| Japan in Madrid
Japan Directory
Madrid is not standing still. The complexion of Spain’s capital has changed since democracy arrived after the death of Dictator Francisco Franco in 1975. The most dramatic change can be seen, heard and especially tasted: Madrid today is a far more international city than it has ever been. Nuevas Amigas wants to explore Madrid’s cosmopolitan corners for its international audience. Each month, we will take a snapshot of the cuisine, commerce and culture of the different countries with a presence in Madrid. This month we look at Japan.
If the number of restaurants is any indicator of a country’s impact here, Japan has arrived big time in Madrid. Japanese restaurants far outnumber those of any other Asian cuisine in the capital. And only Italian and Argentinean restaurants outnumber Japanese among the 29 foreign cuisines listed in Madrid’s leading weekly entertainment guide, Guia del Ocio. But where do you start with the list?
Answers often arrive when you least expect them. I was sitting in the hairdressers waiting for my turn, which never came, but that’s another story. I had flipped through Hola, No Me Dices, Semana and Diez Minutos and the only thing left was an August issue of Vogue España. I’m not really a Vogue kind of girl, but I was desperate. And what do I find—Vogue’s list of Spain’s top Sushi bars and Japanese restaurants (see below). I jotted down the names and vowed to visit at least one.
The chance came on the day I planned to visit Tokyo-Ya, a Japanese food store that Rebecca Baird had told me about. Rebecca and her husband lived in Japan from 1997 to 1999. She knows and loves Japanese food, so I knew the recommendation was a good one. Having failed to consult a map before leaving, I got lost and Tokyo-Ya was closed for lunch when I finally arrived. As luck would have it, down the street from Tokyo-Ya is Kabuki, one of Vogue’s “best restaurants”. The sleek, covered terrace on the quiet Avenida del Presidente Carmona was too inviting to pass up. I waited to be seated, but no staff approached me. When a well-dressed couple walked up, the maitre d’ appeared and asked if they had reservations. The man gestured to me and said I was before them. Without looking at me, the Spanish woman said her co-worker would take care of me. Oh, boy. I may know how to wield my chopsticks with the best of the chattering classes, but I obviously don’t dress a la Vogue. Kabuki lost major points in my book. But the steaming bowl of Udon noodles washed down with a cold Asahi Super Dry beer didn’t disappoint. The wood-floored terrace was peaceful and pretty and the menu was chock full of sushi, sashimi and hot dishes to try with a companion or group prepared to spend a bit more for a nice meal. But what can I say? The attitude of the wait staff left a bad taste in my mouth.
I paid my bill—about 15 euros—and walked back up the street to peer into the window of still closed Tokyo-Ya. I pressed my nose to the window to see the glazed pottery. I must have been standing there long enough to make someone wonder about my motives, as a light went on and a Japanese man came out. Fortunately, he was smiling and insisted I enter and buy what I wanted. Amazed at his flexibility—the store wasn’t due to open for nearly an hour¾I quickly picked up a soy sauce, sesame oil, green tea and rice crackers and went to pay. I explained to Makotosan, the store’s manager, that I was writing about Japanese stores and restaurants in Madrid. He told me his shop supplied many of the city’s restaurants, whose number has mushroomed in the past five years. Paradoxically, the number of Japanese residents in Madrid has fallen sharply during the same period. Makotosan estimates there are about 1,500 Japanese now in Madrid, down from a high of 3,000 or so.
I asked him for his restaurant recommendations. He didn’t hesitate. He said Donzoco was the oldest and “most authentic” of the restaurants he frequents. He also mentioned Ginza, which is a relative newcomer to the city. Kabuki didn’t make Makotosan’s short list. Funny that.
-Paulette Flahavin Japan Directory If we have left out your favorite Japanese store or restaurant in Madrid, let us know at info@incmadrid.com
Specialty Shops
DESDE JAPÓN
Kimonos, ceramics, clothing, bonsais, specialty foods
C/ Quintana 20, Arguelles
Tel: 91-548-0557
FUYU
Japanese pottery story
San Lorenzo, 19
Tel: 652-835-742
GION KIMONOS
Japanese design shop
Orense, 30
TOKYO-YA
Japanese specialty food shop
Presidente Carmona 9
Tel: 91-579-2311
Japanese Floral Art Classes
Learn Ikebana, the art of floral arranging first developed by the Chinese Buddhists.
IKEBANA & SHODO
Alberto Alcocer, 8. 4° A
Tel: 91-457-3 410
ESCUELA ENSHU DE
IKEBANA
Eduardo Aunós, 24 B
Tel: 91-573-1702
Restaurants AYALA JAPÓN
Ayala 67
Metro: Goya
Tel: 91 309 56 25
Price: 27 - 36 €
One of the newest on the Japanese Restaurant circuit
DING
General Díaz Porlier 97
Metro: Diego de León
Tel: 91 309 08 59
Specialty: Roast Duck and Sushi
Price: 18 a 27 €
DONZOCO
Echegaray 3 (metro Sevilla)
Tel: 914295720
Specialty: Sushi
Closed Sundays
Price: 18-27€
EZO
Sor Ángela de la Cruz 37
Metro: Tetuán.
Tel: 91 570 89 14
Specialty: Teppanyaki
Price: 27 - 36 €.
GINZA
Plaza de las Cortes 3
Frente Hotel Palace
Metro: Banco de España
Tel: 914297619
Specialty: Sushi bar and Tuna Tataki
Closed Mondays
Price: 27-36 €
HOKKAIDO
Pozuelo de Alarcón
Crta de Húmera-Pozuelo 87
Tel: 917153314
Specialty: Beef Teriyaki
Does not close . Parking
Price: 18-27 €
ICHIBAN
Alberto Alcocer 22 bis
Metro: Cuzco
Tel: 914570783
Specialty: Teppan-yaki & Sushi
Does not close . Parking
Price: 36+ €
JANAMOTO
Reina 31
Metro: Gran Via
Tel: 915215566
Japanese and Chinese
Specialty: sushi & sashimi
Closed Sunday nights and mondays
Valet parking
Price: 18-27 €
KABUKI SUSHI BAR
Presidente Carmona 2
Metro: S. Bernabéu
Tel: 91 417 6415
Specialty: Sushi & Tempura
Closed Saturday lunch, Sundays, holidays
Price: 27-36 €
KAWARA
La Aduana 23
Metro: Sevilla
Tel: 915328903
Specialty: Sushi
Closed Sundays
Price: 8-18€
KIRAKIRA BOSHI
Bolivia 23
Metro: Columbia
Tel: 913452635
Specialty: Kaiseki
Closed Sat lunch and Sundays
Price: 36+€
MIKADO
Pintor Juan Gris 4
Metro: Cuzco.
Tel: 91 556 30 43
Specialty: Tempura
Price: 18 - 27 €.
MONGO
C/ General Aranaz 11
Tel: 91-320-4476
Specialty: Japanese and Korean
MUSASHI
Conchas 4
Metro: Santo Domingo
Tel: 91 559 29 39.
Specialty: Sushi & Sashimi
Price: 9 - 18 €.
NAGOYA
Trafalgar 7
Metro: Bilbao.
Tfn: 91 448 69 07
Specialty: Sushi-teppan
Price: 9 - 18 €.
NAOMI JAPONÉS
Ávila 14
Metro: Estrecho
Tel: 91 572 23 04
Price: 9 - 18 €
NODO
Velázquez, 150.
Metro: República Argentina
Tel: 91 564 40 44
Specialty: Sushi & Tempura
Price: 27 - 36 €
ROBATA
Reina 31
Metro: Gran Vía
Tel: 91 521 85 28
Specialty: Sushi
Price: 18 a 27 €
Authentic taste of Japan
SAMURAI
Crtra de Sto. Domingo 24
Metro: Santo Domingo
Tel: 91 547 42 64
Specialty: Sushi
Price: 9 - 18 €.
Traditional Japanese Cuisine
www.restaurantsamurai.com
SAN KAI TEI
Los Madrazo 18
Metro: Sevilla.
Tel: 91 360 03 54
Specialty: Sushi & Sashimi as well as Korean Barbecue
Price: 27 - 36 €
Fusion of Japanese an d Korean cooking.
SUKOTHAY
Paseo de la Castellana 105
Metro: Santiago Bernabéu
Tel: 91 598 03 56
Specialty: Japanese and Thai cuisine
Price: 36 + €
SUMMA
Profesor Waksman 5
Metro: Alfonso XIII
Tel: 91 457 32 27
Price: 27 - 36 €
Fusion of Asian and Mediterranean cuisine
SUMO
Juan Ramón Jimenez 1, Heron City, Las Rozas
Tel: 91 640 32 90
Specialty: Sushi Nigiri Chef
Economic Japanese Restaurant
SUNTORY
Pº de la Castellana 36-38
Metro: Rubén Darío
Tel: 91 577 37 33
Specialty: Sushi
Price: 36 + €
Reknown Japanese Restaurant Chain
SUSHI ITTO
Centro de Ocio Diversia. Avd. Bruselas 21. Alcobendas
Tel: 91 662 46 64.
Specialty: Teppanyaki.
Price: 18 - 27 €.
Another location at Recoletos 10
SUSHI YA!
Madrid
Tel: 902 23 13 23.
Specialty Sushi home-delivery.
Price: 9 - 18 €
TEI
Ayala 46
Metro: Velázquez
Tel: 91 431 77 45
Specialty: Tepan-Yaki & Roast Duck
Price: 18 - 27 €.
TELESUSHI JAPÓN
Lérida 8 & 10.
Metro: Estrecho
Tel: 91 553 58 68.
Specialty: Sushi
Price: 9 - 18 €
Home Delivery at
Don Quijote 29
91-533-0882 / 91-534-0754
www.telesushijapan.com
TAO, Sushi Bar
P de la Castellana 45
Tel: 913082780
TSUNAMI
Caracas, 10
Metro: Alonso Martínez
Tel: 91 308 05 69.
Specialty: Pedro Espina’s Sushi
Price: 27 - 36 €
WOKCAFE
Infantas 44
Tel: 915229069
www.wokcafe.com
Cafe, Restaurant, Boutique
YAMATE
Padre Jesús Ordoñez. Esq. López de Hoyos 68
Metro: Avenida de América Tel: 91 563 09 78
Specialty: Sushi Deambula & Teppan-yaki
Price: 9 - 18 €
YAMATO - SUSHI BAR
Heron City, Las Rozas Japanese Sushi Bar in circulating floating boats
Tel: 916-405-464
YAKATI
Antonio Pérez 26. Local 1
Metro: Velázquez
Tel 91 562 66 60
Specialty: Tempura and Oriental Tapas
Price: 18 - 27 € |
