Nagomi Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Covington

TL;DR: A review from a kid that grew up in Japan; Nagomi serves well-prepared, quality Japanese staples, while offering the most culturally authentic mom-and-pop Japanese dining experience I've ever had in the states. I was driving through the area and just happened upon this wonderful little spot. Decided to stop and walk in for dinner and I'm so so glad that I did. I could talk all day about how much I enjoyed my experience but the two highlights that everyone will notice are the food and the service:

I ordered the Tonkatsu, a classic comfort dish consisting of a deep-fried pork cutlet, sliced into batons, served on a bed of shredded cabbage, and topped with a tangy sweet sauce. There are many variations, but in its purest form, it relies heavily on technique and quality of ingredients to be truly good. Theirs was perfect. Satisfyingly crunchy, yet balanced and light, served with a bowl of rice that reminded me of my mother's and various little veggies. I smiled the whole time I ate.

There are little nuances to Japanese culture, especially in the service industry, that are difficult to articulate but rather just need to be experienced. When my friends ask for advice for their first trip to Japan, I strongly encourage them to venture off the main streets and wander into the smaller mom-and-pop restaurants, because this is where I believe you get the truest and most honest form of Japanese cooking, combined with that universal feeling of coming home to a meal made by your parents. That very special and emotional experience is what is captured at Nagomi, and you feel it as soon as you walk in. I was greeted by the owner, who was so warm and genuine. She was kind enough to speak with me in Japanese, which I dont have many chances to do outside of phone calls with my parents, so this meant a great deal to me personally. She took my order and chatted with me as her husband came down the stairs to prepare my meal fresh. And when I was ready to leave, she walked me to the door, opened it for me, and sent me on my way. A tiny detail, but a very traditional practice for Japanese business owners to walk their customers out, as a show of appreciation.

Nagomi shares with its customers a truly special experience that is very rare in the US. A selection of dishes broadly representative of Japanese cuisine, done well, and served with the attention and detail-oriented care that the country is known for. I encourage anyone who comes through the area to not only stop in, but maybe try something new to them. Cannot wait...

Don’t know what happened to this restaurant (judging by its ratings) but a week ago, my friends and I found this place for dinner. A small dish of Eel Don was charged 40+ bucks, and a shabu shabu bowl of soup and veggies and proteins was as expensive as the Eel Don. Even in Columbus, Ohio, we could easily get an Eel Don for 30-ish bucks that got a much larger portion AS WELL AS amazing taste (this restaurant put a load tons of pepper in an Eel Don…) & 20-ish bucks for a delicious meal of shabu shabu…

If quality were good, we would have had no complaints. However, portions were so small, it could barely fill half of our stomachs. Comparing to the tastes of foods I used to have back in Taiwan and Japan, tastes were blend, not delicious, and somewhat tragic.

We also got sushis that looked awfully filleted, that tasted NOT FRESH as well. Even Kura Sushi chain sushi would taste so much better than those.

Last but not least, salad portion was smaller than the size of my fist, and my friend who had a piece of salmon sushi found A STRIP OF PLASTIC in there. By that moment, all we wished for was to finish our foods and run away from there. No matter how great the interior and exterior of the restaurant looked - and how nice was the servant - foods were UNACCEPTABLE.

Before commenting, I’ve scrolled through some of the other comments with 1-star rating. The only thing I saw was the chef’s replies showing how delusional he is about his foods and the prices he put on the menu for his “Authentic Foods.” This place is absolutely not authentic. If you wouldn’t believe me, pay a visit to Japan and have actual authentic restaurant dishes.

As a person who has tasted a lot of Japanese foods in both Asia and the US, I would 100% NOT RECOMMEND this restaurant. Such a wrong...

My partner and I were welcomed quickly and warmly, which was just the start to a fantastic experience.

Each course was prompt and presented thoughtfully. The salad was perfectly crisp with a citrus ginger dressing that honestly blew any others I’ve had out of the water.

Next we had the takoyaki, the batter was gooey and the octopus was delightfully chewy, not just a couple small slices you don’t really notice either.

Then we had the sushi, which we had mackerel, unagi, and sweet egg. Each cut of fish was beautiful and the unagi tasted like it was lightly brushed with the sauce for the perfect balance. The sweet egg was unlike any other I’ve tasted.

The miso soup was up next, I was surprised at the depth of flavor with the umami and fresh tofu. I promise I’m not exaggerating, the one whole experience really was this excellent!

Our main courses were the shabu-shabu and unagu box. The shabu-shabu had a complex broth with the beef, noodles, and vegetables. It and the unagu box were presented beautifully with a taste to match. The unagu box came with tempura veggies, pickled veggies, bamboo shoots, and a spin on potato salad.

Lastly, the matcha pudding was divine! A balance of the slightly bitter, smooth matcha pudding with a red bean sauce that added the touch of sweetness that elevated the dish.

The whole experience was a serene delight. We sat at the window bar and enjoyed the quiet clinking of the food being prepared and conversations around us. It felt like the gentle hum of a...