Japan in Madrid

Japan has something that fascinates us, perhaps due to the cultural differences that exist between our country and the country of the rising sun. But something that undoubtedly unites us is that, both there and here, we are passionate about good food and curious about new things..

Japanese gastronomy is well known and valued, especially sushi, which can be enjoyed in almost any city in the world.. Specifically in Madrid, Japanese restaurants are among the most in demand (along with Italian, Mexican or Peruvian), and it is a common choice among home delivery orders..

There are even many restaurants that, without being Japanese, have Japanese dishes on their menu.. At ABYA, for example, you can have the Japanese salad with Wagyu or the red tuna pizzita-sashimi with wasabi vinaigrette. In Amazónico, from Grupo Paraguas, they have a Japanese bar with different types of sushi, sashimi, niguiris and uramakis.

Today I want to take a tour of some of the best Japanese restaurants in the capital, with a special mention of MIHO, one of my latest discoveries..

Japanese in Madrid

99 Sushi Bar is one of the most recognized and successful in the capital. With four stores in Madrid (the one in the NH Eurobuilding Hotel being especially recommended), they also have stores in other cities such as Barcelona, Bilbao, Marbella, Rabat, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.. Among its dishes, the wild boar gyozas, the tiger prawn tempura or the tuna tartare stand out.

Another restaurant that stands out for the quality of the raw material, and for the elegance of its preparations, is Kabuki.. Its cuisine is a meeting point between Japanese and Mediterranean cultures, highlighting the eel or sea urchin sushi.

At Ikigai, chef Yong Wu creates signature cuisine, a fusion of traditional Japanese cuisine with Spanish and French nuances.. It is worth noting dishes such as the bull tartare with sea urchin and truffle or its niguiris, especially the viceroy with Oscietra caviar.

Ricardo Sanz is a benchmark in the capital. He was a pioneer in bringing Japanese cuisine to our country, and his group has already accumulated 2 Michelin stars and 5 Repsol suns. In Madrid, it has the Ricardo Sanz Wellington on Velázquez street and the Kyoshi, in the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel. Among its dishes, the marrow gunkan or the quail and truffle fried egg nigiri.

A different model: the MIHO restaurant

MIHO Sushi was born in Italy in 2016, specifically in Tavernerio, near Como. This was the first of the 11 restaurants that the group currently has.. After its success in Italy, the group decided to open, a few months ago, its first establishment in Madrid.

MIHO rescues the concept of all you can eat (or unlimited food), but in a different way. First of all, for the quality of the product. The choice of your suppliers is key to ensure your customers the best possible raw material and maximum freshness, especially in the case of raw fish.

All its suppliers are qualified with sustainable fishing certificates, and all the fish served in the restaurant bears the Friends of the Sea seal, which certifies its commitment to the environment..

In addition, it has been recognized as a quality restaurant by Q-eat, the application that evaluates the traceability of the product. The Q-eat project was born to make it easier for consumers to choose the right restaurant, especially when they want to enjoy raw fish, tuna or salmon.. MIHO has also been listed in Gambero Rosso's sushi guide.

dishes and menus

The presentation of the dishes is another of the aspects that differentiate it. At MIHO, great care is taken with the aesthetics of the more than 200 dishes on the menu, trying to offer an experience that is not only tasteful, but also visual..

Regarding the price, they offer a very cheap menu, which is served at the table and allows you to repeat as many times as you want..

On my last visit I chose, among the first courses, some grilled chicken gyozas, some hosomaki nest, ebi (or prawns) in tempura, a mixed poke and a Cantonese rice. Between the seconds, I tried the roast duck and the chicken with almonds. For dessert, the cheesecake tart and a pistachio ice cream.

MIHO's dishes, interpreted by Coco Calvoz

To finish, I want to refer to a person with whom I have already collaborated on other occasions. Coco Calvoz, an Art and Design student in the United States, has had the detail of drawing some of the dishes from the MIHO restaurant to accompany this article..