Guayaquil, Ecuador
Bálsamos 102
$$
+59342889936
N/A
They didn't have so many things that was standing on the menu, wasabi was not spicy, the sushi was okay.
like
If you’re looking for authentic Japanese food priced reasonably this is about as good as it gets anywhere we’ve been in southwestern Ecuador, and even including all but possibly one place we found in Quito. Though “rolls” are all the rage in the US, and seemingly here in Ecuador, as well, these—especially those dripping with heavy sauces and mayonnaise—are not authentic in any sense of the word other than the word “roll”, itself. Rather, true Japanese cuisine relies on the ingredients to speak for themselves, complimenting the flavors and textures with a very small amount of one subtle sauce or another, and sometimes accented with a small amount of piquant “wasabi”. Such was the nature of the “chirashi sushi” which I ordered. Pictured below, this is a dish usually served in some sort of bowl filled partially with vinegared rice and covered with an assortment of carefully selected cuts of raw fish. While the rice used was not authentic Japanese sticky rice (rather pricey here in Ecuador) the flavors, textures and presentation were all authentic and the portion was surprisingly generous. In all, I returned three times to eat the same dish! Meanwhile, my wife and I both enjoyed the “donburi” offerings, as well. We had the chicken katsu donburi, again a bowl of rice (not vinegared—“donburi” means bowl) but this time covered with a breaded, deep fried chicken tenderloin smothered in egg and sautéed onions complimented with a slightly sweet and salty sauce unique to this kind of dish. This, too, is shown in the photographs below. We were somewhat disappointed by the “okonomiyaki”, too smothered in sauces and not quite cooked enough for us, but overall, we were delighted to find a place that offers such authentic Japanese food. It was an added bonus to meet the Japanese owners on our last day in town and they kindly treated us to a small portion of their best “o-toro”, or fatty tuna . Yumm!!!
Nice place, amazing food, ok service. 1st cup of hot green tea is free next one is a dollar
the food wasn't bad but the service was, just enough to bring the house down to a single star. i got there 10 minutes after they opened so i can't even say "it was busy so i understand." we were the only ones there. after a good 20 minutes of waiting for our waitress to even approach us, when she finally gets there, the guy behind the sushi bar was whispering things at her making her giggle like a 10 year old WHILE I WAS TRYING TO PLACE MY ORDER. not in between sentences, not while i figured out what i wanted. no, as i was talking. super unprofessional. asked for two bottles of water and a side of avocado that never came but were charged in the end. just, idk......
Excellent food
Fast service noodles were good
Possibly the best place for sushi in Guayaquil. They serve big portions, which are completely worth the price. Just like many sushi places around here, the chefs prepare most of the food in front of the customers. I love their original Kiyo roll, which you can only find here. Ramen is excellent here too, especially their Spicy ramen. It has a casual, but relaxed and quiet environment. Definitely recommend checking this place out.
Really good food. 4.1 stars Not the best service. Must improve in being more attentive. 2.5 stars Decent prices. 3.5 stars Overall Ok.
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