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Sushi on a Conveyor Belt - Kaiten-Zushi
Kaiten-zushi, sushi on a conveyor belt, is a popular restaurant concept in Japan. In such a restaurant, small portions of sushi on different colored plates pass by you. The price is indicated by the plate color and can range from 80 cents to 5 euros. You can take as much as you like, depending on your mood. At the end, the bill is calculated based on the number and colors of the plates. Depending on the type, two to six sushi pieces are served. So nigiri-sushi usually comes in pairs, and hoso-maki is delivered four or six to a plate. The prices mentioned above are based on the ingredients and the preparation method. For example, an avocado maki will be much cheaper than a tuna sushi. If you want to get a good deal, it's recommended to look for all-you-can-eat offers. You'll probably know the principle. You pay a fixed amount and then eat as much as you like within a certain time.
Salmon, Tuna and co.
Anything you don't find on the belt but on the menu, you can order at any time. The ordering methods vary depending on the restaurant. If you have a button on your table, you can press it to call the waiter. If there is a tablet or display on the table, you can browse the menu here at your leisure and then send your selection as an order. You will then either get your order brought to your table or it will be sent over the conveyor belt with a special marking. You don't have to pay extra for green tea or water, as well as pickled ginger and wasabi. There's a lot of fish, octopus, squid and shellfish to eat at the Kaiten-Zushi shop. Vegetable sushi is rarer, if at all, there's sometimes Tamago-Nigiri, a sweet omelet placed on a piece of rice. If you go to a small restaurant, you might come across something special with Fugu or Otoro. However, these two types of sushi can get very expensive very quickly, as they are very special portions. Fugu refers to pufferfish, which can quickly lead to poisoning if the fish is not filleted by a licensed chef. If you order an Otoro-Nigiri, you'll get the most expensive piece of tuna. The piece is so expensive because it melts in your mouth like butter. In general, private shops are always a little more expensive than Kaiten-Zushi chains.
Low Prices - Alternative for Families
Kaiten-zushi is especially popular with families because the quality of the food is very good at not too expensive prices. You pay between 10 and 30 euros per person per evening. There are also extra child-friendly shops. For example, I once ate at a Kaiten-Zushi where you simply throw your empty plates into a machine, which calculates the final price based on that. Meanwhile, children can play mini-games on the display. The downside of Kaiten-Zushi is that many restaurants are very loud and the individual tables and seating areas are close together.
The Upscale Kaiten-Zushi
Of course, Kaiten-Zushi can also be enjoyed in a higher price range. Depending on the restaurant, however, you should expect to wait up to 90 minutes. But if you're ever in Japan, you'll get used to the queues in front of restaurants. Here, people are happy to wait if it's delicious. Even in Düsseldorf, good ramen restaurants, such as Takumi and Naniwa, often have long queues.
In expensive Kaiten-Zushi restaurants, you can order sushi with a special something extra. For example, sushi with all sorts of toppings like fresh onions and mayo, or a nigiri with flambéed fish and a spicy ginger paste, or squid with sweet soy sauce. These unusual combinations taste super delicious, even better than classic sushi. Prices here usually range from 1.50 to 5.50 euros per plate, with the 3 to 5 euro range clearly dominating.
Sushi from normal Kaiten-Zushi chains generally tastes significantly better than German sushi. But at expensive Kaiten-Zushi restaurants, you get real top quality for your money, so it's definitely worth visiting one of these restaurants.
Kaiten-Zushi in Germany
If you've ever eaten at a Kaiten-Zushi restaurant in both Germany and Japan, you'll know that you can't even compare them. It's a world of difference. While they try to attract many customers with low prices, once you're sitting at the conveyor belt, you quickly realize why it's so cheap. Because they save money wherever they can. For example, there are many types that you wouldn't find in Japan because they have nothing to do with sushi anymore. For example, there are carrots, cucumbers and other vegetables rolled in rice balls. You hardly find any fish here. If a fish nigiri comes along, the fish is often not of good quality, for example Akami (lean tuna), instead of Chutoro (medium-fat part of the tuna) or Otoro (fattiest and most expensive part of the tuna). You hardly find such expensive sushi in Germany, or only in upscale restaurants.
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