Sushi Rollin' in Zagreb
It came with the first Japanese and Asian fusion restaurants almost two decades ago, when it was more of an upscale thing. The second sushi wave that hit the city was more about small takeaways and specialized bars. The whole scene has had its ups and downs, but today there's a steady supply and wide range of various sushi rolls, enough to please both curious beginners and experienced enthusiasts.
Slika 1. “Sushi as a fine dining experience, why not?” Image credit: Takenoko FB
Roughly speaking, if we are not counting pre-packaged supermarket sets, which are actually not that wide-spread, sushi is available in two main types of establishments in Zagreb. The first category is a nice high-end restaurant delivering gourmet Japanese or Asian food. Not your everyday choice, rather an exciting option for a special night out. The first and the oldest of these is Takenoko, now located in downtown Zagreb, after its start in Kaptol Centre 17 years ago. For a while, it was the only address in Zagreb for knowingly prepared Japanese food, especially sushi and sashimi. Other contenders in the same category include Tekka in the bustling business district of Radnička Street, lively Time in Petrinjska Street and Hanami in Nova Ves. They are all very reliable places with high standards, taking sushi rolls almost to a fine dining level.
Slika 2. “Just a quick snack in Ginger sushi bar in downtown Zagreb.” Image credit: Ginger Sushi Zagreb
The other type is a more common, convenient option when you want just a quick bite or a takeaway. A few names come to mind – Evergreen, Ginger and Soho. Evergreen in Ilica is a classic sushi bar with modern interior and not too many seats, so making a reservation is advisable. Or you can always use their delivery. Ginger can already be labelled as a chain, since they have two small sushi bars focused mainly on takeaway, one downtown and one in New Zagreb, as well as a stand with pre-packaged sets in Avenue Mall. The concept of Soho is takeaway only, and their display counter is always full of freshly made rolls. All the three names enjoy a growing popularity since they offer a wide selection for a reasonable price.
Slika 3. “A takeaway sushi set from Tekka Japanese restaurant may look something like this.” Image credit: Tekka FB
And then, there are two places which deserve a special mention. The first is a new entry – Franko's Street, just off the main square. It's the downtown branch of a modern high-end pizza bar, specialized in Asian street food, and their speciality is sushi, especially with Adriatic tuna. The other place really stands out on this list, because it's basically a classic Croatian seafood restaurant. Bota Šare in Zvonimirova Street introduced their version of Croatian-Japanese fusion and it was an instant success. As part of a seafood chain with their own fishing fleet, they often have their hands on the first-class Adriatic bluefin tuna and other kinds of fish suitable for sushi and sashimi. So it was only natural to have a sushi section in the restaurant, combining the best of the both worlds.
Slika 4. “An explosion of sushi in Bota Šare restaurant.” Image credit: Bota Šare Zagreb FB
Just as foreign visitors like to try local dishes and street food when in Zagreb, the citizens of Zagreb like to explore and try something exotic in their own city here and there. In this area, sushi is the rising star and one can find good quality and an exciting variety in a city thousands of miles from Japan.
Slika 5. “An elegant nigiri miniature by Franko’s Street.” Image credit: Franko’s Street FB
Header image credit: Evergreen Sushi FB
Author: Morana Zibar / Taste of Croatia