kicsi Japán "Dining" — Restaurant in Budapest

A very small place decorated very well, with a maximum dining capacity of 20? Some benches, otherwise hard plastic chairs and a few cushions. Bar to watch the chef can seat 4 max. We were the last 2 guests on a Saturday evening, walking in at around 8.45pm. We ordered 9 kinds of sashimi, 2 white sushi rice, and 2 green tea. We took a point off each for the following reasons. The green tea came out luke warm and tasted of water only, Green Tea should have an earthy taste. When the second round came, it was hotter, and a Yamamoto tea bag had been left inside. Still, it didn't taste of much, but it was better than the previous warm water offering. We were also given 2 bottles of water we did not order. Some of the female staff spoke Mandarin, the male staff, Japanese. A slight communication break down in English. The point deducted for atmosphere is because the cleaning up started at 9pm. No one likes the feeling of being rushed, because the staff want to go home. The food deduction point is several fold. Firstly sashimi is raw fish. We got some cooked ebi (prawn) and cooked tako ( octopus) but octopus is never served raw, would have liked a different fish. Also you can see ark shell clam (akagai), again never served raw outside of Japan. There were only 8 kinds, not nine, ( double salmon, one seared and one unseared) but, we understand the fish may have run out and to compensate some fish had six slices, instead of the 5 written on the menu. The scallop was one of those small ones, not very generous for the premium sashimi selection. We also had to ask for ginger. However, the butterfish, sometimes known as white tuna was delicious. We understand that in Europe the quality of the fish will be subject to the waters and markets around the country, and Hungary is landlocked. The fish quality in Japan from supermarkets is far superior. Even in London, the sashimi is better because restaurants buy from Billingsgate market and England has sea surrounding it. So don't expect top quality. At least they had 8 kinds as most restaurants in Europe have the usual salmon, tuna and white fish combo. We've eaten Sashimi in 30 countries in all the major capitals of Europe, Asia, Australia, New York, Hawaii and countless times in Osaka, Sapporo, Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Kobe and Fukuoka, so, on a world scale Kicsi is pretty good. The value for money is OK. Didn't like the surprise 10 per cent service charge, at the end, but what can you do? 40k HUF later. Would we come again? Probably not, but, you decide...

A hidden gem right on the main street! The quality of the seafood is incredible. We tried the salmon and avocado bowl, the salmon plate, the fried shrimp roll, and the grill three colour roll. The salmon and avocado bowl was fantastic — even though rice is one of the simplest ingredients, it was very tasty and had the perfect texture. The salmon plate was insanely good; the salmon was buttery, flavourful, and you could really taste its exceptional quality. The fried shrimp roll was crunchy and topped with a spicy mayo that perfectly balanced the flavours of the roll. The grill three colour roll was good and offered plenty of different flavours, though the sweet sauce was a bit overpowering and slightly took away from the experience. We were also excited to try the homemade fluffy cheesecake, but unfortunately, it had already sold out. As for drinks, we had the hojicha, which had a lovely, balanced flavour that wasn’t too intense. The restaurant itself has tasteful, calm music that creates a very relaxed ambiance. The service is attentive and friendly, and although the restaurant wasn’t full, the staff seemed busy with takeaway orders. Recommendation: go for dishes or sushi that are mainly fish-based. They may be a bit more expensive, but they are totally worth it for the incredible quality and flavour experience! We will definitely be back...

This restaurant was recommended to us with the comment, "you'll pay for it, but it's worth it - the best Sushi ever". We expected a smart, upmarket establishment and were surprised ( and, I have to admit, disappointed by it's simplicity and homeless. We watched a group of three women (potential customers?!) come in, look around and immediately leave, presumably not impressed - wow ! What they missed!! The simple surroundings, gentle music, ambience and polite, friendly and helpful service created authentic Japanese hospitality. The food was delicious - sushi of the best quality ingredients, prepared freshly, presented and served beautifully and tasting absolutely devine. We enjoyed the salmon plate between two, which was not only ample but with some left to take home - this was carefully packaged up with extra ginger, soy sauce and two pairs of chopsticks. Thank you everyone at Kicsi Japan for a wonderful culinary experience. This place is a hidden gem - definitely starred for...