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.

The website looks super nice, all black with high quality photos of varies dishes and sets to choose from. The menu sees extensive and evolves mainly about preconfigured sets to choose from. Upon taking a closer look, most dishes are somewhat identical and use the same base ingredients – mostly salmon, tuna back and shrimps – mixed up with different dressings. Presentation is everything with Steffen Henssler, so the options on the website certainly also delivered on that promise.

I made some choices and received a call shortly after the order was made. Some items were not available and I was suggested some alternatives to choose from. I was quite happy with the service and curiously waited for the delivery. The sushi came in simple but beautiful packaging, matching the high quality look of the website. Even the chopsticks and soy sauce came in nice black packaging.

The meal started out with two amazing pieces of sake (salmon) nigiri, which made me really optimistic about the rest of the menu. I then tried the spicy maguro (tuna back) futo maki tempura (fried big roll), which was also nice but not as impressive. Also until here, I was also quite happy with the presentation and the overall experience.

The main package contained my individually configured set. Even though I can appreciate the intention behind the overall setup and design of the package, the unpacked food looked far less appealing as I expected it to look. The rolls looked quite messed up and pieces moved around in transit, leaving greasy traces across the glossy package. It’s not relevant for the culinary experience per se, but certainly dampened the mood as I had higher expectations.

The set cam with maguro yaki (grilled tuna back) sashimi, kappa (cucumber) uramaki (inside out roll) with sake (salmon) topping, ebi tempura (fried shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll) with sake (salmon) tartare and caviar topping. The cucumber roll was really not that amazing, the shrimp roll was better but due to the distinct taste of the salmon and caviar. Overall, the pieces were covered in sauce, all of which were not bad, but took away any taste of the fish. The dish also came with three pieces of maguro (tuna back) futo maki tempura (fried big roll) with maguro (tuna back) tartare and tobiko (flying fish roe) topping. It sounded better that it was. Also here, the tartare dressing took away most of the distinct taste of the tuna, rendering the sushi experience a bit mute in my opinion.

Certainly, the overall look, quality and taste is quite nice. It is certainly above average sushi, but it comes at a really upscale price, resulting in higher expectations in terms of taste, presentation and mostly variety in the dished. Overall, the pieces that I got, based on staff recommendation, are all quite similar and lacked any surprise.

Sushi Guide Verdict

All in all, I am happy with the presentation, menu options and service offered when ordering at GO by Steffen Henssler. However, even though the menu looks very appealing, the variety is highly limited and mainly uses salmon, tuna and shrimp as base ingredients, basically the most standard of all sushi components. In combination with the heavy use of sauces and dressings, it seems as if the menu caters less to sushi aficionados than I hope for. The quality and taste of the food is quite good, it is just not very close to anything that I expect from a sushi experience. The site offers limited drink options, but for takeout food, it is certainly sufficient. All in all, I am undecided if I would order there again. If dining in a large group, the offered sets are good options, for a nice Japanese dining experience, I would definitely look elsewhere.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: September 6, 2021

The post GO by Steffen Henssler – Upscale Sushi Takeout in Düsseldorf, Germany appeared first on Sushi Guide.

“What would you expect at Yoshizumi Nagaya’s restaurant other than typical Japanese precision and simplicity? The flavours are sophisticated, purist and natural, the onus on choice ingredients. The pleasantly reserved, professional front-of-house team are always pleased to offer wine and sake recommendations.”

Source: MICHELIN Guide

Puristic Dinner at Nagaya

In a group of two we showed up at the restaurant without reservation and were lucky enough to get a spot in the otherwise heavily frequented and usually fully booked restaurant. Seated at a table for two with a view towards the sushi bar, we quickly adjusted to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions at the restaurant. Even though all staff had to wear masks all the time, we were able to lift our face covers once we reached our table and sanitised our hands. As one would expect from a fine dining restaurant such as this, the staff ensured we had an amazing experience despite current restrictions.

Since we arrived shortly after 8:30 pm, it was no longer possible to order the set menu option, as this would not have fitted in the remaining opening hours of the restaurant. Without being too disappointed about it, we focused on the sushi part of the menu and decided to order some starters and then share a SUSHI and SASHIMI house set that would take us on a culinary journey throughout the night. The meal started with an amazing miso soup with tofu and fermented vegetables. It was matched by a great glass of Riesling recommend by the sommelier. After the soup we had a roll from goose liver terrine with red beet croquant and hazel nut powder (of which we sadly took no photos).

Nagaya’s Sushi and Sashimi house set

As the main course, a huge plate of sushi, nigiri and sashimi pieces was served with dry ice for visual effects. It covered almost all delicacies from the sushi menu and was absolutely amazing. The plate was served with another matching white wine recommended by the sommelier. It was a 2018 Weingut Keller Silvaner Feuervogel, which was not just perfectly suited for the sushi plate, but an outstanding rich and dry white wine in general.

The SUSHI and SASHIMI house set came with an outstanding california roll – a kani (crab meat) and avocado uramaki (inside out roll) – and a spicy tuna roll – maguro (lean tuna back) maki with chilli mayonnaise – as well as the house roll – a sake (Scottish salmon), maguro (lean tuna back), hamachi (Japanese yellowtail) and ebi (shrimp) futo maki (big roll). The futo maki was absolutely amazing and after some initial scepticism wether so many pieces of fish in one roll would result in a nice composition, it turned out the be the most amazing roll of them all. The plate also came with some basic sashimi pieces, sake (Scottish salmon), hamachi (Japanese yellowtail) and maguro (lean tuna back). The tuna was advertised as a Mediterranean tuna from Spain.

The were also 5 types of nigiri, all of which were pretty amazing on its own. The plate came with tai (Japanese sea bream), aji (mackerel), sake (Scottish salmon), hamachi (Japanese yellowtail) and chu-toro (medium fatty tuna belly) nigiri. The only pieces that were not absolutely breathtaking were the hamachi. Everything else was super rich, had amazing texture and taste that went well with the white wine.

There was room for more…

To round things off, we also sampled few items that were not part of the SUSHI and SASHIMI house set. Most impressively, the unagi (Taiwanese freshwater eel) and hotategai (Breton scallop) nigiri were absolutely jaw dropping. I have rarely enjoyed as amazing scallops anywhere and these two pieces are some of my absolute favourites. The hotategai came with a small dip of chilli sauce, which gave an amazing taste to the contained taste of the scallop. The teriyaki sauce for the unagi was also excellent and the piece was served warm, which is my preference. Even the fresh wasabi and gari (ginger) were excellent.

As a last dish we tried something a bit more crunchy. The ebi tempura (deep fried) uramaki (inside out roll) was a nice finale to the opulent dinner and culinary journey we took during this night.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Nagaya certainly is a one of its kind restaurant. Even among the fierce competition in Germany’s largest Japanese community in Düsseldorf it stands alone as the best Japanese fine dining restaurant around. It ranks well among the MICHELIN star sushi restaurants we tried so far. For a more casual sushi experience, Nagaya recently opened a second branch called Yoshi, which is an outstanding alternative to the fine dining setting of the main restaurant and provides the same quality of sushi dishes.

Nagaya certainly caters to upscale clientele with its chic and conservative interior design. The warm atmosphere and welcoming staff made our visit quite enjoyable and a unique experience. The menu options are a bit limited since the restaurant offers an omakase set menu each night and some additional items á la carte. Never the less, the quality and taste of the food is outstanding and second to none. The drink and wine menu is extensive as one would expect from a one MICHELIN star restaurant. We were especially satisfied with our choices of wine and can highly recommend to trust the sommelier’s recommendations for matching the dishes if desired. The service team was most forthcoming and catered to us with a good mix of restraint and initiative. Overall, this was an amazing experience and Nagaya certainly is a must for any serious sushi aficionado living in or visiting Düsseldorf.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: July 14, 2020

The post Nagaya – Japanese Sophistication in Düsseldorf, Germany appeared first on Sushi Guide.

All You Can Eat Dinner

The prices and menu options at Osaka Japanese Restaurant differ slightly between lunch and dinner, so I chose dinner to sample the full breath of the menu. Although the menu is extensive, most dishes did not really appeal to me. The restaurant has a strong focus on ebi (shrimp) and fried food, which is common in Napoli. After some browsing, ordered some amaebi (sweet shrimp) and ebi (shrimp) wrapped with sake (salmon) sashimi, some taco yaki (fried octopus), sake (salmon) tempura make (friend rolls) and ebi (shrimp) and cani (crab) tempura futo maki (fried big roll). As expected the quality of the shrimp was quite good and the fried tolls lived up the Neapolitan standard.

Afterwards I tried some more ebi (shrimp), amaebi (sweet shrimp) and ika (squid) nigiri, all of which were quite nice but not outstanding. Some more ebi (shrimp) maki (roll) and sake (salmon) uramaki (inside out roll) were followed by some ebi (shrimp) and kani (crab) uramaki (inside out roll) with tobiko (flying fish roe) and ebi (shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll) with tobiko (flying fish roe). All in all it felt a bit repetitive and the taste of the ebi was not quite enough to keep me excited throughout the entire dinner.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Osaka Japanese Restaurant is among many options to choose from. It is a huge restaurant, probably the largest sushi restaurant in Napoli and does provide a canteen atmosphere rather than an intimate setting for a nice dinner. The menu options seem extensive at first glance, but are limited at best. There is a strong focus on shrimp (that might or might not be locally sourced) and salmon. The quality and taste of the food is not great in general, but above average for all you can eat restaurants around. The drink menu offers a good selection of basic items at fair prices. The service was forthcoming but a bit distanced at times. Overall, the restaurant ranks above other alternatives and might belong to the better all you can eat options around. However, it is not a remarkable sushi restaurant.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: June 19, 2019

The post Osaka Japanese Restaurant – Bites with a Neapolitan Twist appeared first on Sushi Guide.

Midnight Bites

While exploring San Francisco and it’s cultural offerings time passed quickly. Since many restaurants close pretty early in the night compared to other regions (e.g. the Mediterranean), options rapidly decrease at late hours. Still, some restaurants are in for a surprise. Way after midnight on a weekday we entered the small underground sushi restaurant for some quick bites on the go. The cocktail bar was very good (we had vodka with cucumber and mint served in a classical martini glass) and also the music selection was excellent with a resident DJ.

As a group we shared some tobiko (flying fish roe) gunkan and a selection of avocado uramaki (inside out roll) with hamachi (yellowtail), ebi (shrimp), ika (squid), aji (mackerel), sake (salmon), maguro (tuna back) and tai (sea bream) topping. The texture and taste of the fish was excellent way beyond anything we expected at such a late hour. As a last call for the kitchen we had some nice maguro (tuna back) futo maki (big roll) and some sake (salmon) uramaki (inside out roll).

Sushi Guide Verdict

Ryoko’s Japanese Restaurant is an authentic and particular sushi restaurant in the heart of San Francisco. It is a tiny place that tries to convey the vibe of a Tokyo sushi bar and is frequented by many Japanese customers as well. The menu options are quite good and the food quality is excellent. The drink menu is average and the service was friendly and forthcoming. Especially on a midnight stroll, this restaurant is a very good option for some sushi snacks.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: June 8, 2019

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