Ken Sushi, Amsterdam – our review

The well-known restaurant Ken Sushi in beautiful Amsterdam had been on my list to visit for a while. The many positive stories I heard about this ‘omakase‘ restaurant had made me very curious. Unfortunately, every time I missed out on reserving a table, because Ken Sushi is often completely full. But luckily this time I was on time with my reservation, and on a very special day: my birthday! Together with my wife, whose birthday was four days earlier, we treated ourselves to an evening of sushi at Ken. And… was it worth the wait? Oh yeahhhh!!!!

Ken Sushi in Amsterdam

We were lucky with the traffic and therefore walked into the restaurant much earlier than planned. And we were happy about that, because it allowed us to take a seat right across from sous chef Tom, who was just starting his preparations. Tom runs this wonderful restaurant together with his brother Ken. It is truly a family business, as cousin Sky and sister-in-law Sid also work with them. A dream of Ken that became a reality in 2019 with a small restaurant in Amsterdam Oud-West. After some wandering and temporary locations, they now have their own permanent and spacious place in the center of Amsterdam, on the Geldersekade, close to Central Station. Easy to reach by public transport and by car. A beautiful building, where you immediately get the feeling of being in Japan as soon as you step inside.

Omakase experience

At Ken Sushi, you don’t just get sushi, no, you get an omakase experience. Omakase means “the chef decides. So you literally put all your trust in the chef’s hands. And we were happy to do so! In front of us, one beautiful piece of fish after another was transformed into a delicious piece of sushi by Tom, while chef Ken told an amusing yet interesting story about the background of the sushi we were served with each round. A perfect combination of great food and a touch of entertainment!

Beautiful sushi

We were lucky enough to sit in the Lapu Room, where both Ken and Tom were working. Seeing the founders themselves in action is a great birthday present in itself. All the wonderful dishes were prepared live in front of us, and sous chef Tom passionately explained what he was doing. We were explained the fish he was using (from mackerel from our North Sea, shrimp from Thailand to bluefin tuna from Japan), as well as the special ingredients they use at Ken Sushi, such as real wasabi.

Each of the dishes are little gifts. Delicious nigiri focusing on the pure taste of the fish, lightly flambéed scallops with a sprinkle of wasabi, or a small sushi taco with spicy salmon. One of the many highlights of the evening for us was the nigiri with grilled Japanese freshwater eel, lightly flambéed by Chef Tom. The flavors then released are truly an experience in themselves!

A salmon sensation

Not only is the food incredibly delicious, but you’ll feast your eyes throughout the evening. There is no shortage of entertainment at Ken Sushi! But all the “show” is 100% functional. For example, how about beautifully cut salmon sashimi placed under a bell jar, then smoked with wood chips from the Japanese Sakura tree? A beautiful spectacle to behold, but more importantly, the taste experience is second to none. The salmon becomes deliciously oily due to the smoke and melts on your tongue. A real treat for any lover of good salmon!

Treat yourself to Blue Fin Tuna

At the end of all rounds of sushi, you will be served two delicious options from Chef Ken:

You get to choose one more sushi that you liked the most, or…
You go for an upgrade and get as many as five extra surprises from the chef!

We chose the latter, of course, because we had already secretly heard that they had bluefin tuna in the house. And according to us, that really is the most delicious thing you can eat as a human being. We were certainly not disappointed. From the kitchen we were served insane explosions of flavor, including a piece of sushi with our favorite: Otoro… the fattest part of the tuna belly. Nothing really can beat this! The creamy, fatty fish melts on your tongue, and for a moment you feel like royalty.

Talk about creamy and fatty: In this extra round, you also have the opportunity to taste a nigiri with flambéed wagyu. Truly unpalatable so soft and tender.

At the end of this round, we too were allowed to choose one sushi that we liked best. But that was impossible, because everything was delicious! Chef Tom therefore chose for us, and once again a piece of Otoro came our way. A perfect end to a great evening!

Who is Ken Sushi suitable for?

Do you like sushi? Yes? Then you must have eaten at Ken Sushi. Here you get real authentic Japanese sushi, with a delicious twist by chefs Ken and Tom. Sushi for experts! Not only will your taste buds be pampered, your eyes will be treated to a culinary dance, making it truly a night out. Perfect for couples, groups of friends and the many tourists visiting the 750-year-old city of Amsterdam, as Ken and Tom speak English as easily as Dutch.

Don’t expect “all you can eat” rolls packed with rice and mayonnaise here, but culinary flavor bombs that melt on your tongue.

Address Ken Sushi, Amsterdam

A truly delicious sushi experience awaits you at the next address:

Ken Sushi
Geldersekade 19
1011 EJ Amsterdam

Park your car in the Oosterdok parking garage and walk there within 10 minutes. Or take the train and get off at the central station. From there it’s also only a 10-minute walk.

Reserve your spot on time at https://kensushi.nl/

Don’t wait too long and reserve a spot right away if there are still some available. You’re really going to enjoy yourself!

Our rating:

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