Though sushi still isn’t served on every corner like somtam, Japanese restaurants are multiplying and competition is getting fierce. To gain more attention from customers, the four-year-old restaurant Tsubakiya has begun serving kaiten sushi (sushi on conveyor belt). Sushi plates on a rotating conveyor belt have nine different colors and prices from green or blue to light green. Because the eatery has a Japanese chef who has worked in the US, he brought western fusion sushi ideas to the restaurant. “To draw other foreign customers and Thais, we serve fusion sushi including spicy spider roll [fried soft crab wrapped with shrimp eggs], tempura roll [B80] and alasukamaki [assorted meat wrapped with salmon sushi]. Apart from sushi, other dishes we serve are authentic,” Siripong Chatprasert, the manager, said.
Tsubakiya is decorated in traditional Japanese style. The kaiten sushi is served on the first floor while six private rooms for eight to 10 people each in tatami style are available upstairs. The most tempting offer the sushi buffet, either lunch or dinner. The buffet limits you to the green, red and dark blue dishes only. This deal also includes salad and fried and boiled items such as udon and tonkatsu dishes. Other popular items are kurobuta tonkatsu (deep fried tender pork) using imported Japanese pork, tenzaru udon (cold tempura udon) and katsu curry rice (fried beef with curry rice). Though their main clientele is Japanese, Tsubakiya welcomes Thais. However, Siripong wants customers to try food as it really is. “I understand that some Japanese dishes are too bland to Thais, but some customers asked for fish sauce. I would like to see them try the actual taste, as it is,” Siripong said. For the buffet, you can have as much as you want—just don’t leave anything on your plate because you will be fined per bite!
