Sushi Naritaya: Tasting Some Fresh Authentic Japanese Sushi in Arashiyama, Kyoto
While I had obviously tried sushi in other countries, the pleasure of trying sushi in Japan was something else altogether. I couldn’t possibly miss out! I decided to pay a visit to a restaurant called Sushi Naritaya Arashiyama in Kyoto so that I could try some authentic Japanese sushi (you can also read my articles about the other Japanese delicacies I tried here like the unagi at Kamanza in Ninenzaka and wagyu yakiniku at Issunboushi).
I went inside the restaurant. It was decorated in a rather simple and homely manner. I could see little knick-knacks and photo frames on the cabinets along the wall.
I first ordered the crab sushi. Thick, succulent pieces of crab leg were served with rice and wrapped with pieces of seaweed. There was an almost sweet taste to the crab.
Then I ordered the edamame since I wanted to try some of the vegetarian options as well. The edamame were fresh and crispy. They snapped off with a sharp sound and they would be a refreshing palate cleanser between bites of sushi.
Next came a whole big platter of sushi. It was an assorted platter. It consisted of salmon roe sushi, sea urchin, eel, shrimp, salmon and three kinds of tuna. I could really taste the flavor of the different varieties of fish.
Then I ordered the scallops. They served six scallops in one plate, along with lemon wedges.
Since I had really liked the idea of eel sushi, I decided to order a full plate of it. It was served with a soy sauce glaze on top, on a pretty blue plate.
The food looked so colorful and beautiful all spread out on the table. I was glad that I had ordered such a large variety just so that I could taste a little bit of everything.
The staff next brought out a plate of salmon, tuna and medium fatty tuna. They were laid out on a bed of salad greens.
I squeezed some lime on my sushi before trying it.
The quality of the fish was truly excellent. I don’t think I’ve often had such tasty fish. They barely needed any sauce or seasoning.
The miso soup was light but helped cut through the meatiness of all the fish. Served with tofu and radish, it had a very savory and umami flavor.
The scallops were truly some of my favorites. Once I had finished the first plate, I ordered some more.
The tuna and salmon sashimi was the last thing to be brought out. I was fascinated by the patterns on the fish and how distinct they looked and tasted.
Menu
The menu was quite extensive for a sushi restaurant. And there were pictures of everything.
There were three kinds of soup alone!
It wasn’t my cheapest meal in Japan but the quality of the ingredients was worth it.
They even had sea urchins.
The smoked salmon salad and steamed scallop salad looked interesting.
There were plates of sashimi and salmon roe served just by themselves.
But they could also be served over white rice.
Finally, soft drinks, sake and plum wine were some of the drinks available at the restaurant.
