Exceptional Dinner

With a group of colleagues we arrived at the restaurant for an early dinner. We were seated at a nice table with a good view over the sushi lounge and were served some nice sake tempura (fried salmon) as an amuse-bouche to kick of the dinner. We decided to sample the premium selection plates and ordered some individual premium items on top and were set for an amazing experience.

First, we had an amazing otoro (fatty tuna belly) tartare, which was absolutely breathtaking. It was followed by an sashimi plate with maguro (tuna back), hamachi (yellowtail), sake (salmon), suzuki (sea bass), hotategai (scallop) and ebi (shrimp) of which the scallop and shrimp were most amazing. We also sampled an hamachi (yellowtail) carpaccio with jalapeño dressing, which also excellent.

The next plate came with same hamachi (yellowtail), suzuki (sea bass), maguro (tuna back), sake (salmon) and ebi (shrimp) sashimi as well as hamachi (yellowtail), sake (salmon), maguro (tuna back), suzuki (sea bass), kuruma ebi (tiger prawn) and red ebi (shrimp) nigiri. The hamachi was excellent but surpassed by the outstanding texture and taste of the tiger prawn and red shrimp. Although this was a simple plate with standard items, it already was a remarkable dinner.

We then opted for some more toro (tuna belly) dishes. We tried the otoro (fatty tuna belly) tartare gunkan (battleship sushi), otoro (fatty tuna belly), otoro (fatty tuna belly) nigiri with maguro (tuna back) nigiri. All of these items were jaw dropping and rank among the best quality and taste of tuna in Napoli.

Subsequently we had two orders of the large signature mix plate that offers the most premium pieces the restaurant has to offer. It came with sake (salmon) maki, a amazing sake (salmon) uramaki (inside out roll) with seared sake (salmon) tartare topping, otoro (fatty tuna belly) nigiri with otoro (fatty tuna belly) tartare topping, sake (salmon), hamachi (yellowtail) with uni (sea urchin) topping, suzuki (sea bass) nigiri, ebi (shrimp) with ika (squid) and tobiko (flying fish roe) topping), kani (crab), kuruma ebi (tiger prawn) and ika (squid) nigiri with caviar topping.

To say the least, this plate was amazing. The combination of flavours created by the carefully picked toppings was outstanding and the quality and taste of the items was excellent. Most amazing were the yellowtail with the sea urchin, the squid with caviar and tiger prawn. It was only surpassed by the fatty tuna belly, that was as excellent as ever.

All in all, this was an absolutely excellent dinner that ranks among the best sushi experiences I ever had in Napoli. Just recently I resampled all the top choices in town and Otoro81 definitely outperformed the competition.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Otoro81 is an excellent Japanese restaurant with an amazing interior design and modern atmosphere. The lounge is very stylish but uses warm colours, so it feels comfy and cozy despite the cocktail bar and DJ setting. It invites for long stays that extend beyond the dinner. The menu options are extensive and offer both classic and highly exclusive items that are otherwise hard or even impossible to find in Napoli. The quality and taste of the food is outstanding. Although not on the same level as high end options globally, it certainly is one of its kind in Southern Italy. So far, it is the only restaurant that servers tuna at a high quality and also offers fatty tuna cuts that are excellent. The drink menu is extensive and offers anything you could hope for from cocktails to wine and spirits. The service team is excellent, friendly and forthcoming and creates a good vibe. For sure I will be back at Otoro81.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: June 1, 2019

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Amazing Moriawase Dinner

The dinner started out with some light appetisers, such as edamame and absolutely amazing gyoza dumplings. Although the gyoza were very nice and had an excellent texture, the wakame had strangely perfumed taste, almost as if it was marinated in meat stock. But even before we could think to much about it, we were served the sake (salmon) carpaccio with ikura (salmon roe) and caviar. The salmon was smooth and very tasty but the caviar was uninspiring. It felt more like a collection of buzz words than a well composed dish. So all in all the appetisers were nice, but not amazing.

Then we had some gunkan bytes, all of which were absolutely great. The ebi (shrimp) maki with caviar was very intense and way above average ebi around. The sake (salmon) maki with ikura (salmon roe) was nice but easily surpassed by the breathtaking suzuki (sea bass) with hotategai (scallop) with green tobiko (flying fish roe). It was simply amazing. The kappa (cucumber) roll with kinoko (mushroom, and I don’t remember what kind) was also a nice piece to try.

When our main moriawase plate arrived, we were presented with amazing ebi (shrimp) tempura maki (deep fried roll) with quail egg and caviar topping. It was outstanding and set the bar very high for the entire plate.

And what an amazing plate it was. It covered all we could hope for. We had some maguro (tuna back) uramaki (inside out roll) with caviar, maguro (tuna back) uramakai (onside out roll) with ikura (salmon roe), some sake (salmon) maki with caviar topping, ebi tempura (fried shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll) with green tobiko (flying fish roe). We were really impressed by the tarabagani (king crab) maki (roll) with green tobiko (flying fish roe) as well as with the simple but great sake (salmon) nigiri. Then there was ebi tempura (fried shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll) with ikura (salmon roe), sake (salmon) maki tempura (deep fried roll) with ibodai (butterfish), some maguro (tuna back), sake (salmon) and hamachi (yellowtail sashimi) as well as some ebi tempura (fried shrimp) and sake (salmon) foto maki (big roll).

Sushi Guide Verdict

Dining an Jap One is an amazing experience. The sushi bar is absolutely outstanding and offers very limited seats at the bar and various table on two floors for groups of different sizes. The menu options are extensive and cover all basics and some exquisite dishes to choose from. The taste and quality os very good and outstanding for some select options. The drink menu is excellent as well as the restaurant also features a nice and chic cocktail bar. The service was very friendly and forthcoming but remained a bit detached, something that I felt as the main loss compared to my experience in the previous location. All in all, I highly recommend this restaurant as one of the best in Napoli.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review Date: February 21, 2019

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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. 

Review date: April 3, 2013

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