Have you been craving Japanese food lately? Well then jump in your car and buckle yourself up because we’re about to recommend the best place ever!

The Sushi Bar Samurai, an authentic Japanese restaurant located in the middle of Rajagiriya is easily among the top 3 places in Colombo if you are in the mood for Japanese cuisine. Its parent company Sushi Bar Samurai (Pvt) Ltd operates two restaurants in Colombo, namely, “The Sushi Bar Samurai” which specialises in Japanese cuisine, and “Rampe” serving holistic Sri Lankan cuisine. Sushi Bar Samurai has been in operation since 2016, with Rampe following in 2019.

The Culinary Team at The Sushi Bar Samurai possesses vast experience in Japanese culinary techniques and has great exposure in preparing Japanese food at many Sri Lankan restaurants. Their current staff are trained by well experienced Japanese Chefs who have curated a delectable menu, combining the best of Sri Lankan ingredients
with authentic Japanese culinary techniques to provide a unique dining experience.

The menu was quite extensive and I had quite a time selecting a range of dishes that would do justice to the different culinary techniques that need to be displayed when presenting Japanese cuisine. I opted for the Sushi Moriawase Ume, Ebi Tempura Temaki, Don Buri TonKatsu, Spicy Salmon Rolls and Momo Yakitori. The Sushi Moriawase Ume which was an assorted platter of sushi and nigiri featured the Cucumber sushi roll, Veggie, Prawns, Crabmeat, Barramundi, Cuttlefish, Salmon and Tuna nigiri. Words fail to do justice to the pure joy that these bite size sushi brought to my palate. Dipped in soy sauce, this platter was the absolute best. The rice was moist, the fish tasted fresh and it was all I could do to stop myself from inhaling it all in a single go. If I was in charge of naming the dishes I would have named the next dish the “Super Spicy Salmon Roll” because it was on fire!

Sushi Bar Samurai does feature a number of good desserts as well and I opted for the Samurai Special Tempura
Ice Cream and the Chocolate biscuit pudding. The Ice cream had a crunchy biscuit coating around it along with honey and green apples. It was an interesting combination of flavours and I certainly enjoyed it! I think the Chefs were in the mood to get their customers a tad tipsy that day because the CBP had an overpowering taste of Brandy! Not that I’m complaining though. The brandy induced creamy chocolate layers and the light crunch of the biscuits made for a combination of flavours that I’m not likely to forget! The family-friendly, relaxed atmosphere is a hit with people who want to try Japanese food for the first time and do not feel intimidated to come and visit because they know they have a safe and reliable option to fall back on with Rampe’s Sri Lankan offering.

Apart from the above, Sushi Bar Samurai features four private dining rooms on the second floor with an intercom to place orders ensuring total privacy, sound systems to play your own music, TVs and Karaoke facilities. Diners have the option of ordering Japanese or Sri Lankan food from any floor. Make sure to Check out Sushi Bar Samurai Today. It’s a choice you won’t regret! Check out their FB and Insta for more details.

The spicy salmon which constituted the majority of the flavour was wrapped in sticky rice and nori and was an absolute mouthwatering delight. My usual “go-to’’ is the California Roll but this time around I thought I would opt for the Spicy Salmon and it was certainly the right choice. Ebi Tempura is the deep-fried shrimp that we all love, but wrap it up in sticky rice and nori and throw in a few cucumbers and you get yourself an Ebi Tempura Temaki, a cone-shaped, hand roll that is more or less the larger version of a sushi roll. The Shrimp was crispy and the rice had a distinct flavour of vinegar which I thought worked as a great combination. Dipped in soy sauce for an extra tang this is easily a dish I would order a second time around. The Momo Yakitori was grilled chicken thighs on skewers. It was dipped in a savoury mixture made of soy sauce, mirin and brown sugar. The chicken tasted fresh, tender and brimming with flavour! A top recommendation. By the time I had to taste the DonBuri, I was stuffed! But nonetheless, I wasn’t about to let my favourite crunchy pork cutlet laid on top of a steaming bowl of rice and layered with cabbage go uneaten! So eat I did and finished it all! The pork had a super crunchy outer layer and was soft and juicy on the inside. Combined with rice, cabbage and a tinge of soy sauce this made for one fantastic dish!

No: 226 Sri Jayawardenepura Mawatha, Kotte

Dine in / Take Away/ Delivery