Monday till Sunday from 18.00
Sushi + Soul
Klenzestraße 71
80469 Munich-Isarvorstadt
.How to get there
A restaurant where you actually have to reserve a table Monday and Tuesday nights or risk being too late to snag a spot? They must have one heck of a secret recipe. And do they! As the name suggests, at Sushi + Soul you can count on encountering unbelievably good sushi. The ingredients are so fresh and appetising, I trust myself for once to eat the usually dubious "Whitefish" in its most raw Sashimi form. No single order here has yet to disappoint me.
Of course, it must have something to do with the way the Sushi chefs, working very visibly behind their glass counter, don't just act like professionals- that is exactly what they are. But fear not- despite the resemblance the name may bear to the chaotic kitchen of the film Soul Kitchen, the venue is nothing like that! Even the service is very easygoing, yet attentive- a detail often overlooked in other acclaimed restaurants.
I find an equally important aspect of their secret to success in the well-roundedness of the overarching concept. Along with the excellent food, I'm also greatly enjoying the ambience. A withdrawn, yet simultaneously harmonious and inviting arrangement sets the tone. In some corners, traditional Tatami seating allows guests to enjoy Japanese dishes cross-legged on the floor, in proper style. A single wooden table with benches runs down the middle of the room. It is not uncommon for warm conversation to arise among neighbouring guests who were strangers to one another when they came in. And at each place, a precise still life arrangement of chopsticks, soy sauce bowl, and pebble is set. Beauty in simplicity.
The highlights extend to the drinks menu as well. In addition to their ingenious cocktails, Sushi + Soul offer a specially developed line of Asian wines by wine grower Martin Pasler. Wine seminars give those who are interested the opportunity to not just taste the wines, but experience them to their fullest extent. Because this alone would be all too boring for owner Christian Herbst, regular whiskey tastings also take place. The way he sees it, the Japanese are in the position to knock the Scots out of the ring.
Oh yeah, and for the last 16 years he and his kitchen masters have been teaching how to turn fish and rice into small, edible pieces of artwork. At the end of the course you'll have such a large collection of provisions, you can invite a large family to dinner that very evening! Too much effort? Then I must recommend promptly reserving a table ready for a full service dinner. Just don't forget the desert menu- complete with guaranteed surprises for your palate!