Fresh seafood sushi platters, spicy ramen noodle bowls or rich Katsu curries: no matter what your go-to order, it's hard to go wrong with any choice of Japanese fare when cravings start calling.
If you're planning a night out on the town or a takeaway treat this weekend, here are 10 restaurants where you'll find the best of both traditional dishes and innovative foodie fusion across Scotland.
Maki and Ramen
www.makiramen.com
Various locations
First launching on Nicholson Street in Edinburgh in 2015, Maki and Ramen has since expanded with restaurants across Scotland and the wider UK.
Inspired by the vast and varied range of ramen shops found across Japan, they say: “Our dedication to ramen is unmatched; every noodle is handcrafted with care, and our broth, a labour of love, is simmered for eight hours in our Edinburgh factory to achieve the most luxurious, deep-flavoured finish.”
You might also recognise the restaurant's founder, chef Teddy Lee, from a recent appearance on Come Dine With Me: The Professionals where he went head-to-head with fellow local chefs from Bloc+ and Amore D’Italia.
Yamato
www.yamatosushiedinburgh.co.uk
11 Lochrin Terrace, Edinburgh
Yamato is an authentic Japanese restaurant in the Tollcross area of Edinburgh where menus are regularly adapted to reflect the changing seasons and fresh produce available
The team prides itself on serving premium-quality Wagyu beef which is ‘beautifully marbled, aromatic and soft with fat that melts in the mouth’, as well as a selection of hand-rolled sushi, teppanyaki dishes and specials like crispy Brussel sprout salad with yuzu sauce.
Hou Hou Mei
houhoumei.co.uk
18 Tomnahurich Street, Inverness
Differing slightly from the other entries on this week’s list, Hou Hou Mei in Inverness serves a menu of Asian fusion rather than simply traditional Japanese dishes.
There you’ll find some of the best vegetable tempura, yakitori skewers and gyoza available in the city from husband and wife team Karen and JP Saint.
Elsewhere, look out for the newly opened ‘Mei Mei’ street food trailer serving katsu aubergine bao buns and pork dumplings steamed then seared until crisp and served with a soy vinegar dip.
Harajuku Kitchen
harajukukitchen.co.uk
10 Gillespie Place, Edinburgh
The AA Rosette awarded Harajuku Kitchen first began as a street food stall with a regular pitch at Edinburgh’s Stockbridge Market.
The authentic Japanese bistro from chef patron Kaori Simpson later opened in 2013 and has gone on to earn a reputation as one of the city’s best restaurants.
A portion of their signature free-range pork and chive gyoza is a must before moving on to your choice of donburi rice bowls, Udon noodle stir-fries, sashimi or sushi.
Okome
www.okomeonline.co.uk
Various locations
Specialising in healthy and hearty Japanese dishes like chicken chahan, yakisoba and chilli broth ramen, Okome operates branches in six locations including Byres Road and Pollokshaws Road in Glasgow, Clarkston, Bathgate and Galashiels.
The chain recently announced plans to open a new sushi bar and takeaway on Drymen Road in Bearsden, saying: “There is nothing like it in the area and we wanted to bring something new to the community.”
Oshibori
oshiborirestaurants.co.uk
162 Nethergate, Dundee
At Oshibori in Dundee, it’s all about ‘the best of British produce prepared with a Japanese twist’.
From Scottish-sourced seafood and Wagyu beef to organic vegetables, the chefs vow to use the highest quality ingredients throughout a menu of bento boxes, sushi platters and ramen.
Interesting things are happening over on the cocktail list too, like sake mojitos and Umeshu spritzers made with Japanese plum wine.
Ramen Dayo!
ramendayo.com
1126 Argyle Street, Glasgow
Glasgow’s Ramen Dayo was born out of “an unrelenting quest” to recreate the kind of ramen founder Paul Beveridge had fallen in love during his 12 years spent living in Tokyo.
At either the Ashton Lane or Finnieston outlet expect interiors inspired by Japan’s capital city and a menu of ramen that’s crafted from scratch and prepared to order.
If you’ve yet to visit, be sure to treat yourself to a side of crispy chicken Karaage with Kewpie Mayo or moreish togarashi fries alongside the main event.
Yorokobi by CJ
51 Huntly Street, Aberdeen
A family-run Korean-Japanese restaurant in the Granite City from a chef who has previously catered to Hollywood stars such as Madonna and Johnny Depp.
CJ’s special 10-piece sushi rolls make for a guaranteed show-stopper, alongside ‘sizzler plates’ of tender sliced beef served with traditional Korean sauce or a fiery hot udon soup with prawn tempura.
Oiishi East Kilbride
oiishi.co.uk
8 – 10 Hunter Street, East Kilbride
A restaurant on the outskirts of Glasgow which has in the past been the recipient of both Scottish Sushi Restaurant of the Year and Best Asian Restaurant in Scotland awards.
For a sample of the best they have to offer, go for a bento box filled with mixed sashimi, seafood gyoza and California Temaki or a veggie alternative packed neatly with yasai katsu curry, miso soup and inari nigiri.
Otherwise, the a la carte menu offers an extensive selection kicking off with the likes of pan-fried scallops with black truffle sauce or chicken yakitori skewers before moving on to sashimi platters and Japanese curries.
Koku Shi
koku-shi.com
Various locations
Koku Shi is Fife’s first chain of Japanese restaurants which now runs outlets across Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline and Perth.
While the pioneering team is said to be the ‘first in the world’ to utilise haggis in their sushi rolls, there are plenty of more traditional dishes like Agedashi tofu, salmon sashimi and pork belly ramen available across all three venues.
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