Sushi Ken

January 28, 2015February 5, 2016 jjwalsh 9168 Views Non-smoking at lunch, sushi

I am always on the look-out for great sushi places to recommend on GetHiroshima as it is always a popular choice for special occasions and for tourists to Japan. Sushi Ken meets all the requirements of a great sushi place to recommend – fantastic quality fish of many varieties, easy access in the city, welcoming staff and a good English menu.

Located a few minutes walk from Hakushima street car stop, or a 15 minute walk from Hiroshima Station (main exit), near a fruit stand you will see the Sushi-ken take-out sushi shop along the main road and tucked down the side street is the main Sushi-Ken sushi restaurant.

It looks like a small, typical sushi restaurant when you walk in as there is seating along the counter in front of the chefs preparing the sushi and other foods in their signature white uniforms. A few small tables on the tatami mats on the side of the room for couples and group dining and more seating available in the back room by reservation or if they fill up in the front room.

Grilled Unagi Conger Eel Nigiri Sushi (served warm)

The staff are very welcoming and attentive and do not seem to speak any English, but seem to handle orders from the English menu without much difficulty. Prices seem reasonable, we ate a few plates of sushi, tempura, and miso soup and drank quite a few beers each and paid just under ¥5000 yen per person. You can definitely eat your fill for around ¥3000 or less if you refrain from ordering drinks, or limit yourself to just one.

We arrived at 6pm on a weekday and only a couple of spots were filled at the counter. However, by 7pm the front room was completely full. If you have a large group, it might be wise to book ahead although walk-ins are welcome.

Menu

There is a fantastic menu in English detailing the large selection of sushi available in nigiri style -raw fish or vegetables on a small bit of rice, sake, shochu and other alcoholic drinks, deep fried fish and vegetable tempura, and other grilled dishes. On the Japanese menu there is also sushi rolls in the temaki style – open cone shaped sushi rolls and Hosomaki style- thin rolls of sushi.

The range of ingredients suits all diners including vegans! Totally non-meat, non-fish, non-egg sushi options include: grilled shiitake mushrooms (“katsuobushi-nashi” ask for no fish flake), avocado, radish sprouts, shiso-ume, and pickled hiroshima greens toppings available. To be clear, neither of us are vegans, but some of our favorites at Sushi-Ken are the vegan options, the quality of the vegetables used is quite remarkable and when I inquired, the staff said the vegetable source is top secret and a source of pride for the owner.

Vegetarians can supplement the vegan options with egg sushi and vegetable tempura. Typical sushi fans who will adore their large selection of raw, grilled and sauteed fish & seafood available for sushi. There is also beef sushi, grilled meat, seafood and fish dishes as well as soups and dessert. Lunch is a real bargain as you can get 10 pieces of sushi and soup for under ¥700 or the real feast of 5 pieces of sushi, tempura, sashimi, soup, chawan-mushi and fruit for just over ¥1000.

Non-smoking 11:30-13:00 daily
Seating for 20 in the front room and 20 (by reservation in the rear room)
Lunch sets around ¥600~¥1,000 (no credit cards at lunch)
Dinner sets available from ¥3000
No parking available / Credit cards accepted / Reservations accepted / Non-smoking at lunch / Seating for up to 40 people
Take-out available at the shop next door or in Hikari-machi (near the Shinkansen exit of Hiroshima station)