Even though I really like Otoro81 and consider it as one of the best options around, I was underwhelmed by the overall atmosphere and layout of the restaurant and terrace as well as the offering on the menu, which is limited to fixed sets of maki and sashimi alongside some starters. I might try out the Vomero outlet as well, which seems to have a larger and more sophisticated indoor restaurant and it might provide a more intriguing experience.

Anyway, we went for some ebi tempura (fried shrimp) and some Fiano di Avelino white wine while waiting for the main dish. We opted for the a luxury uramaki set that in comparison to other places around was quite underwhelming. Even though it looked nice, in the end all rolls where more or less identical and covered with dressing, rendering the taste of the fish a bit indistinguishable. We had maguro (tuna back) uramaki (inside out roll) with maguro topping, ebi (shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll) with zuzuki (sea bass) topping, sake (salmon) uramaki (inside out roll) with gari (pickled ginger) topping, maguro (tuna back) tartare uramaki (inside out roll) with avocado topping and ebi tempura (fried shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll) with ebi (shrimp) topping. It was not bad, but also not great.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Overall, Otoro Lab seemed to be a nice new addition to the realm of sushi restaurants in Napoli, but did not live up the expectations. Being associated with Otoro81, a premium Japanese restaurant, it really disappointed both from a perspective of atmosphere as well as from culinary experience. The menu options are limited, but even more drastically the dishes offered all focus on the same ingredients, mainly tuna back, salmon and shrimp. Considering it is an upscale and expensive restaurant, this is hardy what I would expect. The food quality is good but due to the heavy use of sauce and dressing, the taste is somewhat indistinct and does not pay tribute to the ingredients or to Japanese cuisine in general. The drink menu is limited as well, but some nice wines are available. The service was nice and forthcoming, but also there was not flexility to adjust fixed sets from the menu to our desires. All in all, it was not a bad experience, but certainly not what I expected from Otoro Lab.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: January 7, 2022

The post Otoro Lab – Japanese Bites in Chiaia, Napoli appeared first on Sushi Guide.

I picked some of my favorites, unagi (freshwater eel) nigiri alongside an ebi (shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll) with unagi (freshwater eel) topping and a nigiri set. The eel was nice but not special. Most critically, it was cold which is something I do not like. It was not cold because of the delivery, it is served cold in this case. Some restaurants do that, I really prefer the warm variant.

The nigiri set was a pleasant surprise and provided a decent variety, especially considering that it is a delivery restaurant, which usually has a very limited menu to choose from. The set came with sake (salmon), maguro (tuna back), ika (squid), ebi (shrimp), aji (mackerel), tai (sea bream), tako (octopus), ama-ebi (sweet shrimp) and hotategai (scallop). Most pieces were quite average, but the mackerel, octopus and scallop really stood out. Overall, it was surpassing my expectations and I was quite satisfied with the meal.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Sushi Arigato doesn’t offer a particularly inviting atmosphere, so I deemed it is mainly suited for delivery or takeout. The menu options are surprisingly extensive for a restaurant in that category, however the quality is a mixed bag with some items being really good and the rest being average. The drink menu is limited to say the least and the service leaves nothing special to be mentioned. For simple takeout or delivery sushi, the restaurant is an option. For sushi dining, I would go somewhere else.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: October 27, 2021

The post Sushi Arigato – Quick Sushi Bites in Düsseldorf, Germany appeared first on Sushi Guide.

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.

I ordered a basic nigiri set that came with hotategai (scallop), maguro (tuna back), ebi (shrimp), sake (salmon), ika (squid), tako (octopus) and unagi (freshwater eel). Beyond that, I had a ebi tempura (fried shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll) and another set of unagi (freshwater eel) and hotategai (scallop) nigiri.Considering that it was takeout sushi, I was pleasantly surprise by the variety and also the quality of the set. Especially the scallop, squid and octopus really stood out as excellent.

Sushi Guide Verdict

The overall experience was better than expected but still not great. Event hough I was pleasantly surprised by the variety and even the quality of the scallop, squid and octopus, the rest was really not very appealing. The restaurant itself also did not stand out as a place for a nice dinner, so I would go back for an in-house experience. The menu options are average, as is the overall food quality. The drink menu is limited and the service was friendly but nothing special to be mentioned. Kinsho is an option for delivery food, but nothing beyond that.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: September 15, 2021

The post Kinsho – Quick Sushi Bites in Düsseldorf, Germany appeared first on Sushi Guide.

I ordered a nigiri set that came with ebi (shrimp), suzuki (sea bass), sake (salmon), ika (squid), maguro (tuna back), hotategai (scallop), aji (mackerel), sake (salmon), tako (octopus) and ama-ebi (sweet shrimp). Considering that it a takeout restaurant, I was surprised both by the variety as well as quality within the set. Even though not outstanding, it was a pleasant surprise and good for takeout food.

In addition, I also had some maguro (tuna back) uramaki (inside out roll) and unagi (freshwater eel) nigiri. Since I usually really like it, I ordered some additional ika (squid) and hotategai (scallop) nigiri. Both the squid and scallop were quite nice and outperformed the rest of the selection.

Sushi Guide Verdict

All in all, Sushi Kaiser delivered more than I expected. Even though not great, the overall experience was solid. The menu options are limited to a large number of sets with an incomplete a la carte menu, but still there is a lot to chose from. The food quality was good but not outstanding, the squid and scallop were better than the rest. The drink menu is basic and my interaction with the staff was friendly but nothing special.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: September 6, 2021

The post Sushi Kaiser – Basic Sushi Bites in Düsseldorf, Germany appeared first on Sushi Guide.

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

The post Okinii – Upscale All You Can Eat Sushi in Düsseldorf, Germany appeared first on Sushi Guide.

I ordered some a la carte items from the menu. They also had a large number of pre-defined sets, but most of them did not speak to me. Most sets were heavily based on sushi with avocado as a key component, which is something I don’t particularly like. I chose some ebi tempura (fried shrimp) maki (roll), sake (salmon), maguro (tuna back), sake yaki (grilled salmon) and maguro yaki (grilled tuna back) nigiri. Then I took two uramaki (inside out rolls) with ebi tempura (fried shrimp) and maguro (topping) and the other one with ebi tempura (friend shrimp) and tobiko (flying fish roe) topping. I also took 4 pieces of their sake (salmon) maki tempura (fried roll), which stood out among the selection.

Sushi Guide Verdict

All in all, I have mixed feelings about DEN Home. The restaurant itself seemed nice, but not special. The staff was very friendly and forthcoming and I was almost sad that I could not stay due to the restrictions. In the end, I took the takeout food to the terrace and ate there, which was allowed. The menu options were a bit disappointing as most dishes were variations of the same base components, mainly salmon, tuna back and shrimps. The taste and quality was good, but for a full meal, more variety would be better. Drink options were simple but sufficient for quick bites or casual meals.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: June 16, 2021

The post DEN Home – Sushi Takeout in Düsseldorf, Germany appeared first on Sushi Guide.

I ordered some nigiri pieces. The unagi (freshwater eel) was cold and there was only little dressing to enjoy. The tako (octopus) and ika (squid) were kinda tasty, but the saba (mackerel) tasted very bland and did not exactly feel super fresh. The sake (salmon) and maguro (tuna back) sashimi was not any good and poorly cut to say the least. The sake (salmon) temaki (hand roll) was also not very convincing. Then I had an avocado uramaki (inside out roll) with wasabi and hotategai (scallop) topping and a ebi tempura (fried shrimp) uramaki (inside out roll). Both were ok, but nothing special. All in all it was not super bad, but also nothing I would repeat.

Sushi Guide Verdict

Overall, the experience was not that encouraging. Even though I was one of 2 parties ordering take out food, it took almost 30 minutes for the few items to be ready. The atmosphere inside was very cold and uninviting, but then again I was there for takeout food. The menu options were extensive, but lacked in variety and only covered a basic variety recombined with dressings etc. The quality and taste of the food was really not convincing. Even though I would hope that during regular restaurant operation the quality would be better, I would not go there based on the experience I had. The drink menu is quite nice and the bar also offers a large selection of cocktails. For takeaway, the options were quite constrained. The service staff was not unfriendly per se, but generally not interested in any interaction beyond the absolutely necessary. All in all, I would suggest to look somewhere else for decent take away sushi in Düsseldorf.

Atmosphere
Menu Options
Food Quality
Drink Variety
Service
Average

Review date: June 17, 2021

The post Tokyo Lounge – All You Can Eat Takeout in Düsseldorf, Germany appeared first on Sushi Guide.

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

The post Yoshi by Nagaya – Japanese Culinary Art in Düsseldorf, Germany appeared first on Sushi Guide.

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

The post Jap One – Fine Japanese Dining in Chiaia, Napoli appeared first on Sushi Guide.