Spicy Fish — Restaurant in Região Geográfica Imediata do Rio de Janeiro

Visited in July 2024. Brazil. Rio de Janeiro.

This charming little restaurant, tucked away in the heart of Ipanema, is a bright and airy space with a handful of tables and a small outdoor terrace. The open kitchen allows you to watch the chefs at work.

Food: The format reminded us of a Japanese Izakaya, with small plates of various appetizers, allowing you to sample a variety of dishes. First things first, the rolls are a true testament to the chef's skill. The rice was perfectly cooked, with that slightly sticky texture we love, and in the right proportion to the filling. They were meticulously rolled, the mango was juicy and soft, and the prawn inside was perfect. Delicious, well-made rolls are a rarity, so this was a real treat. The foie gras gyoza were equally impressive, with succulent meat free from sinew and lumps, and the rich flavour of the foie gras shining through. Next came the nigiri with tuna and foie gras: a generous piece of the latter, melt-in-your-mouth tender, perfectly complementing the soft tuna. We also had the black cod, which we adore. It was succulent, fatty, and slightly sweet, with the correct flaky texture, signifying high quality fish.

Service:

The service was good. Our waiter, Santiago, was a delightful fellow, with a smattering of English and even a few Russian phrases! The service was attentive, with dishes prepared and cleared quickly.

Conclusion: This is a superb Asian restaurant. Having travelled extensively in Asia, we found the flavours to be authentic. The quality of the fresh ingredients and the interesting combinations of small dishes were exceptional. Highly...

Looked forward to visiting this place and it didn’t let me down. Went here with 2 kids and 3 adults and the waiter Bruno was great and attentive.

Food/drinks; Had a bit of everything here; Tuna Crispy, Bao, Crispy Rice, Spicy Pork Yaki Noodles, Spicy Salmon and Gogi (black angus). The food was great, ESPECIALLY the Bao and Tuna Crispy and Spicy Salmon. The Spicy Pork Yaki Noodles were great initially, but instead of being spicy it became a bit too sweet for my taste.

The drinks (other than beer and wine) were Wasabi Mule and Ameretto Sour, didn’t really understand the Wasabi Mule as it didn’t have any sting at all.

Service: Had a waiter called Bruno, and he was just excellent.

Atmosphere: A nice vibe with the kitchen treating everyone coming in which was a nice touch. Can imagine this is a nice place to go to for a long evening to share food and have some nice drinks!

All in all it was a great experience, but for the price I think the flavours need to be on point on all bits and pieces for a 5 star and it wasn’t really there all the way. However a 4 star review is for me a really...

We are blessed to have this restaurant just a couple of blocks away from our apartment.

Today I started with their miso soup and it solved a mild hangover I couldn't shake. The serving was the perfect size and correct temperature.

Then we moved on to gyozas. They had the crispy and thin crust you are looking for, with a nice chunk of tasty pork in the filling.

Just in time, our waiter brought out or entrees.

We had the Bibimbap, Redobap and ramen. We would recommend all of the three with confidence.

The Bibimbap's beef was spicy and sweet, the Redobap's had a crazy combo of fresh fish, including tuna, salmon and octopus and everything in the Ramen was top-notch, from the broth to the egg.

Our waiter and staff were very attentive, as usual, and we'll surely be back very soon.

EDIT: we did go back today to try their Bulgogi and Pork Bao, and they did not disappoint. This is hands down our favorite restaurant in Rio at the moment. Congratulations to the staff and...