Raw, Real, and Ridiculously Good

A journey through Bangalore’s top 5 Sushi Joints

It was a quiet evening in the middle of Castle Street, inside the homey confines of Hae Kum Gang, when my taste buds experienced the beauty of raw fish for the first time.

As I write this, I'm not ashamed to admit that the first piece of sushi did not make its way through my gastric tract but rather ended up back on my plate. However, as time has passed and my taste buds have evolved, I've come to love sushi more than my own brother. In a place like Bangalore, which prides itself on its cultural diversity, it is to no one’s surprise that our city hosts a myriad of incredible sushi joints. 

That's why I've decided to take on the impossible (not) task of ranking my personal favourites.

5. Shiro's, UB City 

While many people rank this cult classic pretty high up, I truly feel the quality of food has remained consistent but stagnant. The sushi here is slightly on the pricier side, but most of the time, the quality is fresh and decadent. The beauty of Shiro's is visiting it on weekdays, when there’s an unlimited sushi, bao and dimsum course for just Rs. 1500. My personal favourite is the volcano roll.

4. Harima, Residency Road 

This place is regarded by most as the most authentic representation of Japanese cuisine. Harima has a lot of hype surrounding it, and while the sushi is delicious, it did not live up to the massive expectations (maybe the Cottonian energy was bad aura). The sushi options are slightly limited but well-executed. However, the sashimi at Harima truly took the spotlight. 

3. Miso Sexy, Indiranagar

The sushi at Miso Sexy is the truest essence of sexy (yes, pun intended). The atmosphere at this place in the bustling streets of Indiranagar is almost heavenly. Not only does it have the most eccentric sushi, it’s also a pretty authentic picture-worthy place. The salmon and cream cheese roll at the place is the most exquisite I've tasted.

2. Lucky Chan

This wouldn't be an authentic sushi list without mentioning the first sushi belt in Bangalore. The variety at Lucky Chan is astounding and even thinking about it excites me. It's brilliant and perfectly rated. The volcano roll here is also one of my favorites! 

1. Azukii Bistro, Richmond Town

If something could be the truest embodiment of a perfect coincidence, it would without a shred of doubt be this quaint little restaurant hiding in a lane behind Baldwin Boys (Ik I'm allergic to them as well)

Azukii was the place where I first had Japanese sushi, and well, the first place where the sushi stayed inside my mouth. Throughout my 3 years of sushi hunting, I've yet to come across a place that beats Azukii. The sushi is pure perfection and is authentic right down to the last 'T'. Every bite you take will leave you pining for more. This place is so authentic that even Honda sends its Japanese employees to stay at an inn right above Azukii so they 

don't feel homesick.

Azukii is my best kept secret and I swore to gatekeep it for the rest of my life, but you the sushi connoisseurs of St. Joseph’s deserve to taste perfection.

Written by Arhita Sinha, a 11th grader from SJBHS Bengaluru

This article was written for and published in The Josephite Journal, a student-run publication curated by the 11th and 12th graders of St. Joseph's Boys High School, Bengaluru, as part of the Editorial Board Training Program