Although it may not be the only one it’s probably the most authentic. From the concept to the chef, Sushiya Aoyama develops its savoire-faire of catering Japanese-style in Ibiza from start to finish.
It’s not a typical restaurant. Hideki Aoyama’s brand-new business is the sushi-bar, which gets its name from ‘sushiya’; tapas-bar to share, ‘izakaya’ as they call it, and the oh-so western after-work, or ‘tachinomiya’ in Japanese, which turns out to mean informal eating at the bar and standing up. All of it washed down with a superb sake and the option of a good white or red wine if you’re not a fan of the fermented rice drink or don’t feel like it.
The venue is tiny and charming and it’s located in one of the squares that is most characteristic of what the historic fishermen’s neighbourhood of Ibiza used to be. Plaza de Sa Drassaneta – where not so many years ago they used to build the llaüts that left the port in search of fresh fish – is situated beside Calle de la Virgen, very close to the town walls. It is now home to the nigiris, the makis, the sushi and the sashimi of chef Aoyama, who graduated from the prestigious Tokyo Sushi Academy under the Japanese sushi masters Makoto Fukue and Suehiki Shimizu.
They have a seasonal menu. In addition to fresh fish and the variety of rice that’s most popular among Europe’s Japanese chefs – yumekishiki- seaweed, tofu, daikon, miso, soya and wasabi are among the other ingredients typical of the sushi-bar, combined with originality, soft music and love. Here’s to Japan, healthy, delicious eating and, of course, the island.
