7 Value-For-Money Japanese Restaurants in Sao Paulo

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to eat at good Japanese restaurants, from hot pots to sushi.

Good Japanese restaurant it is inevitably expensive. It is not easy to find the best ingredients for good oriental cuisine, such as fresh fish, good rice and things like that. Having good products is expensive. However, in the city of São Paulo, you can find some good Japanese restaurants that do not charge the omakase price of R$500 or even R$1,000.

Below, check out the selection of Palate with good Japanese restaurants, with good fish and excellent ingredients, and that don’t charge too much (but not so cheap that you become suspicious).

KenZushi

From the outside, the KenZushi It doesn’t even look like a Japanese restaurant: it’s small and located at the foot of the Congonhas airport. You arrive and go up a staircase until you find yourself in a small room, which can accommodate a maximum of 20 people. There you can eat well-made sushi: varied and fresh fish, shari with personalized seasonings and even complements different from other restaurants, such as not too strong ginger and seasoned shoyu. If you want an appetizer, it’s worth trying the shiso tempura with tartar (R$ 42.90) – salmon or tuna – or the sunomono (R$ 19.90). But the best is in the combos: for one person, the Tokyo (R$ 109.90) is ideal, with 23 pieces of the best fish of the day.

Where: R. Barão de Suruí, 190, Vila Congonhas. 5543-6207. 12/15 and 18.30/22.30 (Saturday 12/15 and 19/22; Sun 12/16; closed Monday). Instagram: @ken_zushi

SA

One of the biggest surprises in São Paulo recently, when it comes to Japanese restaurants, is the welcome. SA. The restaurant, located in Perdizes and run by chef Bruno Fernandes, has a menu that ranges from the omakases and rodízios that we find around the city: it is perhaps one of the best ways to start moving between two worlds. There are three closed menus in the house, which cost between R$ 195 and R$ 235. Among the delicacies you can find everything from different fish sashimi to corn tempura, through edamame with fleur de sel, tuna with black garlic and tuna tincture. with quail. It is well made, with fresh and fair fish. It is not excessively cheap, but it is one of the lowest prices among the omakases in the city.

Where: R. Desembargador do Vale, 206, Perdizes. 97612-0700. 12.30pm/3pm and 6.30pm/10pm (Saturday, 12.30pm/4pm and 7pm/10pm; closed Monday and Sunday). @sa.cozinhajaponesa.

On

Many people turn up their noses when it comes to restaurants in shopping malls, but the On It is a good option for those who do not want to spend a lot. The house, which was recently renovated and has a much more daring and creative look than other Japanese houses in São Paulo, is located in one of the many corridors of Shopping Higienópolis. There you will find delicacies of oriental cuisine, such as handrolls, an open version of temaki, to be eaten with your hands, such as sautéed mushrooms (R$ 28) and scallops (R$ 45). You can also complement it with niguiris (two pieces) and sashimi (three slices) of red akami (R$ 71/R$ 92), horse mackerel (R$ 25/R$ 27), eel (R$ 83), olhete (R$ 25/R$ 27), sea urchin (R$ 66) and sea bream (R$ 26/R$ 30). Want something hot? Good options of squid and pink shrimp skewers (R$ 50); Yuzu Teriyaki Bacon (pork belly cooked for four hours, R$34); Teriyaki Scallops (butter, Japanese pepper, R$65) and Octopus in Black Sesame Sauce (R$66).

Where: Patio Higienópolis shopping center. Av. Higienopolis, 618, Higienopolis. 12:00/23:00. Instagram: @restaurante.su.

Aizome

THE Aizome It is undoubtedly one of the best Japanese restaurants in São Paulo and yet you don’t need to have a lot of money in your pocket. In the Japan House unit, in Paulista, the restaurant aims to serve obentôs, everyday meals from Japan, carefully prepared and presented in portable packages. Therefore, the menu follows the cultural center’s proposal to showcase the diversity of contemporary Japan, valuing authentic culture and traditions, also reflecting the delicate and signature cuisine of chef Telma Shiraishi, with seasonal ingredients and a close relationship with local producers. It is worth ordering the settos, a meal designed and prepared to include all the necessary foods for a good diet, with gohan, miso soup, salad, tsukemono and kobachi, in addition to proteins. Among the options, Yakizakana (R$ 75), Karaaguê (R$ 75, marinated chicken leg, breaded and fried) and Tonkatsu (R$ 75, breaded and fried pork loin). There are also domburi, such as the chicken teriyaki (R$ 65, with boneless chicken thighs in teriyaki sauce).

Where: Av. Paulista, 52 – 2nd Floor – Bella Vista. 2222-1176. 11:30am/4:30pm (closed Monday). @aizomerestaurante.

Japanese gastronomy Sozai

Sozai Japanese Deli is a no-frills Japanese restaurant: a basic restaurant, for those who like the term. It goes from the atmosphere, simple and without too many frills, to the menu, which ranges across different preparations of oriental cuisine. Among the hot dishes, the highlights are the obentôs and domburi, such as the Toriteridon (R$ 48.50), a domburi of chicken legs with teriyaki sauce and kempira gobo, and the Tonkatsu Bento (R$ 65), with breaded pork loin, white meat, rice, cabbage salad and sides. As for sashimi and sushi, it is worth ordering a delicious futomaki with salmon, tuna, cucumber, shitake, dashimaki tamago, sesame and ginger (R$ 74.50), or the tuna uramaki (R$ 45).

Where: Travessa Umberto Bignardi, 7 – Paraíso. 11:00; 18:00 (Sunday 10:30/14:00; Monday closed). @sozaideli.

Kidoairaku

If there’s one restaurant that has changed over time, it’s Kidoairaku. Previously, the place was cramped and left the day’s choices on sheets of paper taped to the wall. Today, Kidoairaku is more modern, with an airy space, but it maintains the quality of Japanese food throughout its 35-year history – and, of course, much higher prices due to the restaurant’s change of atmosphere. The grilled eggplant in miso (R$90) is delicious, as is the curry katsu (R$96), which combines breaded pork loin, gohan and curry sauce. The yakizakana (grilled anchovies; R$90) is worth eating and praying for. The place also offers good sake and beer options to accompany it.

Where: R. São Joaquim, 381, room 10. 3132-6083. 11/14 and 18/20 (Fri and Sat. 11/14:30 and 18/20; closed on Sunday). @kidoairaku_japanesecuisine.

Toric Ramen

Another option in Liberdade is the cozy Torico Ramen, a house specialized in ramen with chicken broth, known as Tori Paitan, this broth is extracted exclusively from chicken, which results in a translucent and extremely light soup. According to the house, the broth is cooked over low heat for 7-8 hours, to extract all the nutrients and especially collagen, in the form of delicious gelatin, responsible for the creaminess of the soup. From there you will find three types of ramen: chicken and soy sauce, chicken and salt and chicken and pepper. Prices between R$37.80 and R$42.80.

Where: R. Thomaz Gonzaga, 110 – Liberdade. 3132-0173. 11.30am/2.30pm and 6pm/9pm. @toricoramen.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.