Does it surprise you that there are more sushi places in the city than one had imagined even five years ago? Do not be: Bangaloreans love their sushi. And whether you are just about stepping into this wonderful world of flavours or have become an expert at it, there is at least one sushi place in the city that you will love. Here are best places that you must check out sooner or later.
Edo Restaurant & Bar, ITC Gardenia, Residency Road - Save Edo for special occasions; it is not exactly the kind of place you would want to walk into, just because you want sushi. Actually, no one cares – go when you want. Edo has your familiar maki rolls and the nigiri you might want to begin your journey with – whether it is a simple vegetarian roll or the ones with tuna or crab, you will be introduced to this delicious food in an exotic way. They also do sushi platters here, in case you want to try a bit of everything.
Harima, Residency Road - The name Harima comes to us quite naturally. Located on Residency Road, it has really spruced up its menu in the past couple of years. And it is priced very competitively as well. A favourite is the maguro (nigiri with tuna) or the ika (nigiri with squid), but if you want a dash of bite in your sushi, try the spicy tuna roll. They have options for vegetarians too, and if you are really hungry, try the Harima special – it has got different kinds of sushi on it. I have also noticed that beer and sushi make a good pair, in case you are wondering what to drink with it.
Teppan Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar, Ulsoor - Teppan is more like your friendly neighbourhood sushi bar, except the lights are brighter and the music is not unfamiliar. And what is really cool is that the menu is illustrated with pictures, so if you are new to this, you will know what your sushi will look like. Try the maguro (nigiri with tuna), or even the ebi (nigiri with prawn). If you prefer rolls, try the spicy tofu and avocado maki (for vegetarians) or the spiced fresh salmon roll. And pair them with some wine – it is a good combination.
Shiro, UB City Mall, Vittal Mallya Road - Shiro makes decent sushi, it is not the best I have had but, for beginners, it is absolutely fine. If you order a sushi platter with 16 pieces, you get four of each type. This platter normally includes red snapper, spicy tuna, tuna, salmon, and prawn – a good way to taste different flavours. If you go À la carte, you get five pieces of your choice in one portion – try the salmon or the red snapper. And, of course, there is a range of maki and California rolls to choose from. If you want to play safe, begin with the California rolls.
OKO, The Lalit Ashok Bangalore - At OKO, you get to eat unagi (nigiri with eel) and hotate (nigiri with scallop) – these two are my favourite. If that is too risky for you to try right away, go with the simpler prawn or tuna. Their vegetarian version includes the avocado, asparagus, or shiitake mushrooms. The maki mono set (Boston rolls) lets you have the same options but, of course, in the form of a roll. This place also has an OKO special set, where you get a platter of sashimi, nigiri, maki and uramaki.
Fatty Bao, Indiranagar - This Asian gastro-bar might be more famous for its ramens and its baos, but they also make sushi, and they are not bad at all. Try the tuna tartare roll, prawn tempura roll, or the spicy salmon and dill roll. For beginners, the good thing is that there is very little raw fish to deal with. For vegetarians however, the options are limited – it is either the Asparagus and Cream Cheese Roll or the Spicy Mushroom Roll.
Matsuri, The Chancery Hotel, Lavelle Road - Matsuri might be one of the most understated Japanese restaurants in the city. But this quaint restaurant, tucked away at The Chancery Hotel on Lavelle Road, does good Japanese food. As far as their sushi is concerned, try the fukusa zushi – it is a sushi with mushroom and vegetable, wrapped in an omelette. Or you could simply go with their nigiri zushi platter. They also make rolls such as the ebi maki (with prawn), kappa maki (with cucumber) and salad maki (thick rolled sushi with shiitake mushrooms and assorted vegetables).
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Written By
Priyadarshini is an independent journalist from Bengaluru whose life pretty much revolves around food, good music, literature, and cinema. She’s worked with different publications over the past 10 years, and has written about travel, theatre, films, books, music, food and lots of food! She’s travelled wherever her feet and budget would allow, discovering cultures through local palates and social behaviour, and in an ideal world would probably resort to using food and music to resolve any dispute.
