Abu Dhabi’s best Japanese bites: Where to go for takoyakis, sushi and miso soup

I’ve never been one for soups. As a child, I stubbornly refused them, and Miso was the one dish my mother finally stopped insisting I eat. Maybe it was the endless scooping without the bowl ever feeling finished that put me off.

It took a bowl of Miso soup to change my mind—completely. Perhaps I needed to fall in love with Japanese cuisine first, and that could only happen in the UAE.

Long after I moved to Abu Dhabi, we decided to try a Japanese restaurant in Saadiyat Island. I had always admired Saadiyat Island (because, I love anything with water near it); but we lived a little too far, to appreciate it fully. But on a rather special occasion, we found Niri, and decided to have dinner.

A restaurant by the walkway that’s near water? You don’t have to tell me twice. We sat outside, and it was pleasant as it was still February. The setting was also comforting: A light in the middle of the table, that I would occasionally play with to warm my hands.

But the food, is where I really tumbled into love with Japanese cuisine. I kept looking for it otherwise too, long after our dinner here. We started with a bowl of Miso soup, which warms your insides. And that little spinach touch in it, is actually quite soft and has much flavour, something that I never imagined possible. For the first time ever in my life, I had two bowls of Miso soup.   The broth carries cubes of tofu and delicate, briny wakame just wakes you up. There’s the touch of umami richness, balanced by the zing of chopped green onions.

And then, there was the food itself, with impeccable presentation, and my favourite from the night being: Otoro. Fatty tuna. This was my brother-in-law’s recommendation: He insisted on trying fatty tuna in Japanese restaurants, and turns out, he was right. It was soft, drizzled in exotic-sounding sauces Needless to say, it finished in a trice. Apart from the Otoro, there was the spicy salmon, soaked in yuzu.  I was adventurous, trying out the octopus too, and even the chu-otoro, the semi-fatty tuna.

It all seemed simple, minimalistic, which it was: And perhaps that’s the trick, because you keep eating, those tiny portions, are enough to fill you up.

And among other cuisines, Japanese food became a quick favourite for us in Abu Dhabi. Even if Niri is too far for us and can only be visited on special occasions, we drop by Daikan at Yas Bay, where we spend an evening eating chicken karage, or enjoying a  plate of squiggly takoyakis, which are round, savoury balls made from a wheat-flour batter. Their signature filling is small pieces of octopus (tako in Japanese), along with green onions, pickled ginger, and sometimes tempura scraps (tenkasu) for a solid crunch. Sometimes, with a touch of Japanese mayonnaise, and topped with bonito flakes (katsuobushi) and dried seaweed powder (aonori).

Sometimes, I even order a box of takoyakis to the office for a quick bite. Considering that for over 28 years my go-to takeaways were invariably momos, a box of takoyakis is a refreshing and delightful change.

If you're ever looking for just platters of sushi to eat, there's Cafe Sushi. If you crave udon, some Katsu curry or shrimp cakes and more takoyakis, there's Toki for you.

So, if Japanese comfort food ever calls your name in Abu Dhabi, now you know where to answer.