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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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

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

Moriawase Dinner

The menu seemed extensive and offered many options that are hard to find in other sushi restaurants in Napoli. The chef also offered a special menu around caviar, but this felt not entirely like what we had in mind for this night. So we opted for a set moriawase menu and explored the average dishes served at this restaurant. The first plate came with hamachi (yellowtail), maguro (tuna back) and sake (salmon) sashimi, maguro, sake, suzuki (sea bass) and tai (sea bream) nigiri. Both the sake and hamachi were excellent. The tuna was not very convincing however, which made us skip the o-toro options on the menu. The plate was followed by an uramaki (inside out roll) plate with sake and kani (crab meat) variations. The rolls were surprisingly good and all ingredients tasted fresh.

Afterwards, we tried a maguro (tuna back) tempura maki (deep fried roll) with sake (salmon) topping. This roll was excellent as well and had a very tasty sauce that added a sweet note to the dish. As fried dishes are very popular in Napoli, this was well in line with high expectations for fried food. We ordered some final pieces and finished our dinner with an uni (sea urchin) gunkan, unagi (freshwater eel) and blue ebi (shrimp) nigiri and piece of glorious wagyu beef striploin nigiri.

Sushi Guide Verdict

OMU is a fancy restaurant with stylish interior catering to upscale clients. The atmosphere is cozy but the bright color of the indirect lights installed in the restaurant can feel a bit cold. Due to the clean granite walls, the restaurant gets very loud even with few tenants present. The menu options are extensive and among the largest in Napoli for sure. The menu offers anything a sushi aficionado might look for and even has some special delicacies, such as 5 types of ebi. The food quality was very good for most dishes, but some basics clearly lack in quality. The tuna was just mediocre, which is a common issue in many sushi restaurant in town. However, overall the taste and texture of the dishes was good and everything felt fresh and prepared with care. The drink menu is also extensive and covers all needs for a long night out. The service was friendly and forthcoming and made us feel at home. The restaurant is nice addition to the few sushi restaurants that stand out in Napoli.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: December 1, 2018

The post OMU – Elegant Japanese Restaurant in Santa Lucia, Napoli appeared first on Sushi Guide.

Moriawase Dinner

As a small group we decided to order a moriawase sashimi plate. It came with sake (salmon), maguro (tuna back), hamachi (yellowtail), ika (squid), ebi (shrimp), suzuki (sea bass) and ibodai (butterfish). As a small side order we had some raw ebi (shrimp) nigiri with ikura (salmon roe). The sake and suzuki was quite nice but I was most surprised by the ika, which was excellent. Even more so the raw ebi, which was the absolute highlight of the first course. The sake was good but not outstanding, only the tuna was disappointing.

While we had some wakama and takoyaki tempura (deep fried octopus –  rather a Neapolitan dish than any other) side orders, we debated other à la carte options we could try. We went with some ika (squid) sashimi and unagi (freshwater eel), suzuki (sea bass) and obviously the raw ebi (shrimp) as nigiri. Although we only found hotategai (scallop) on the maki section of the menu, we managed to order some as nigiri as well. Since we really liked the ika, we were happy to get the sashimi plate on top of the mistakenly delivered ika nigiri.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Nori Sushi Bar is a very nice and cozy restaurant that might get full quickly on busy nights. The atmosphere is dark and only feels a little cold if there are few guests. The menu options are quite good and except for the tuna the taste and quality of the fish was fine. The drink menu is excellent and offered a wide variety of wines and sake to choose from. The service team was friendly and forthcoming but kept their distance. Overall it was a very good experience.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

 

Review date: October 6, 2018

The post Nori Sushi Bar – Mexican infused Japanese restaurant in Vomero, Napoli appeared first on Sushi Guide.

Sashimi Dinner

On a slow Sunday night, I went there with a friend for a light dinner. After some edamame and surprisingly tasty gyoza, we had a moriawase sashimi plate with ikura (salmon roe), hamachi (yellowtail), sake (salmon), hotategai (scallop), ebi (shrimp), suzuki (sea bass), aji (mackerel) and ibodai (butterfish). The ebi, aji and hotategai were of absolut amazing taste and the overall quality of the fish was very food. Unfortunately, the sushi bar could not offer any tuna sashimi, which was a little disappointing. It is one of the few restaurants that actually has toro on the menu, so we were hoping for some fatty tuna delights. We decided to have some unagi (freshwater eel) as sashimi and nigiri and it was outstanding. The tako (ocptous) nigiri was just average.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is an upscale restaurant compared to most other options in the area. It ranks among the best sushi restaurants in Napoli in my opinion but lacks some elements to make it to the top of the list. The atmosphere is hip but also rather cold and unwelcoming. Especially the music playlist did not match the overall experience. The menu options are good but could be more extensive. The fish taste and quality is very good and the drink menu offers many options for a nice night out. The service team is friendly and forthcoming and made our dinner are nice experience.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

 

Review date: September 23, 2018

The post Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – Upscale Sushi in Chiaia, Napoli appeared first on Sushi Guide.

Sashimi Moriawase

I went to the restaurant for lunch and enjoyed an almost empty and air conditioned dining room on a hot day in Napoli. I decided to try one of the various sashimi plates and ordered some ebi tempura (deep fried ebi) maki (roll) as a starter. The sashimi plate came with hamachi (yellowtail), ibodai (butterfish), toro (fatty tuna belly), sake (salmon) with ikura (salmon roe) and tako (octopus). The sake was very tasty, which usually is the best type of fish in all the sushi restaurants I have been to in Napoli. Most impressive was the tako, which was of superior taste and texture compared to most places I have been to in town. The toro was a little disappointing, but I am used to similar experiences in the tuna category in South Italy.

Sushi Guide Verdict

IKI Sushi is a nice and cozy restaurant with a very pleasant and upscale atmosphere. It stands out among the many traditional Italian restaurants in the area and might be a bit to fancy for some. The menu options are quite good and offer a very decent variety of sashimi and sushi options to choose from. The restaurant mostly focusses on sets, making an à la carte choice not so easy. The foot quality is good, some piece were outstanding, while some were average. All in all it is above average but there are better sushi restaurant available on town. The drink menu is decent as the restaurant has a vinoteca on the lower level. The service was very friendly and forthcoming but remained at a distance. Considering that only very few guests were in the restaurant, the team could have been more involving to make the stay a more remarkable experience.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

 

Review date: September 19, 2018

The post IKI Sushi – Contemporary Japanese Cuisine in Quartieri Spagnoli, Napoli appeared first on Sushi Guide.

Amazing sushi dinner

The dinner started out with an awesome moriawase sashimi plate with umi masu (ocean trout), hamachi (yellowtail), maguro (big eye tuna) and fresh wasabi. The hamachi was absolutely amazing and among the best I have ever had. The umi masu was also delicious and melted in my mouth. Only the maguro was rather average. With this impressive start, I decided to try more specialties from the menu.

The nigiri plate I ordered was absolutely amazing. It came with tai (sea bream), hotategai (scallop), kamasu (barracuda), inada (baby yellowtail), hotaru-ika (firefly squid) and bincho toro (albacore tuna belly). It is difficult to say, what was most amazing. The hotategai was very creamy and an absolute delight, the inada was even better then the previous hamachi sashimi. The hotaru-ika was delicious and the bincho toro just melted in my mouth with an amazing texture and mild bus very distinct taste. It was amazing.

Sushi Guide Verdict

ICHI Sushi is an amazing restaurant in San Francisco’s Bernal Heights with a very classy and chic interior design. It’s a very small place and when its full, it also is extremely loud, the only downside to the otherwise very authentic restaurant. The menu options are exclusive but not very extensive and a advertised as sustainably sourced. The quality and taste of the fish is outstanding and among the best in the area. The drink menu is good and features many options for a nice night out. The service was friendly and welcoming but we I had to wait for my dishes for a long time. Apart from this restaurant just being too busy, it is an awesome choice and I highly recommend it.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

 

Review date: June 8, 2018

The post ICHI Sushi – Amazing sushi on Mission Street in San Francisco, California appeared first on Sushi Guide.

Sushi Classics

The dinner started out with some grilled maguro (bluefin tuna back), which was a little dry for my taste. However, the sashimi plate was excellent and a nice mix of maguro (bluefin tuna back), sake (salmon), suzuki (sea bass), aji (mackerel) and tako (octopus). I especially enjoyed the aji, which is one of my favourites. As a last dish, I decided for a unagi (freshwater eel) nigiri plate, which was also excellent.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Akari is a very cozy restaurant with little attention to a thought through interior design. It has a warm atmosphere but could use a makeover either with a more modern or timeless furnishing. The menu options are good but limited compared to other options in Hamburg. The quality and taste of the fish is very good. The drink menu is limited as well, with only few options of beer, wine and sake. The service was nice and friendly but remained distant. Overall it felt a little anonymous and I left soon after finishing the dinner.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

 

Revied date: August 21, 2018

The post Akari – Traditional Japanese Cuisine in Hamburg Uhlenhorst appeared first on Sushi Guide.

Amazing Sushi

The menu is extensive and offers everything I could hope for. I started with a moriawase sashimi plate that came with maguro (bluefin tuna back), tai (sea beam), hamachi (yellowtail), sake (salmon), hotategai (scallop) with ikura (salmon roe) topping and ika (squid). I also had some katsuo (bonito fish) sashimi, kappa (cucumber), shitake (forest mushrooms), sake (salmon) with cream cheese and seared maguro (bluefin tuna back) with ikura (salmon roe). The sake and tuna was very good, gut I especially enjoyed the hotategai and the katsuo.

As the menu had so many amazing options to chose from, I tried some more nigiri specialties. I was especially amazed by the toro (bluefin fatty tuna belly), the hamachi toro (yellowtail belly) and sake toro (salmon belly). The ika (squid) and unagi (freshwater eel) was also great but was easily outperformed by the madai (red sea bream) and katsuo (skipjack tuna) nigiri. All in all, it was amazing and difficult to name a clear dominant winner.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Fuki Sushi is a one of its kind sushi restaurant. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley it has been around for decades and lives up to is reputation. The atmosphere is very authentic and cozy, providing an ideal setting for a night out. The menu options are extensive and cover anything one could hope for. The food quality and taste is outstanding and absolutely amazing. The drink menu is ok and typical for a restaurant of this esteem. The service was also perfect. The team was and welcoming and made my visit a experience to remembered.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

 

Review date: June 6, 2018

The post Fuki Sushi – Supreme Japanese Cuisine in Palo Alto, California 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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