Tokyo Restaurant, Riyadh (review)

Entrance to Tokyo Restaurant

Fresh, raw fish, in the middle of one of the driest areas of the world. Does that seem like a good idea? Regardless of where in the world one finds oneself, sushi is an incredibly popular epicurian treat. The concept is fairly basic (slice some fish, place on rice) but it is amazing how some places manage to achieve the results much better than others.

Sushi

Tokyo rides high on the list of good sushi spots in Riyadh. Not from them will you find weedy, insubstantial slivers of mediocre fish and seafood. No, the slices are like large fingers of the finest fare the sea has to offer. Salmon, tuna, prawns, eel,mackerel, and the local ubiquity hamour are all to be found on the menu, along with scallops, octopus and various roe.

However much wasabi is added to the soy sauce, according to preference, the seafood will slip down the throat at a pace reserved for the finest.

Our friends over at Pink Tarha have an alternate view on the quality of the sushi however.

Japanese Design at Tokyo Restaurant

The exterior of the restaurant cocks a nod to traditional Japanese design, making sure the customers know what is on offer inside. Stepping over the Zen gardens set underfoot and covered with glass, patrons are treated to a glimpse of the order and peacefulness that sushi instills. A walk along the corridor, off which are set the private booths for groups of three or more, the decoration comprises of more straight lines, wood and cloth, so essential to Japanese thinking.

Some of the booths are centered around tepanyaki tables. Sadly these are no longer in use, but make for a talking point. The booths ensure an intimacy uninterrupted by the other diners, of which there are many every evening; this place is popular. Despite being enclosed, the waiters can be alerted by pressing a button on a transmitter which lets them know they are needed.

Tokyo Restaurant Riyadh Underfoot Zen Garden by Desert Enlightenment

Ample Variety

The great thing about sushi is that there are several pieces of the same thing per plate. This makes a convenient way of ordering several different dishes to be shared between friends. A wide selection of ngiri, sashimi and maki allows a meal to be comprised of many different items, rather than having tastebuds subjected to the same experience throughout dinner.

However, Tokyo serves much more than sushi. Try the temaki, the tempura, the grilled fish and meats, the tepanyaki, the noodles, the bento; nothing at Tokyo disappoints. Until the desserts, that is. Why is it that the Japanese, who have mastered a way of not cooking a type of food that most of the world believes needs to be cooked so as to involve impending nausea, have failed to come up with a range of desserts that really satisfy? Green tea flavoured ice-cream is bland, however any inclusion of more sweet items that may be more locally popular just doesn’t go with the meal.The Chinese have fruit covered in crispy toffee to finish off a meal, but theJapanese prefer the clean palate cleansing offerings that make a person feel like they had eaten healthily and can quite happily go for a run afterwards.

Enjoy Your Meal at Tokyo Restaurant!

A group of eight people or more is suggested to enjoy an evening at Tokyo. Share your food, pass your plates round the table; if you really like it, order more. And don’t be worried about the price as the regular dishes are all very reasonable.

Does our  experience at Tokyo Restaurant remind you of yours? Let us know ​below.