I went to the restaurant for dinner at the sushi bar and sampled the menu. It was surprising extensive for an all you can eat restaurant and it featured a decent selection of fish. I started with some side dishes like takoyaki (fried octopus), ika yaki (grilled squid), horenso (spinach with sesame dressing) as well as some maguro (tuna back) and sake (salmon) sushi. I didn’t like the sesame dressing that came with the spinach, it was watery and not very tasty, but the rest was quite nice. The squid was excellent and made me optimistic for the rest of the meal.

It went on with a plate of sake (salmon), ika (squid), tako (octopus), unagi (freshwater eel) and saba yaki (grilled mackerel) nigiri. Then some maguro (tuna back) uramaki (inside out roll), maguro (tuna back) and some more unagi (freshwater eel) nigiri. Then followed some ika (squid), aji (mackerel) and sake (salmon) nigiri. The salmon and squid were really good, so I had multiple orders of them over the course of the meal. As a close, I had some ebi tempura (fried shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll) and an absolutely amazing hotategai (scallop) gunkan (battleship sushi).

Sushi Guide Verdict

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by the experience at Okinii. Even though I don’t usually like all you can eat sushi restaurants, the selection and quality of dishes was very good and it is certainly a good option in Düsseldorf. The atmosphere if the restaurant is very modern, dark and flashy with a fancy cocktail bar at the center of the restaurant. Even though quite huge, it doesn’t feel to spread out to be uncomfortable. The menu options are really good considering its an all you can eat menu. The quality and taste of the fish is above average, which some items being really excellent. The drink menu is extensive and offers everything for an amazing night out. The service team was friendly, but the restaurant uses iPads to process the orders, which makes the experience a bit impersonal.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: July 17, 2021

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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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This time I went with a close fried and it really developed into an extensive meal that covered all the variety and depth that Matsumi had to offer. We were able to get our favourite seats at the sushi bar and were able to watch the chef preparing our dishes, one after the other. Even though the sushi bar is now equipment with a glass shield due to the pandemic restrictions, we still had an amazing view and enjoyed the experience. Sadly, it limits the opportunity for interaction with the chef, which is something I always loved and enjoyed. In any case, for any sushi aficionado that enjoy watching, the setup at Matsumi can be highly recommended.

The Finest of Matsumi

With our order quickly growing into an opulent and extensive list of à la carte items, we also decided to insert a considerable variety of staters and side dishes, some of which were on the limited specialties menu of the week. We were surprised by an amazing amuse-bouche that kicked off the experience. It was an avocado, sake (salmon) and taco (octopus) ceviche and it was an amazing competition that greatly complemented each other. It was almost sad that we could not order a larger dish of it. We also had two varieties of konomono, which are composed of differently seared, pickled or aged vegetables. These are especially delicious at Matsumi and always a well received surprise. One of my personal favourites is horenso (spinach in sesame dressing), which cannot miss during any of my visits at the restaurant. Another absolute delight is the rare but always amazing ebi shinjo (deep fried shrimp dumplings). The shrimp is packed in tofu skin, which is then deep fried along with some fried lotus root pieces. It is just amazing and comes with an amazing composition of negi (green inions), grinded ginger and a mysterious spicy sauce that delights me even time. If this is on the specialty menu, it is a must have.

Another amazing specialty is a selection of hotategai (scallop) pieces served in some seared miso sauce along with some vegetables and shitake (Japanese forest mushrooms). The dish is served raw on a stove, which is the lid so we could prepare the scallops to our liking. It is an amazing composition and the sauce is key to the experience. The scallops were amazing as always and this combination is easily among my favourite hotategai dishes. The sauce is so nice, that even after finishing the scallops, vegetables and mushrooms, it cannot be wasted and but is an absolute joy on its own. Interestingly, this is only achieved through boiling the dish. When the dish is served, the sauce does not taste good, not even pleasant. But once the scallops are done, it is an absolute delight.

Another set of my favourites followed suit. Sake cava temaki (handroll with grilled salmon skin is just about the most amazing piece of Japanese food I can imagine. Being a long time aficionado of this dish, Matsumi is the only place on the planet where this is not just beyond all others in amazingness, but it consistently impressed even after more than a decade of sampling it regularly. The salmon skin is seared and grilled to the point of perfection and the teriyaki style sauce used in this dish is just over the moon. The sauce on its own would be something to die for and of course a well kept secret, so I cannot even report what it is exactly. Another few delights we had were tamago (egg omelet), uni (sea urchin) gunkan (battleship sushi) and unagi (freshwater eel) nigiri. The sea urchin was excellent and a fresh interlude among the heavy items with teriyaki sauce etc. The unagi (freshwater eel) is also one of my absolute favourite and hard to beat.

Oamakase Style Sashimi at Matsumi

For the main course, we had an amazingly composed plate of an omakase style sashimi selection. It came with shima aji (striped jack), otoro (bluefin fatty tuna belly), chu toro (medium fatty bluefin tuna belly), madai (red seabream), ika (squid) and maguro (bluefin tuna back). The striped jack was a new addition to the menu and something totally unexpected. Visually, it could be easily confused with hamachi (yellowtail), but is was a totally different experience all together. The texture and taste was amazing and quite distinct. The squid is usually also among the best items at Matsumi and should not be missed. The was also a small side dish of seared yuba (tofu skin) with wasabi. It was just the smallest bowl on the side, but it was an amazing surprise. It provided a fresh and acute sensation that was amazingly balanced with the spicy wasabi and a nice complementary element to the sashimi plate.

The selection of different tuna cuts was as amazing as it looked an amazing journey through a variety of tastes that is difficult to attribute to the same fish. Even the subtle differences in texture always amaze me and even though this might be an somewhat obvious observation shared by many, the otoro cut is the absolute most amazing piece of fish. It is amazing to experience again and again how this extreme level of quality is as consistent as night and day at Matsumi and am already fantasising about my next visit.

To round things off, we then had a final selection of some favourites. Paired with another sake cava temaki (handroll with grilled salmon skin), we had another piece of otoro (bluefin fatty tuna belly), madai (red seabream) and unagi (freshwater eel) as nigiri. As a final composition to melt in our mouths, we decided to take a piece of zuke chu toro (seared and flambeed bluefin medium fatty tuna belly) nigiri, which was a culminating finale of the meal. With the extensive breadth of our selection, we had to cut the dessert short and just opted for an umeboshi (salted and seared plum), which was also amazing and just about the perfect contrast to balance of the entire meal.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Matsumi always surprises and even after more than a decade of patronage, I am still mesmerised by its constant delivery of the most outstanding Japanese dining experience. It is truly a one of its kind restaurant and deserved its rank among the best around. As a pillar of traditional Japanese cuisine in an authentic atmosphere in a familiar setting, it is a must for any sushi aficionado and a perfect choice for anyone new and curious. The restaurant provided an encapsulated and unique experience with its wooded interior, open sushi bar and tatami room. For me it is almost like stepping into another world and being on vacation. The menu options are so extensive, it can just be describes with being as complete as it could get. All varieties of fish one could dream of can be found and the taste and quality is absolutely outstanding. Preparation and presentation of the dishes is done with extreme attention to detail and deep pasha for perfection. The drink menu is extensive and features many Japanese spirits and beers to choose from. The service team is friendly, welcoming and most forthcoming. Even on busy nights they take the time to engage in conversation and truly make the experience as amazing as it is. Matsumi is truly amazing and I can recommend it without hesitation to anyone and I cannot wait to get back.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: September 4, 2020

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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

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Traditional Dinner with some Exclusives

This time we started with some small starter plates while we waited for the extensive selection of exclusives items as the main course. Among our small dishes were horenso (spinach in sesame dressing), nasu tempura (fried eggplant) with miso sauce and of course some tako yaki (deep fried octopus balls), which are always a good choice.  

The main plate was extensive and even for two people there is more than enough to choose from. We shared this plate among 2 people and some items were so amazing, that we kept ordering seconds afterwards. The plate came with 2 pieces of tamago (egg omelet), 6 pieces of maguro (tuna back) maki (roll) and then some hotategai (scallop), unagi ( freshwater eel), ebi (shrimp) nigiri pieces, a sake (salmon) gunkan (battleship shushi) with ikura (salmon roe) topping as well as some hamachi (yellowtail), sake (salmon), otoro (fatty tuna belly) and chu toro (medium fatty tuna belly) nigiri pieces, fresh wasabi and gari (pickled ginger).

To say the least, the scallop and unagi are always outstanding at this restaurant. They might even be reason enough to return just to enjoy them again. Also the tuna pieces were outstanding, making Kushi-Tei one of the better choices for tuna belly cuts in Düsseldorf.

And since it was outstanding, we ordered another plate of the best delights to round off the meal. So we had another round of otoro (fatty tuna belly), hotategai (scallop) and unagi (freshwater eel) nigiri. It were certainly the best pieces of the day that melted in our mouths.

Sushi Guide Verdict

The experience at Kushi-Tei of Tokyo was quite satisfying. Even though it was a busy night, we had plenty of time to enjoy our meal. The menu options are extensive and we need to come back to sample more of the exquisite options to choose from. Taste and quality of the fish was excellent and far exceed the average even among the rough competition in the Japanese quarter in Düsseldorf. The service staff was very forthcoming and friendly and made our stay very pleasant. If sushi is something appreciated, for sure Kushi-Tei is an excellent option.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: July 18, 2020

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An Extensive Dinner Experience at Kushi-Tei of Tokyo

As I went there alone and without reservation, I was lucky enough to get a single seat at the sushi bar to fully enjoy my experience. Even if my view was a bit obstructed, it was a nice turn of events that I didn’t expect. I started out with some basic side dishes and tried the horenso (spinach) in sesame sauce with was amazing and the tako yaki (deep dried octopus) which was almost a meal on its own. I liked the tako yaki, but from my experiences in Napoli I can attest that there are superior deep frying skills around.

As the main course I opted for an omakase style sashimi plate that came with a good variety of fish to enjoy. I had hotategai (scallop) – one of my favourites and an absolute delight – and maguro (tuna back), tako (octopus), aji (mackerel), ama ebi (sweet shrimp), sake (salmon) and hamachi (yellowtail) sashimi. The overall taste and quality of the fish was outstanding, with my favourite ranking among aji, hamachi and the hotategai.

As a finale for my dinner experience, I ordered some nigiri pieces. I got another two pieces of hotategai (scallop) and two pieces of unagi (freshwater eel), both of which are absolute favourites of mine. The scallop was amazing and the best pieces on this day. The unagi was also good but the topping was a bit scarce and not that appealing to me. Also it was served cold, which is downer in my opinion.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Dining at Kushi-Tei of Tokyo was a nice and satisfying experiment. The atmosphere was very low key, friendly and welcoming. The menu options are so extensive that I could come back many times with always new things to try. Taste and quality of the fish and all other dishes I had was excellent and much better than at many other restaurants around. The drink menu is very traditional and offers a large selection of Japanese beers and spirits. The service was very friendly even if the language barrier was evident. All in all the team made me enjoy my stay and would definitely recommend this restaurant to any sushi aficionado.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: February 25, 2020

The post Kushi-Tei of Tokyo – Traditional Sushi in Düsseldorf appeared first on Sushi Guide.

Late Sushi Dinner

This time I went with 2 friends for a late seating. We started out with a sashimi moriawase plate. It came with king sake (king salmon), hamachi (yellowtail), hon maguro (bluefin tuna back), kanpachi (amber jack) and tai (sea bream). As usual, everything tasted really good and the tai was especially amazing. I had this moriawase plate many times, but it remains to be an absolute delight.

After the sashimi, I had a small dish of horenso (spinach) and then opted for some nigiri pieces. I had ainame (greenling), kamasu (barracuda), isaki (grunt fish) and toro (bluefin fatty tuna belly). Obviously the toro was outstanding, but I was also very impressed with the ainame, which I never had before. It was very tasty and a welcome surprise. The isaki was also pretty unique and was a good recommendation by our sushi chef. All of these nigiri pieces were sushi bar exclusives, so it was a good decision to wait for seats at the bar.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Sushi Ran is an absolutely superior sushi restaurant and always a good choice. It provides a very authentic atmosphere and very welcoming and warm setting. The menu options are extensive and the fish quality and taste is among the best to find. The drink menu is also excellent and offers lots of beer, wine and sake options. The service was outstanding, friendly and forthcoming. Although we only stayed for a very brief dinner, it was an excellent choice to make the trip to Sausalito.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

 

Review date: June 2, 2018

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