Ta-Kumi | Restaurante Japonés - Málaga — Restaurant in Málaga

So, sushi in Spain. An excellent idea if I do say so myself. I knew I would be in for a treat being it was given Michelin in 2020 and 2021. I’ve been to my fair share of Michelin restaurants but never for Japanese and, my goodness, was I not let down. The service itself - which was second to none - was incredible. We attended with our two year old daughter, I know, not the usual attendees at a restaurant like this but, hey, we love food and we love travel and that means our little one comes wherever we go. We were not looked down on or treated differently being we had a small child, in fact, our primary server went above and beyond to talk to her, to get to know her name. To make sure she had something she wanted to eat (sushi rice and edamame are the way to our girls heart). I was beyond impressed with the service and the treatment of our family as sometimes, in a restaurant like this, they are a bit snobby - not here. Pure professionalism and perfection. I applaud the servers. Now, the food. We are sushi lovers. We do not go for Japanese for “cooked” food. So I ordered my usual sashimi favourites and asked our server to bring an array of nigiri - 6 each to start. And my goodness, each nigiri was better than the last. Things I would have never thought to order, absolutely blew my mind. The Waygu with quail egg is something I will not be soon to forget. The perfectly torched, at the table, Waygu with the perfect quail egg yolk was just something so delicious it’s hard to describe. The toro, so simple. So perfect. I had to get a second piece. Honestly. I was just so happy the entire meal - even though we were technically full I wanted more so I asked for a few more surprises and, again, was not disappointed. We also had the vegetable tempura, which was excellent. But that toro and Waygu will stay with me forever and probably never be topped. I’ve eaten at many upscale restaurants and several Michelin star restaurants and MANY Japanese restaurants and I will say, with conviction that this was the best sushi experience of my life and one of the top 5 meals of my life. The meal was ended with a variety of chocolates that were excellent, I only got to try the white and dark chocolate selections as our daughter stole the three milk chocolate ones before I could blink. But she sure loved them, and I’m pretty sure we may be raising a child with one of the most snobbish palates around. Anyways, highly recommend if you’re in Malaga to make the stop here. If you love Japanese, you will not be disappointed. Thank you to the team at Ta-Kumi for a wonderful evening and for being the highlight of...

Service was great, however I find it odd we weren't seated by the counter or even asked if we wanted to be there. Now to the food: Even in Malaga, where most restaurants are tourist traps and chefs don't know to cook even if their life depended on it, I expect a Michelin star restaurant to serve real wasabi (not only as an option). Of course, we did order the real wasabi, since I make sushi at home too and won't budge for garbage fake ingredients or unauthentic taste. That said, the nigiri still had fake wasabi (green horseradish paste) between the fish and rice. I should've complained then and there, but we were already fed up with the food situation in malaga at this point. Also the butterfish nigiri was laughably small, the fish did not overlap the sushi rice well enough like you would expect in Japan - the other nigiri pieces looked better and more plentiful (did we get hosomaki scraps?). Also we ordered the butterfish without truffle, since that's westernised and ruins the sushi ideology (simplicity, natural flavours), also it completely overshadows the fish flavour - yet it came with truffle. I prefer clean eating and edo period sushi, like you get in every upper class restaurant in Japan. It would have been nice if the staff had recommended sake instead of wine. Again too westernised and overshadows the fish taste. I forgot about sake, so I ordered Japanese beer, which also did not complement the palette well. Also staff intruded on the experience a bit much, by being overzealous and babying us too much. Like refilling our glasses with the bottles already on the table, time and time again. (It distracts too much). Do this when you are already bringing something to the table or the glass is actually empty. Overall I still enjoyed this experience. Esp. since every other place over there is terrible… You can't get simple grilled fish with sides there. It's always a fruit punch of sorts. With heavy sauces ruining everything. This influence could be felt here as well, unfortunately. I will still give the most stars to my own sushi, as conceited as that may sound. Unless I am in Japan. The sushi rice could have used a tad bit more mirin and more kombu flavour (if even used at all), and the texture was a bit too firm, but still good enough to not have influenced this review much. We would come again, if we ever end up in Malaga again...

I approached my dining experience at this acclaimed Japanese restaurant with high expectations, only to be met with a series of culinary missteps. The evening commenced with salmon nigiri, which, while visually appealing, revealed its mediocrity upon the first taste. The salmon lacked the freshness and vibrant flavor one anticipates in such a delicacy, paired with rice that was regrettably dry, detracting from the overall experience.

Progressing to the shrimp tempura, I encountered an unanticipated heaviness. The dish, which should embody a light, crisp exterior, was instead laden with an excessive oiliness that overshadowed the shrimp's natural flavor, leaving a rather unpalatable impression.

The main course, a salmon dish, failed to redeem the meal. Its presentation lacked the artistry and finesse expected in such an establishment, and the temperature of the fish was notably compromised. The act of dipping only exacerbated this issue, rendering the salmon unappealingly cold.

Accompanying sides did little to elevate the meal, presenting a rather uninspired array of flavors and textures. The singular highlight of the evening was the toro nigiri, which stood as a fleeting glimpse of the quality I had anticipated.

In reflection, it is perplexing to reconcile this experience with the restaurant's esteemed reputation, including its inclusion in the Michelin Guide. This visit was a stark reminder that even the most celebrated establishments can falter, leaving patrons like myself in a state of...