Mike S.
Yelp
Generally, I am not a fan of Asian fusion type places because in my experience it means they are going to do mediocre interpretations of foods from different cultures. I do NOT place Nikkei of Peru in the same category. To my mind the Peruvian influence makes sense considering the population of Peru is approximately 15-20% Asian and the Peruvian usage of chimichurri, aji, jalapeno, citrus, etc. seems like it would be a great match for sushi and sashimi - spoiler alert: IT WAS!
Arrived for an early Saturday night dinner in cold March hoping we didn't have to wait, as this time, we didn't. This place looks like it would be great for warm weather being across the street from the water and they have a garage door front and outdoor patio to enjoy the views that are slightly diminished by being on the wrong side of a busy road. Space is small, seating is somewhat tight and the decor represents the mix of cultures well with the simple dark wood and leather furniture typical of most sushi spots, but the walls were painted bright oranges with colorful artwork suggesting the Peruvian influence.
Service was attentive with a good pace of meal. We started with a small nigori sake and I ordered a Hitachino White Ale, which at $12 seemed over priced. The creamy spicy crab made for an interesting appetizer a cooked concoction of crab stick, scallion and fish eggs in a vinegary Tabasco like sauce. Of the two items that came with my meal the red miso soup was very good with a little more depth of flavor over typical Miso soups served elsewhere. The small salad with the onion soy vinaigrette was outstanding.
I went for the Nikkei Inspiration Sushi, and I must say, currently at $26, is perhaps the most inexpensive "omakase" in the Tri-state area. The nigiri pieces were the smallest I ever seen anywhere - literally narrower than my finger, but the small bites packed a lot of flavor. I call this "omakase" because the pieces are chef choice. I found them all interesting with chimichurri on fluke, aji sauce on yellowtail, miso sauce on Tuna, cripsy brussel sprout on salmon, among others - these selections may change by what "inspires" the chef.
Although the fish quality was not the very best you can find I wasn't expecting it to be because of the strong flavors/sauces accompanying the pieces it works in the way "spicy" rolls work by elevating a lesser cut of fish. We also ordered the rainbow and kiss of fire from the special rolls - they were a bit on the smallish side, but tasty.
For dessert the black and white fondant was worthwhile with its rich, chocolate cake with white chocolate sauce. The green tea ice cream was creamy, but could use more (always use more) green tea flavor.
Overall, I have to say, you can get good value for the money here if you know what to order. The Nikkei Inspiration Sushi is a fun little adventure with an extremely reasonable ticket cost for the ride. Avoid the overpriced Hitachino, which I should have done - the slightly sweet and inexpensive Sapporo always works well with sushi. Go early on weekends because it gets packed, probably more so in warmer weather.