There’s a real danger that sushi has overtaken falafel as the national food. It’s everywhere. I’m no expert on sushi. I love it all, be it the chains like Japanika or Sushi Rehavia (in Jerusalem) or the more upscale venues that have proliferated throughout the country.
My grown children are more discerning and regularly insist that there’s a difference between great, good, and average sushi. But for me, the differences were minimal. Until I dined at Japon at The Setai Tel Aviv hotel in Jaffa.
Since opening last May, modeled after the success of its sister restaurant at The Setai Miami Beach, Japon has emerged as one of the most sought-after upscale dining experiences in the Tel Aviv area, offering an elegant setting, well-trained staff, and superb kosher Japanese cuisine.
For the winter, Japon has relocated from the hotel’s outdoor upper terrace to the spacious ground floor venue that hosted the Ocean Grill. Although it doesn’t provide a sea view like the terrace, it’s inviting, comfortable, and refined, and features a DJ in the evening spinning music that’s palatable to the older crowd and doesn’t dominate the airspace.
There’s still a mini-menu of the Ocean Grill’s fare, but the focus is now on sushi in all its glorious forms – maki rolls, fresh sashimi, and carefully prepared nigiri made from premium, fresh ingredients.
Crispy Rice Salmon
Our server, American-born Elky, was tasked with suggesting the dishes that most represent the vision of the kitchen, and it’s a good thing she did because everything on the menu was enticing.
My dining companion and I each had a cocktail from the extensive offerings. The pineapple mojito (NIS 72) was deliciously fruity; and the Red Lady (NIS 72), consisting of Bombay Sapphire gin, strawberry, grenadine, and lemon, was both tart and sweet. Next time, I’ll try the Jaffa Sunset, featuring vodka and watermelon, or the King Farouk with Bacardi and pineapple.
Elky brought us one of the Ocean Grill’s starters, the tabun bread (NIS 49), piping hot with tasty house dips; and one of Japon’s salads, the Cucumber Setay Salad (NIS 79), a refreshing cold mixture of fresh cucumber, thin glass noodles, and Japanese Setay sauce, which had a hint of peanut butter.
The Crispy Rice Salmon (NIS 119) consisted of four fried – almost kubbeh-looking – cylinders stuffed with crispy rice, salmon, black tobiko, and chili. It was finger food to the supreme.
Other non-sushi offerings that sounded great included the Papaya Salad (NIS 79) and the Tuna Tartare (NIS 127) with avocado, lime, sesame, and soy.
But it was sushi we came for, and it was sushi we received.
Elky brought us four signature rolls, and each was huge and designed like a work of art; it was almost a shame to attack them.
The Japon Roll (NIS 109 – six pieces) contained tuna, avocado, cucumber, and green onion topped with salmon salad. What can you say but yum?
Ocean Truffle Roll
Most interesting and unique was the Ocean Truffle Roll (NIS 109 – 10 pieces), which featured sea bass tempura, crispy shallots, cucumber, spicy truffle aioli, avocado, and black tobiko. The truffle taste made it stand out as a favorite.
The Dragon Roll (NIS 109 – 10 pieces) was not far behind. Salmon and red tuna, avocado, spicy Japanese mayo, and unagi sauce combined for a sublime whole.
And the Setai Roll (NIS 109 – 10 pieces), featuring tuna tartare, avocado, spicy mayo, and tempura flakes, rounded out the excellence.
The rolls were large enough for one of them to be a full meal with a starter, so, needless to say, four was way too much, resulting in the first time that I ever left sushi on the plate.
For more conventional tastes, there’s a full array of maki rolls (NIS 78-NIS 109) and sashimi nigri (NIS 92-NIS 149), as well as three varieties of vegetarian rolls (NIS 74).
We couldn’t even look at the dessert menu, but let it be known there is one, and, based on the rest of the food, it’s worthwhile.
Japon is certainly pricier than your standard sushi restaurant, but the size, presentation, and flavor in each roll justify the cost
Combine a visit with a walk along the coast just outside the hotel and a browse through the lobby, which boasts the remains of a Crusader fortress, and you’ve got a perfect night out in Jaffa.
Japon
The Setai Tel Aviv hotel
22 David Raziel St.
Jaffa
Open: Sunday-Thursday, from 6:30 p.m.; Saturday night, from 7:30 p.m.
Kashrut: Tel Aviv Rabbinate
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.