Is the Price Worth a Try?

Naga is among the most famous Japanese restaurants in Rio de Janeiro. Located on the third floor of the state's most expensive shopping center, Village Mall, Naga is a pioneer in Japanese cuisine. For this review, we chose to start our order with the Ebi Spicy as our zensai (appetizer). This was followed by the Dyo de Salmão com Ovo de Codorna, Sushi de Vieira Selada, Sushi de Wagyu A5, Roll Centolla Naga, and the awaited Dyo Atum com Foie Gras. For desserts, we picked the quintessential Naga option - the mochi - and also the Churros Sandwich.

Photo Source: Sofia Zhang

I would say that all of these are a must-try, as they add up to a very pleasant combination of flavors. Every shrimp of the Ebi Spicy is large, chewy, and covered with the perfect amount of sauce. The Vieiras are my personal favorite though, free of the common and undesirable fishy flavor, and the ovas de masagô together with the rice only enhance their richness.

The Sushi de Wagyu A5 was, unfortunately, disappointing after having already tried so many impressive dishes. On the other hand, the Roll Centolla Naga is by far the best roll I have ever tried in my life. The first bite is crunchy, and soon after you can taste the sauce and the centolla - which is a type of king crab.

Lastly, the Dyo de Atum com Foie Gras; the holy grail! As soon as you put the piece in your mouth you can feel it immediately melting, and the mix of tuna with foie gras is simply magnificent. Absolutely a must-try!

To end this dinner, we ordered the most addicting yet tiny dessert: the traditional mochis of Japanese cuisine. Naga offers a series of flavors, and I would recommend trying all of them if given the chance. My favorite though is the green tea, as it is very fresh and light.

In sum, Naga is currently my favorite Japanese restaurant. One aspect to take into account is its price, though. The total of all these dishes was R$483,60 – accounting for R$241,80 per person, which is undoubtedly a large fee to pay. However, I would say that it is worth it, especially if you are a lover of Japanese cuisine.