Naori — Restaurant in Sunrise

I had high hopes for NAORI. The concept of a Peruvian-Japanese fusion restaurant in the area was something I’ve always dreamed of having nearby. It felt like the kind of place I’d love to support and return to often. In fact, I delayed visiting for weeks wanting to save the experience, to walk in with a clear and excited mind. Sadly, what I hoped would be a memorable culinary night ended up as a major letdown.

When we arrived, a bartender greeted us warmly, and I was immediately struck by the decor. The space is stunning zen, minimalistic, calm, and intentional. It creates the perfect ambiance for a thoughtful dining experience. We sat down and ordered a pitcher of chicha morada, a ceviche mixto, and an acevichado roll to begin our evening.

The chicha morada arrived first, as expected, but even that missed the mark. It was overly sweet and lacked the citrusy lift that lime typically brings to balance it. It tasted flat.

Then came the wait. Over 23 minutes passed, and with only four tables occupied in the entire restaurant, I started to get concerned. I asked the server about our order, and he said he would check but no update followed. Eventually, both dishes arrived almost at the same time, and things didn’t improve.

The ceviche mixto was disappointing. Instead of the bold, zesty flavors you expect, it came in what felt like a diluted soup of leche de tigre. The acidity was weak, and the flavors muddled. The sweet potato was fried in an interesting crust a creative touch but it was served cold, which took away from the dish. The wahoo (catch of the day) was the one bright spot, fresh and well-prepared, but the rest of the seafood was sparse and underwhelming.

Then came the acevichado roll, and this is where the experience truly collapsed. After such a long wait, we thought maybe the tempura element was being freshly made. But it was cold and soggy, offering zero crunch or warmth. The roll barely held together due to a lack of nori, and it was difficult to even pick up a piece with a fork. The acevichado sauce, meant to bring the fusion to life, was just a basic spicy mayo. There was no complexity, no citrus brightness, no character nothing that hinted at the Peruvian-Japanese blend that originally intrigued me.

At that point, we decided not to continue with the rest of the menu. After just two dishes, we quietly asked for the check and left. It was disappointing to walk away from a restaurant I had wanted to love so much, especially knowing how much potential it had. Beautiful ambiance, thoughtful concept but the kitchen simply...

Live review. Happening now. “Grilled” octopus that’s never seen a grill. Great flavor, but trash texture. 2/10 would not recommend. Server that comes by every half hour, but doesn’t tell you the dots on the menu means not available. Yes, took us 54 minutes to get water. Water. (Timed it). And then when we go to place the order, we find out he “forgot” to tell us anything with a dot is not available. I can’t review anything else, because we have been here for an hour and a half and haven’t seen anything but the octopus and the drinks. Marajito was fire but the uchu margarita was a bit overpowering. If spice is your thing, it’s just OK. Nothing to write home about. Will update if something blows me out of the water, but not looking great so far. Might just cancel the rest of the food at this point. Not sure how it takes 90 minutes to put together some ceviche, and no it is not that packed. Bar is empty. 9 tables seated currently, myself included. Not going great.

New update. I was hoping to update the review to 3 stars but I just can’t at this point. Finally got the “Tradito Classico” and it was pretty sub par. Flavor was less than average. More like “flavorless”. We spiced it up with some red pepper that the server wrangled from the bar, but it was NOTHING like the menu showed. The Freiroll fried roll had eel sauce, which, if you like eel sauce, all good. Not listed on the menu though, and I’m not a fan of that sweet flavor mixed in with my sushi. Another 2/10 would not recommend.

Currently listening to “It’s a Beautiful Life” blasting on the speakers. Is this a Peruvian/Japanese establishment? Or an 80’s nightclub? Lighting is strong…. Should be dimmed down, but that’s not a deal-breaker. But if they want to hit the spot, tone these lights down, put some Peruvian acoustic guitar or something similar playing through the speakers, and don’t play the almost 7-minute long version of “Hotel California” if you’re trying to set a “Peruvian-Japanese” vibe hahaha man the jokes just write themselves at this point. I’m so confused what kind of vibe they are trying to nail here.

But all could be forgiven here if the food hit the spot. The wait, the music, the lighting, all would be ignored if the food hit that 7/10 slot....

I recently visited Naori, a brand-new Peruvian-Japanese restaurant in Sunrise, FL, and it was an incredible experience! The concept blends Peruvian ingredients with Japanese culinary techniques, creating a unique fusion of flavors. Naori offers "a delightful journey through flavors and sensations with every bite," showcasing a true passion for culinary artistry through the careful preparation of ingredients and respect for traditional recipes.

The restaurant itself has stunning, modern decor with a relaxed, inviting atmosphere. Both the service and the food were exceptional—definitely a place worth checking out!

DRINKS Wines Spearmint Lemonade was so refreshing and very unique tasting.

APPETIZER Seafood on Fire - Mixed seafood with spicy sauce served on fire...

Foodiechews: Nice presentation with the fire and a nice variety of seafood but spicy it was not. This was a good start.

Causa Con Cangrejo Y Palta - Masa de papa amarilla rellena con cangrejo y palta. / Yellow potatoes mashed with aji amarillo and lime juice served with crab meat and avocado.

Foodiechews: Just look at this beautiful unique dish. It tasted as good as it looks.

Complimentary Tuna Sample

Foodichews: OMG this appetizer was not on the menu but it was sooo good. It was chopped raw tuna mixed with sesame oil, a crunchy semi-sweet texture, avocado and black and white4 sesame seeds.

MAIN Salmon Con Pure De Naganegi - A la plancha, puré de naganegi, tomate confitado, gobo encurtido y crocantes. / Seared salmon with naganegi mashed, tomatoes confit, pickled gobo and crispy.

Foodiechews: Just look at the pretty whipped silky mashed potatoes plating....so creamy and the salmon had a nice crust and flavor.

Pescado A Lo Macho baked red snapper topped with seafood (mussels, shrimp, squid, and clams) Foodiechews: Seafood heaven. Fresh fish in a thick tasty sauce.

Grade: A- I can't wait to try some sushi, ribs and ceviche. .

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#peruvianfood #japanesefood #asianfood #latinfood #fish #pescatarian #floridafoodie...