Sushi madness
February 27, 2008 at 23:19 | Alexandra Matoshkoto go crazy about Japanese cuisine, but it was hit by the sushi mania just as hard as the rest of the world. In fact sushi has become almost a separate industry within the restaurant business – there is hardly any foreign cuisine in town represented in such number and variety as sushi. Despite it being as exotic as can be in comparison to traditional Ukrainian food, the locals love it no less than Americans and Western Europeans. I personally know some people who are simply reluctant to try sushi (the idea of consuming raw fish appears much too strange to them), but I know hardly anyone who has tried it and didn’t like it. Having experienced sushi Kyiv-style in all possible variations – from the city’s fanciest restaurants to store-bought sushi, I decided it was about time to pool my knowledge, and that of my sushi-loving colleagues, to reveal the sushi world of Kyiv in all its glory.
Chain reaction
The first sushi options in the capital could only be found in the most expensive restaurants, which made it a privilege of the elite, while the majority of the population remained ignorant of the wonderful Japanese invention.
The new stage of sushi popularity in Kyiv came with the opening of sushi chains that quickly spread the love for sushi around the city. The first of these was Yakitoria, an offspring of the Moscow fast-sushi chain of the same name. Its first restaurant opened on Lesi Ukrayinky Blvd., right across the street from the KP office at the time, so I could see it through the window from my desk.
Yakitoria quickly became a hit, and several more restaurants of the chain opened in the city. With a stylish Japanese-themed interior, personnel clad in outfits resembling authentic kimonos, an extensive menu supplied with pictures (including a menu by the entrance), and all that coupled with rather affordable prices (Hr 12 for a cucumber roll, Hr 36 for “California”), Yakitoria quickly became a real favorite for sushi neophytes. When I still considered myself a sushi newcomer, Yakitoria’s offerings satisfied me just fine, but now I would say its quality yields to its competitor sushi chains.
Yapona Khata (Japanese House) is so far Kyiv’s biggest sushi chain with eight outfits in town. However, Khata has so many outlets because it’s actually a fastfood in the full sense of the word. Its kiosks can be found in the food courts at Globus and Metrohrad, among various other fast food chains. However, the food at Khata is freshly prepared when you order, which means you’ll have to wait 10 to 15 minutes, making the service not quite so “fast.” The sushi quality is decent, all the ingredients radiate with freshness, and generous portions of nicely arranged ginger and wasabi accompany every order.
Unable to provide you with a steaming hot wet towel, they include a wet tissue to clean your hands. Naturally, having sushi in a noisy crowded place and smelling the fumes of French fries and pizza takes away a lot of the enjoyment. But you can also buy some sushi to take home with you. In addition, Yapona Khata does have a real restaurant-like eatery at the Aladdin shopping mall next to Pozniaky metro. This one has its own separate area and table service for the same prices. They even accept table reservations – working nearby, I find it next to impossible to get a seat there after 6 p.m. without booking a table.
Planeta Sushi has only two restaurants in the city, making it a very small chain, but nonetheless worthwhile. Their most known location is the Planeta on Khreschatyk, right between Maidan and Yevropeyska Ploshcha.
Its location defines its typical clientele – lots of tourists, but locals roaming around the center often go there as well. There is a good reason – the place has separate halls for smokers and non smokers, a relaxed atmosphere, prompt service, and some of the best sushi in town, at least in the medium price range. Unagi Onigara Maki (Hr 49) with eel and Philadelphia cheese at Planeta was one of the best rolls I have ever tried.
Sushiya is the latest addition to Kyiv sushi chains and so far looks able to beat all the competitors – some in terms of quality, others in number of outfits. Having opened its first restaurant in spring last year, Sushiya now counts four establishments. Two more Sushiya’s are set to open in mid-March, including one on 3 Prospect Peremohy. Sushiya embodies all you want from a sushi chain – convenient locations, well lit halls with conveniently arranged sitting, excellent service. There are no complaints about the food – Dragon rolls (there are three kinds from Hr 51) and miso soup with eel (Hr 28) are my personal favorites at Sushiya.
Yakitoria (27 Lesi Ukrayinky;20 Artema;27A Bulvar Shevchenka;27 Heroyiv
Stalinhraduwww.yakitoriya.com.ua)
Yapona Khata (Globus, Metrohrad;12 Luhova, Karavan;
17-21Bahhovutivska,PromenadaTsentr;5Hrishko,Aladdin;7Lunacharskoho,
Komodyaponahata.com)
Planeta Sushi (12Khreschatyk, 270-6679;57/3 Chervonoarmiyska,
Planetarium, 287-3775)
Sushiya (29A Moskovska, 280-9999;5B Baseyna, 235-2949;28V Lesi
Ukrayinky, 285-6363;2 Horodetskoho, 201-0393;www.kartamir.com.ua)
Sushi with taste
Murakami falls into a slighter pricier category than the above mentioned chains, but it has plenty of its own benefits. Murakami’s large building is located on a barge, floating on the waves right next to Dnipro metro station. The atmosphere is quite appropriate for Japanese dining – its big hall has plenty of seating space, the interior is supposedly arranged according to feng shui guidelines, and the food is more than decent. They take time preparing it, so prepare to be patient, bring good company, and get a seat facing the water.
Campai – the tiny sushi bar on Saksahanskoho, is an elegant place with well-trained staff and a very cozy feel. A veteran of the sushi scene in Kyiv, Campai was one of the first to offer Japanese cuisine adapted to Ukrainian tastes. It’s known for its great Japanese soups and children’s sushi, made smaller in size and more convenient to eat for the youngest sushi fans. A salmon roll will run you Hr 38, California – Hr 52. Also at Campai, you are encouraged to order a maki-sushi of your own invention. Both the chef and owner have a chance to try it, and if it appeals to them, it might well be introduced to the menu under a name you suggest, such as “Lover Roll (Ira and Valera)” for Hr 112, currently offered on the specials page of the menu.
Nobu is another small sushi outfit with a reputation for great cuisine. It looks similar to stylish sushi bars in New York and London (according to a New York colleague’s description) with panels of dark-stained woods, calm lightning, and a bar stocked with raw fish. The prices are well over average – Hr 20 for a salmon nigiri, “California” for Hr 64. However, if you’re ready to spend, don’t hesitate – Nobu serves exceptionally good sushi.
One of the newer Kyiv Japanese restaurants Gin-No Taki presents a great combination of quality and prices. While its interior borrows the sleekness of the two aforementioned bars, its price policies are closer to that of Murakami. At the restaurant, which has an ultra-modern design with big windows, you can get a sushi dinner for Hr 62 and a smoked eel salad for Hr 35.
Murakami (Naberezhne Shose, Dnipro metro station, 428-7224)
Campai (20A Saksahanskoho, 246-7479)
Nobu (12 Shota Rustaveli, 246-7734)
Gin-No Taki (49A Volodymyrska, 569-5640)
Formula Sushi (8/13 Borysohlibska, 425-6602)
Formula Sushi in Podil is a popular sushi restaurant with quality food and reasonable prices. Light-colored wood prevails in the design, with a bit of bamboo for an Asian touch. Formula is one of the few restaurants in the city offering the “ice-fish” dish and unfiltered sake.
Asahi is another veteran Japanese restaurant, known for big portions and service that corresponds to its high prices. However for the moment, Asahi is closed for renovation.
Sushi chic
I once read an article ridiculing the ubiquitous sushi menus in almost every restaurant in Moscow – as if it was thought the place couldn’t be popular without it. In Kyiv, the sushi “epidemic” has spread likewise – every other dance club has a sushi menu, and even some pubs and coffee houses don’t hesitate to add a few pages of sushi to the list. I wouldn’t recommend ordering sushi at a place with a mostly European menu of sandwiches and mayonnaise-soaked salads.
However, there are quite a few high-end restaurants whose sushi offers fit naturally into the fusion-style menu.
Tampopo is a very stylish eatery, which, through the effort of its socialite hostess, was turned into a real celebrity hangout, with themed parties and charity-related events held regularly. The menu is comprised of dishes invented by the restaurant’s chef, based on popular trends in European and Asian cuisines. The sushi section occupies about half of the menu. Salmon sushi will cost you Hr 20 and an assortment of four sushi pieces – Hr 89.
Belvedere first of all attracts people with the magnificent views from each of its four levels. The interior is also all about chic and elegance at its best. The menu includes a range of popular European dishes, with two specials sections – grilled dishes and sushi. Eel sashimi – Hr 60, Unagi roll – Hr 110.
Concord is another place known for its flawless style, exceptional cuisine, and panoramic views, opening from the top floor of the Kiev-Donbass business center. The menu (the cuisine is defined as “creative”) is frequently supplied with new dishes, but always starts with a sushi chart. Needless to say that its sushi is of the highest quality. Classic “Dragon” roll – Hr 95, “Canadian” roll – Hr 135, tuna maki – Hr 68.
San Tori, a Thai and Japanese cuisine restaurant in Podil, boasts colorful Asian decor and three halls, including a Japanese one with teppans, so that you can watch the masters at work. Back when the variety of sushi in Kyiv was much smaller, San Tori’s sushi was considered superb. Now opinions differ, and some consider it more of a Thai restaurant than a sushi place. One way or another, it gives you a great chance to enjoy both cuisines (prepared by different chefs) at one place.
Other restaurants with decent sushi menus are Sumosan, Pena, Nobel, Ikra, and others.
Tampopo (55 Saksahankoho, 289-2999)
Belvedere (1 Dniprovskiy Uzviz, 288-5070)
Concord (Ploscha Lva Tolstoho, Kiev-Donbass business center, 8th floor, 234-7788)
San Tori (41 Sahaydachnoho, 462-4994)
Sumosan (5-7/29 Pushkinska, 537-4537)
Pena (30/18 Yaroslaviv Val, 234-1701)
Nobel (65 Chervonoarmiyska, 238-6971)
Ikra (11 Pankivska, 288-1990)
Sushi to your door
Just like pizza, sushi can now be delivered to your door. All you have to do is go online and check out the selection of Japanese offerings on a given site. You can try ordering right on the website, or by phone.
www.sushimaniya.kiev.ua
www.yaponahata.com
www.sushi-express.com.ua
www.ukushuka.kiev.ua/
Ready made
It’s possible to buy ready-made sushi at the supermarket, however its quality is naturally dubious. There are two common brands of sushi you can find in food shops. Sushi Express, which comes in black carton boxes, contains short and very inconvenient chopsticks and small bags of soy sauce and would be appreciated only by an absolute sushi neophyte who doesn’t know any better. “Humti-Dumpti” sushi sets are relatively edible and come in plastic containers, which makes them a decent choice for lunch at work. The biggest drawback is that the portions of ginger and soy sauce included in the sets are always insufficient.
You can also try making sushi yourself. After once rolling maki with my friend in Hamburg, I realized it’s not as difficult as it seems. The only problem you may face will be fish. As Kyiv is not a seaside town, it’s not easy to find fish fresh enough to be eaten raw. The best option therefore would be smoked and lightly salted salmon and smoked eel. Cucumber and avocado can be used too. The rest of the ingredients are quite easy to find – nori (seaweed sheets used for rolling maki), marinated ginger, bamboo sheets, and Kikkoman mix for preparing rice and soy sauce can be found at Kyshenya, MegaMarket and Furshet. The “Chinese” market by Lybidska metro carries all the aforementioned, as well as dried shitake, daikon, and similar items. Obviously, that doesn’t leave you with a wide variety, but if you like to cook unusual things and impress others with your culinary talents, get yourself a book on sushi, and good luck!
Chinese Market (Lybidska metro station, inside Lybidskiy market)
Dary Morya (23 Pavlivska, 486-8575; 48 Turgenivska, 486-5164)