Sushi with a fusion twist

NEAR IN terms of distance yet far away in terms of price from the large and stylish restaurants bordering Kaset-Nawamin and Ram Indra-Ekamai roads, small eatery Nakata Sushi on peaceful Sukhontasawat Road is all too often ignored by hungry diners.

Parking can be a problem though, with most of the vacant spaces along the road usually occupied by residents living in the nearby condominiums. Owner and chef Pirapan Nakata recognises he is facing a challenge here but is still confident he can draw in customers with his skilful creations and friendly prices. 

In business for five months, the roadside eatery houses only a sushi counter and seating for 20 diners. There are an additional 10 seats outside and a hot station for charcoal grilling and frying. And despite the compact nature of the restaurant, the menu boasts soups, salads, rolls, appetisers and main dishes. Portions are large and prices are reasonable, offering great value for money.

Pirapan is not a newcomer to the restaurant business having trained in the Japanese kitchens of several restaurants in the US for more than a decade. He also created a “sushi fusion” for the restaurant Sushi Thai in North Carolina before opening his own eatery Bagu in Minnesota five years ago. Two years ago, he sold his share in Bagu to his partners and returned home.

“I want to offer sushi, sashimi and Japanese delicacies at very reasonable prices so that those who love Japanese food can afford to eat it often, not just once or twice a month,” Pirapan explains. 

Here you can feast on treats rarely, if ever, found in Japan, but which are designed to suit the Thai palate. They include rolls stuffed with zuke tuna marinated in soy sauce, sake and mirin and rolled with ripe mango, a stuffed caterpillar-shaped roll and a crunchy deep-fried roll filled with spicy tuna. 

Seafood and other ingredients are mostly imported from Japan but Pirapan offers local halibut and snapper too. Salmon, octopus, unagi (eel), tuna, hokkigai (surf clam), shrimp and New Zealand mussels also feature on the menu. The saba (mackerel) sushi goes for just Bt20 apiece and the most expensive, hokkigai sushi, is a pocket-friendly Bt45. A set of grilled salmon, soup and salad costs Bt180 and four kinds of sashimi with soup and salad goes for Bt240. Ramen and beef are not on the menu.

A light appetiser is Kanisu, which, in Japanese tradition, is crab stick wrapped in a thin sheet of Japanese cucumber served with rice vinegar sauce. Pirapan’s take features a thin sheet of turnip stuffed with crab stick, avocado and ebiko (capelin roe) with vinegar (Bt75). Inspired by the Hawaiian-style dish Ahi Poke, he also offers diced raw tuna mixed with soy sauce, chopped garlic and shallot and chilli oil served in a martini glass with thin slices of cucumber (Bt120).

His Salmon Carpaccio (Bt120) has thin slices of tuna in ponzu sauce topped with mayonnaise, ebiko and dried, smoked bonito. Another creative dish is the Sun Rice Roll (Bt180), which boasts eight rice roll-ups stuffed with zuke tuna and wrapped with ripe mango, the sweetness assuring balance in every bite. 

For something more spicy, try the Tataki Roll (Bt180) where the stuffed tuna is marinated with Japanese, Korean and Thai chilli grounds, chilli oil, and garlic before being rolled with seared tuna and topped with chopped garlic. 

Fried dishes include Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura (Bt100) and Baked New Zealand Mussels with mayonnaise, ebiko and avocado for creamy taste (Bt100 for four mussels). 

 

DELICIOUS DELIGHTS

Nakata Sushi is situated between Sukhontasawat Sois 8 and 10 on Sukhontasawat Road, Bangkok, |(close to Satri Witthaya 2 School). 

It’s open daily, except Monday, from 5pm to 10pm. 

Call (089) 655 6329 or visit the “Nakata Sushi” page on Facebook.