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[title]It is the quintessential ancient Japanese dish and has millions of fans worldwide. Sixteen years ago, an American expert on the subject decided to set a day on the calendar to celebrate it, and thus the current date was recorded: today, June 18th, International Sushi Day is celebrated.
Argentines are devoted to meat, yes, but we love sushi, which has ceased to be an exotic food to become a dish consumed frequently, and in some cases weekly. There are many options in the city, but some places, due to their quality, technique, and flavor combinations, have earned a reference spot, as happened with Nika Club Omakase, in Palermo Hollywood. The place opened a year and a half ago, with a 100% gluten-free proposal and a kitchen led by chefs Belén Higa and Mako Moriyama, who reinterpret the essence of Japanese omakase with technique, flavor, and a contemporary outlook.
What is omakase?
For those who recently jumped on the latest gastronomic trend of omakase, it’s worth refreshing a fact: Mako Moriyama, originally from Neuquén but with Japanese parents, was one of the sushimen who, back in 2009, was part of the Club M Omakase team—a small dining room that operated just meters from the current Nika, at a time when no one was familiar with this now-trendy term, which in Japanese means “I leave it in your hands.”
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Now, nearly a year and a half after its opening, Nika’s team has grown and the proposal has been well received in the neighborhood. In line with a sustainable philosophy, local products have been added to the Japanese technique and tradition. With a calm voice and serene gaze, Mako tells Time Out he entered the gastronomic world over 20 years ago and that his first job was as a dishwasher. Over the years, and with full studies at the Argentine Gastronomic Institute (IAG), Mako climbed the ranks and gained renown. “At Nika, besides being gluten-free, we have a kitchen low in sodium, fats, and sugar. Both in the dishes and at the sushi bar, we always try to avoid industrial products as much as possible,” says the chef, who today serves as head of the lunch sushi bar.
"We are gluten-free, with a kitchen low in sodium, fats, and sugar"
Among many other things, at Nika they make their own soy sauce because all the ones available in the market, explains Mako, contain wheat. “Almost everything is made in our kitchen. With some products, artisanal gluten-free preparation is more complicated, so we turn to industry, like with gelling agents for pastries. But this is the minimum indispensable. We also try to minimize waste in all work processes,” emphasizes the sushiman.
A zero-waste omakase
As part of a zero-waste philosophy, nothing is discarded at Nika. Everything is used and reused. One example of this concept is reflected in the diner’s experience, as the meal usually begins with something very oriental: gohan [typical Japanese rice] with furikake, a homemade seasoning prepared with dehydrated and ground ingredients, which can have many variants. “We serve furikake at the start because in Japanese cuisine it works as an appetizer, something that makes you salivate to start getting hungry,” explains the chef, son of Japanese parents and born in Neuquén. “Right now, for example, the kitchen team is preparing a furikake with fish bones. A demi-glace sauce is made, the fish—after drying—is ground and served as an umami factor in the furikake. Also, citrus peels or leftover bits of vegetables are reused for the vegetarian furikake. It’s part of the philosophy.”
Along the same lines of sustainability and love for traditional cuisine, Mako proudly talks about Nika’s fermentation library, which, although not visible to everyone in the dining room, curious diners can ask permission to visit the kitchen and admire it. “Seasonal products and natural ferments are key in our menu,” says Mako. “This allows us to prepare unique dishes. There are ferments that are over a year old, and Juan Panizza, who knows the most about this, takes care of all of it.”
"Seasonal products and natural ferments are key in our menu"
What are ferments?
In Panizza’s words, “ferments are a key tool in our gluten-free kitchen because they help transform flavors, add umami, and improve digestion.”
They use misos made from legumes and rice, naturally fermented wheat-free soy sauces, and fermented broths better known as garum. “Fermentation is an ancient technique that turns proteins into liquids full of flavors. In these fermentations, we use koji, a fungus that activates enzymes and enhances flavor,” Panizza explains. “This way, we achieve live, complex, and unique preparations. Additionally, we ferment plums, chili peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, and peaches, which combined with a percentage of salt develop acidity and depth naturally. Thanks to this kind of fermentation, we have a variety of raw materials throughout different seasons.”
Nika Club Omakase: one room, two proposals
To enter Nika, you climb a staircase leading to the first floor, and newcomers are surprised by a room where everything adds warmth—from the furniture, the tableware, to the light filtering through large windows overlooking the street. At Nika, depending on the client’s preference, one can choose the à la carte menu or the omakase experience.
For those who surrender to the will of the itamae, their place is at the sushi bar, and the experience is unique because diners have the chance to have a one-on-one with the sushiman, watch the sushi being prepared, and ask questions. “Feeding someone I don’t know and having the customer leave happy is one of the greatest satisfactions this profession gives me,” Mako confesses. “Also, with sushi now well established in Argentines’ palates, there are more opportunities to experiment and for people to dare to try other Japanese dishes. Now that Nika has a large kitchen, we are working hard.”
"Feeding someone I don’t know and having the customer leave happy is one of the greatest satisfactions this profession gives me"
At Nika, they celebrate International Sushi Day with a special menu
“It’s a proposal where we combine the best Nikkei sushi pieces, which people love, with some more traditional ones, mainly consumed in Japan,” Mako says. “That’s why we added a futomaki, which is a nori seaweed roll on the outside and vegetables inside, something quite common in Japan and served often at family gatherings, end-of-year parties. But it’s a piece you don’t often see here. The name futomaki refers to the size of the piece, because ‘futo’ means large, and ‘maki’ roll.”
There will also be miso soup to enjoy, 100% gluten-free, and traditional dishes like tamagoyaki. “Basically, it’s an egg omelet. It’s made on a special square pan and rolled on itself with a special technique,” Mako explains. “Tamagoyaki is so common in Japan it’s even served in kids’ lunchboxes for picnics. It provides much-needed protein.”
A club for exclusive and pampered customers
Finally, as an upgrade Nika offers its clients the chance to become members of the Omakase Club, an exclusive members-only room with a distinctive touch and many benefits. So far, 17 clients, or ‘clubers,’ are part of this membership, attending special events and always being considered for unique and exclusive experiences. Clubers are pampered, invited to try the latest kitchen creations, and the room is prepared and arranged for them if they want to celebrate their birthday.
Where: Nicaragua 5952. Reservations here.