limited to only basic fish, which maybe the main disappointment for true sushi aficionados. The drink and wine menu is extensive as one would expect from a one MICHELIN star restaurant and we were happy with the consultation we received and the choices we made. The service team was most forthcoming and friendly, making the stay a very pleasant experience. Yoshi by Nagaya is certainly an amazing restaurant that can be recommended without any hesitation, yet there are other good options around if more variety is desired. In comparison to the very similar mother restaurant, both are on the same level in almost all aspects, with little winning margin for Nagaya due to its more inviting atmosphere.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: September 1, 2020

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Lunch at Matsumi

This time I went to my favourite Japanese restaurant in Hamburg only for a quick lunch, but it was still as amazing as any dinner I ever had here. Although menu options are limited at lunch and the sushi bar does not operate at full capacity, the dished on the lunch menu are all outstanding. I had a small but excellent sashimi plate with maguro (bluefin tuna back), sake (salmon), ama ebi (sweet shrimp), ika (squid), hamachi (yellowtail), chu toro (bluefin medium fatty tuna), akamutsu (seaperch), hotategai (scallop), hokkigai (surf clam) and torigai (cockle clam).

Even though the restaurant was full and very busy, the chef seemed as calm as any other day. The attention to detail in preparation in and decoration of each dish always amazes me. It almost makes me feel as I am presented with piece of art for me to eat.

Sushi Guide Verdict

The atmosphere at Matsumi is warm, friendly and absolutely unique with loots of custom made woods, paper windows and cloth as room separators. The sushi bar is the absolute best spot if one is interested in watching the sushi chefs prepare the dishes and allows exciting insights. The menu is outstanding and vast, although only a subset is available for lunch. The drink menu leaves nothing to be desired and the service it outstanding at any time. Matsumi is truly the Japanese restaurant of choice.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: April 25, 2017

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Sashimi Carpaccio

Sometimes, something extraordinary happens when I visit this restaurant. Already being among my absolute favourites, the sushi chef keeps surprising me with unparalleled dishes with unbelievable attention to detail. This time we were presented with a breathtaking akamutsu (seaperch) carpaccio that topped everything I have ever seen just like that. The slices were so thin, I just looked amazing and tasted even better. The carpaccio was topped some ika (squid) and ama ebi (sweet shrimp) side orders.

After that we went on with an awesome omakase sashimi plate. It came with chu toro (bluefin medium fatty tuna belly), ika (squid), ama ebi (sweet shrimp), sake (salmon), hamachi (yellowtail), tako (octopus), hotategai (scallop), akagai (red clam) and mirugai (long neck clam). To say the least, this was an amazing sashimi plate. The texture and taste of the chu toro was exceptional as was the ika. This is almost unfair since everything else also tasted extremely good, fresh and looked so beautiful.

Sushi Guide Verdict

The atmosphere at Matsumi is very unique and feels authentic, warm and ambient. The menu options are almost limitless and offers something for every taste, even for those who never tried sushi or don’t eat any fish. The drink menu it outstanding as well and offers a large variety of Japanese spirits to choose from. As always the staff was friendly, welcoming and warm and made this experience one to be remembered. 

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: April 3, 2013

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The restaurant is fairly large and located on the ground floor of the hotel with a huge glass window front, providing a nice view over the media harbour and the infamous Gehry Buildings, which are considered to be the cities new landmarks. The interior design and atmosphere is very nice and fitting for a 5-star hotel. The most interesting feature of the restaurant in regards to this review is the sushi bar in the middle of the restaurant that offers insights into the preparation of the Japanese dishes.

Maki and Sashimi Selection

Having been at the hotel a few times before, I decided to sample the sushi menu, which is of average size but surprisingly limited for a restaurant claiming to specialise in Japanese cuisine. It offers 10 different varieties of fish and ranges from sashimi to nigiri and maki with a small selection of accompanying sakes to choose from. I decided to try the special roll of the day, which was an inside out maki with maguro (tuna), kappa (cucumber) and special dressing that tasted a bit like mayonnaise and wasn’t advertised. The taste was fine, but I couldn’t really understand what was special about this roll.

So I moved on to my main course, an omakase choice of 8 different kinds of sashimi. It came with hotategai (scallop), sake (salmon), maguro (tuna), suzuki (sea bass), hamachi (yellowtail), akamutsu (seaperch), aji (mackerel) and tako (octopus). The overall taste and quality of the fish was good but not outstanding. I am mentioning this since I expected way more from a 5-star hotel restaurant. The scallops and seaperch tasted very good and had a fine texture, I liked the mackerel but everything else was just ok. Also, I had the feeling that the wasabi was not fresh but I couldn’t verify.

When I enquired about a certain piece of sashimi (the akamutsu), the waiter did not know what it was, inquired with colleagues and reported it back as something else (aji). Only when he asked his colleagues a second time, the answer was correct. Lastly, I was disappointed how they handled the service at our table. We were not asked wether I wanted to order anything else. So when I tried to order some unagi nigiri as the final dish, the sushi bar was already closed while the rest of the restaurant kept operating without any noticeable change. This was a disappointing development and so we left for the bar to get over it.

Sushi Guide Verdict

The atmosphere of the DOX restaurant within the Hyatt Regency hotel in Düsseldorf is certainly nice and unique due to the overall design and the exposed position in the city’s media harbour. It is nice to come here and despite the struggles described above, it is a decent restaurant and among the best hotels around. Still, it seemed obvious that there are problems with finding high quality personnel that one would expect from a 5-star hotel. The restaurant‘s menu is great, in terms of sushi options however, it is rather limited despite the focus on Japanese cuisine. The quality and taste of the food is good, but way below expectations. Considering the fierce competition with all the Japanese restaurants in Düsseldorf, it is unlikely that sushi aficionados would choose this one as their favourite.

The general drink menu at the restaurant and bar is outstanding with some room for improvements considering the upscale positioning of the hotel. Many of the issues outlines are due to the staff. In general it seems as the restaurant and bar need not only more people to handle the number of guests but also people that stay with the hotel for a longer period of time to actually deliver on the promise of pure luxury and the highest level of comfort that the Hyatt Regency is advertising on its website.  

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: December 9, 2017

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The restaurant’s sushi bar is famous for its incredible selection of fresh sushi and sashimi dishes that amount to almost 50 varieties. Most of the fish is sourced fresh at the local Fish Market in Hamburg while some delicacies such as tuna and yellowtail are flown in regularly to meet the quality standards of the restaurant. The sushi chefs take pride in their focus on tradition and quality, emphasising that every piece of sushi or sashimi is cut from a whole fish and only traditional means are used to prepare the food.

The atmosphere at the restaurant is also very unique and focusses on custom made timber, paper covered windows and room dividers. The restaurants offers a small number of seats at the sushi bar, around 15 tables for small groups and a traditional Japanese Tatami room for large groups which is only available by reservation. In this special room people sit on the floor to dine and are served in the most traditional Japanese fashion. All in all the restaurant feels very authentic and even more unique due to all the love and compassion that went into the little details of its interior, making Matsumi a one of its kind restaurant.

Omakase Sashimi Dinner

There is no sushi restaurant I like more and certainly none I have visited more often than Matsumi. I am always amazed by the quality and taste of everything I have ever tried and I really appreciate all the effort that is put into the dish preparation and decoration. As in most cases, this time I went there with a friend and we had a huge omakase style sashimi plate.

The plate came with kanpachi (amber jack), o toro (bluefin fatty tuna belly), maguro (bluefin tuna back), sake (salmon), hamachi (yellowtail), ika (skuid), chu toro (bluefin medium fatty tuna belly), tako (octopus), aji (mackerel), akamutsu (seapearch), ama ebi (sweet shrimp), hotategai (scallop), mirugai (long neck clam) and akagai (red clam). To say the least, this was amazing. Not only had the plate everything one could dream of, the taste of freshness was mind blowing.

Some of my favorites were the ika (squid) and the aji (mackerel) which is different from any mackerel I ever had at any other sushi restaurant. Of course the bluefin tuna selection is always an absolute delight and it goes without saying, that the taste and texture was outstanding to say the least.

To make this even better, I point put the little side dishes on the sashimi plate. My two favourites were also served as seared ika (squid) and aji (mackerel) tar tar. The ika was very spicy and was seared in some kind of wasabi sauce as far as I could decipher. The aji was served with herbs and sesame, making it a very special dish as well. Lastly we had some sake cava te maki (grilled salmon skin hand roll), which are among my favourite dishes at this restaurant as well. For the sauce in this hand roll alone, I would come back any day of the week. All in all it was a great, no, fabulous dinner.

Sushi Guide Verdict

As always, a meal at Matsumi is not only outstanding in quality and taste, it is unique no matter how often you go there. The attention to detail and freshness is unparalleled and the frequently changing specialties menu at the sushi bar gives the experience a special twist every time. The atmosphere is warm, friendly, authentic and I always feel welcome and almost at home when I am visiting the restaurant. The variety of sushi and sashimi dishes is huge and offers specialties rare to find anywhere else. In addition the menu offers many other options from salads to traditional Japanese choices as well as vegetarian and even vegan dishes. The wine and sake list is outstanding, catering to all tastes and preferences. Lastly, the service is outstanding. Everybody is super friendly, warm, welcoming and internationally oriented as the staff speaks German, English and Japanese (a requisite for anyone working there) among others.

The be as clear as I can be, this is truly a one if its kind restaurant and I recommend it without any hesitation to both sushi new comers as well as well versed sushi aficionados from around the world. I have been at Matsumi more often than in any other sushi restaurant and there are various reviews of all the special experiences I had.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

 

Review date: October 20, 2015

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The restaurant offers both an a la carte sushi menu as well as an omakase style menu, incorporating regional products such as lumpfish, mackerel or turbot. The restaurant’s sushi chef Pepi Anevski was named Chef of the Year at Japan’s first World Sushi Cup in 2013.

“In March 2013 our head sushi chef Pepi Anevski travelled to the sushi world championships in Japan doing exactly the same as he does everyday at Umami: creating simplistic and beautiful sushi full of taste and vision. We were honored by his success and are still unbelievably proud that he brought home the title to Denmark and Umami for the first time ever.”

Source: Umami Sushi Menu

Sushi Dinner

I went there for a quick dinner just before heading out to one of Copenhagen’s hidden cocktail bars and opted for a sashimi plate. It came with chu toro (medium fatty tuna), maguro (tuna), hamachi (yellowtail) and pike-perch. The pike-perch was amazing and truly a dish to be remembered. Unfortunately, the tuna did not convince me at all, making my visit an overall disappointing experience.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Umami provides a very modern but cool atmosphere and highly focusses on the cocktail bar as the main eye catcher of the restaurant. There are decent sushi menu options available with consideration for regional products. The food quality was generally good but fell behind expectations. Especially the tuna options were rather bland. The drink menu is quite good and focusses more on cocktails rather than sake and beer. The service team was very polite and forthcoming and made the visit an enjoyable stay.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: March 20, 2014

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