Restaurante Nagoya

And perhaps to attract the not-so-avid raw fish eating public, some restaurants have had the idea to add cooked dishes to their menus.

This is what has happened in «Nagoya», possibly the most popular sushi resturant in Faro, frequented by the younger crowd, friendly parties out for a night on the town, romantic couples, tourists and families with children – all of them managing to cope with chopsticks, soy sauce and the wasabi that brings tears to the eyes. In fact the place is so popular that the staff have trouble keeping up with the orders.

The night we arrived, the number of diners and confusion was such that we saw clients giving their orders themselves to the two overworked sushi chefs – and going up to the bar to serve themselves drinks! It’s no wonder our dinner stretched out over almost three hours…

The reason for this place’s success is that for €15.90 per person diners can choose from 60 different delicacies, and eat as many and as much as they want. In other words, sushi-lovers and gluttons in general have found their piece of heaven on earth.

There is every Japanese delicacy you can think of: sashimi (sliced fish) with salmon, tuna and sea bass; nigris (fish and shellfish, either sliced or whole, on rice cakes), tempura and rolls in all shapes and forms.

A fun experiment is to order prawns cooked on a hot plate and then take advantage of the heat (and sauce) to cook little pieces of sashimi. With friends round the table, enjoyment is guaranteed – and due to the service here, it’s imperative that one comes accompanied as it’s a perfect way of passing the time. That’s not to say we’re not complaining! Some sacrifices are worth it: everything that came to the table was delicious and a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.

Although it’s meant to be a Japanese restaurant, the staff comes from China – which explains some of the influences in the dishes (like the classic sweet and sour).

It’s a plus point, too – as we’ve already mentioned, we saw the two sushi masters perspiring like ninjas to feed all their clients. The only “not-so-wonderful” surprise was the vegetable noodles, which seemed very much like an ordinary supermarket brand of spaghetti.

When we first came here in November, it wasn’t like this at all. This time, we also missed the lady in the kimono who checked on things from table to table. Finally, the popular choice of beverage here are the large jugs of Sangria (€9), as opposed to traditional green tea. Ah, and try and keep some space for the ice-creams, which are really, really good! We’ll definitely be back, even if it’s only for a take-away!

Specialities: sushi; Hours: Open for lunches & dinners; Bill: €116 for 6 people; Bank cards: Multibanco & Visa; Management: Shen Yudang; NIF 242 440 339.