Sushi take-over of Jerusalem
R
Just a few weeks ago, it was very difficult to come across sushi in Jerusalem, especially kosher sushi. Apparently, not anymore. It’s as if someone heard me wanting sushi and I got my wish – but did they take it too far? These sushi restaurants are starting to pop up in every Jerusalem neighborhood, including taking over what used to be a cute little cafe called Faza in the Katamon/Palmach neighborhood. I loved Faza – with their TV entertainment system in the bathroom and wireless internet. 😦 But I also like sushi. What to do.
Here’s the list of kosher sushi restaurants in Jerusalem I’ve come across. You can find more details and coupons at Eluna and rest.co.il. In case you’re too cold to leave your house, I’ve included the phone numbers since most of them offer delivery. I put them in order of the ones I want to try out. How’s that for organization. Oh, and in case you’re not in Jerusalem and want sushi, here’s the master Israel sushi list.
- Japanika Sushi bar, Shlomzion Hamalka, city center, 02-624-7530
- Osaka, 1 Helene Hamalka Russian compound, off of Yaffo, 02-623-3787
- Korea House 23 Yoel Salomon, by Kikar Zion, 02-624-3355 (Update: I walked by on May 20 and they look closed, said they were only open to groups. Well, that was a short run. Too bad.)
- Ginger’s Noodle Bar 103 Herzl Blvd, Kikar Denya, Beit HaKerem, 077-2114440
- Sushi Bar Rehavia 21 Azza Street, Rehavia, 02-566 7477
- Sushi Bar Rehavia Takeout (in Katamon?!) corner of Palmach and Mivze Kadish: 02-567-1791
- Soya, Rahel Imeinu 1, German Colony, 02-5666777
- Gong, 33 Yaffo St, Downtown, 02-6250818
- Yoja 25 Emek Refaim Street, German Colony, 02-5611344
- Sheyan 8 Ramban Street, Rehavia, 02-561 2007
- Yakimonotoo Sushi Bar David Citadel Hotel, 7 King DavidSt, 02-621-1111
- Fridays at The Hadar Mall in Talpiot, Pierre Koening St.
- Little stand by the shuk – on Agrippas St. by Pashut Zol supermarket
- Tamago, 48 Emek Refaim, 077-515-0140 Sushi Bar Rehavia (German Colony), 48 Emek Refaim
- Taiku, 31 Emek Refaim, German Colony, 02-5665262
- RYU, 25 Emek Refaim, German Colony, 02-5611344
- Sushi Bar at the Plaza Jerusalem Hotel, 47 King George St, Jerusalem, 02-629-3019
Betayavon. In Japanese, of course.
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- Israelity » Sushi? Don’t mind if I Do pingbacked on 15 years, 4 months ago
- Where’s the Mexican food? | the big felafel pingbacked on 15 years, 3 months ago
The Big Felafel 
I’ve eaten at Sheyan and Yoja — Sheyan has wonderful Chinese, albeit a bit Americanized (ask for some extra ‘charif’ if you like Szechzuan style–they brought us hot chili oil to help with the hotness). Don’t know about sushi…
Yoja is a waste of money if you’re looking for authentic Chinese or Japanese–very bland, very “New Jersey,” the kind of food made for the NJ suburbs where no one has a clue what authentic Japanese and Chinese taste like. (Apologies to NJ folks–there are wonderful things about NJ, but I’m from SF and have very definite ideas of what constitutes good wine and good food.)
I’m trying to talk the Husband into trying Tamago since it just opened, but I’m not getting anywhere…the man hates fish, so the idea of fish wrapped in seaweed and rice just does NOT appeal to him. So if you get there soon, post a review, okay?
| Posted 15 years, 4 months agoAliyah06 – I actually did get to eat at Tamago with my friend who treated me to dinner 🙂 and thought it was pretty good although I might not be the best review person since I always try to order the cheapest thing on the menu. I got the miso soup which was decent and then a tuna roll and my friend got the salmon and avocado roll which turned out to be a much better choice. If I remember correctly the rolls were about 28 shekels each and the miso soup was 16. Not sooo steep, but not so filling either.
Regarding the NJ thang, I’m actually from NJ and enjoy the food made specifically for the NJ suburbs – it helped me adjust quicker in Israel.
Here’s my latest theory on Asian/ethnic food in Israel. Instead of copying actual Asian food, they’re imitating the American version of Asian food which might explain why the food you are served in a restaurant never quite measures up to what you were expecting. This pretty much applies to every other ethnic food too (ie. Big Apple Pizza).
For now, I’m stickin’ with Sabich.
| Posted 15 years, 4 months ago“Heres my latest theory on Asian/ethnic food in Israel. Instead of copying actual Asian food, theyre imitating the American version of Asian food…”
THIS explains everything! This thought crossed my mind briefly a few months back, but then I banished it with “Nawww…who would do THAT!?” But at tzodeket!! It covers everything but the Moroccan food, and even that is a bit toned down compared to the home-made stuff!
| Posted 15 years, 4 months agoOk, I think I may be talking about Osaka – but I cant remember the place. Its next to Cafe Hillel (the one across from The coffee bean and tea leaf) Just off yaffo…anyways they have a great business meal – 16 pieces of sushi plus a drink for 34 sheks. (they’ve got more expensive meals too) anyways it was well made and tasty. and they allowed me to swop the egg (egg is sooo not japenese) for avocado. Lat year I went to gong for sushi and it wasnt so great, and quite expensive….
| Posted 15 years, 3 months agooooo, also, there is a new place on emek – yet again the name escapes me. Haven’t tried it…but there you go, it’s there!
| Posted 15 years, 3 months agooh oops, its been posted…my bad!
| Posted 15 years, 3 months agoTJ – welcome and thanks for the great tip. Now I definitely want to try out Osaka.
| Posted 15 years, 3 months agothe best sushi i’ve had yet is “domo” on shamai downtown (as far as jerusalem goes). the atmosphere and service is great too.
| Posted 15 years, 3 months agoThanks – love the blog by the way! I think your next list should be off great coffee places – the non-generic type! (This suggestion is no coincidence, it’s my birthday on Friday and I could think of nothing worse than going to cafe Hillel etc!)
| Posted 15 years, 3 months agoTJ – Done and done, my friend. Here it is: http://www.thebigfelafel.com/upside-down-coffees-and-where-to-drink-them/
| Posted 15 years, 3 months agoNice list although i think you should have been more critical – Japanika is cheap indeed and so is their food- i went twice and its unedible!!!frozen fish is not my style!!!
| Posted 15 years, 1 month agoosaka, tamago and gong are out of my list sorry, they sell junk and im not going to eat it only cause its lamehadrin!
The only place i like and go there very often is DOMO at Shami St just down the road from McDonalds. they dont have teuda, they open on shabbat, their food is kosher and hey, its just like having sushi in the states for me.
highly recommended!
Since we (hubby and I) only eat at places with a teuda, our favourites are Sushi Bar Rehavia on Azza, and the Monday evening “eat as much as you can” at the David’s Citadel (on other nights their a la carte is delicious but VERY expensive).
| Posted 15 years, 1 month agoBy the way, the new Sushi Bar Rehavia that took over from Phaza is going to be the take-away version, with the same menu, as the one of rechov Azza.
We like Yoja for most of what they have EXCEPT the sushi.
We really really don’t like Sheyan – we find it pretentious, many of the dishes were smothered with an identical sauce, so you couldn’t tell the difference between them, and definitely not worth the money. And Tomago was only so-so – I was under-impressed.
thanks for the update and an honest review Debi, i’ll add the take out to the list.
| Posted 15 years, 1 month agoDomo Sushi just got a teudah! Highly recommended!
| Posted 14 years, 11 months agoThanks for the update! I’ll have to try it soon – very excited.
| Posted 14 years, 11 months agoWe tried Japanika a couple of weeks ago. The food was quite good, but what bothered us was 2 things. Firstly, the noise – the place was full, and you could not hear yourself speak without shouting. Secondly, they seated us at a table upstairs that is right next to the cupboard where they store the dirty dishes before sending them downstairs. It was rather disconcerting to have a waiter/waitress open the cupboard every 2 minutes, and put in a pile of dirty dishes just 3 feet from my nose. It was even more disconcerting to have our waitress take clean dishes out of the same cupboard (I assume that it was a different shelf, but still …), when we needed an extra plate.
| Posted 14 years, 11 months agoDebi – I’ve heard so many mixed reviews about Japanika. I ate there once and the food and water took for-e-ver to arrive and the miso soup was the saltiest I’ve ever had, which required gallons of water, which took forever, etc. I thought the sushi was pretty good, though and the prices decent. I’m pretty excited to try Domo now that I hear they have a teudah.
| Posted 14 years, 11 months agoUs too – we’re willing to try them all 🙂
| Posted 14 years, 11 months agoWell, i went to DOMO after i heared about the teuda, the place itself is soooo nice! we got first class service, food was fresh, tasty and if i may say, this is now the best place among the kosher sushi in the city.
| Posted 14 years, 11 months agonever go again to rehavia to be given a bad service and a medium class sushi nor to japanika!
when i was at domo, i’ve been told that they have a friday lunch buffet for 99 shekels, hope i can try it out this week.
Does anyone know a good place for sushi and sake? Something lively with a young crowd?
| Posted 14 years, 4 months agoDomo appears to have closed down and the David Citadel no longer has their all you can eat sushi on Monday nights. 😦
| Posted 13 years, 9 months agoJason,
| Posted 13 years, 9 months agoFor reals? Thanks for pointing that out, I’ll have to update the post.
I thought the sushi at River Noodle Bar was quite good. I have been there a few times and was never disappointed.
| Posted 13 years, 9 months agoSammy, sounds awesome. I forgot about that place – I really want to try it out 🙂
| Posted 13 years, 9 months agoWe just had dinner at River Noodle Bar in Jerusalem. It was the worst dining experience we had on this trip. The sushi was okay. The noodle dishes were below average. I had the Pink Miso Ramen and my husband had Seven something dish. Both were unmemorable and tasted like diner food.
Our waitress was rude as if she didn’t want to work there, unsmiling and uncaring. I guess it started when we asked for a clean table. We ordered mojitos to go with our meal and what we got was not a mojito. We offered to give them the recipe when we sent back the first drinks, but the bartender insisted that she knew how to make it. No. 2 was just as bad- way to much rum, no sugar, made with lemons and some mint for decoration. Our waitress snarked “well that is what is mojito in Israel” Now we have had many mojitos, in many places, in Israel and the all were good to fine. Our waitress was so rude that we didn’t tip. We thought later that we should have tipped her 10 agurot. Below Average Food, Poor Service.
| Posted 12 years, 4 months agoHi, I just had a look on Google maps and Osaka appears opposite Cafe Hillel on Hillel Street nowhere near Yafo, is this another of Google misplaced sites or are there two Osaka’s ?
| Posted 10 years, 2 months ago