Ennmann Japanese Restaurant

Don't be fooled by the puritan below-ground space, Ennmann is one of the top Japanese restaurants in Budapest. The modestly furnished restaurant's strongest suit is seafood: besides chirashi, sashimi, and regular sushi (nigiri and maki), they serve a host of maki variations. I went with the six-piece nigiri plate, packing a pair of tuna, salmon, and sea bass each, and it didn’t disappoint. The shrimp tempura — seafood dressed in a thin layer of batter and quickly deep-fried — has a crispy crust and juicy meat. Also good is the katsudon, a rice bowl topped with eggs, onions, and sliced pork cutlet, and the yakisoba buckwheat noodles.

Expect longer than average wait times during peak lunch and dinner hours, but Japanese sake and beers are available to help pass the time. Ennmann is located on a beautiful stretch of the Danube's bank, which makes it all the more frustrating that the dining space is subterranean (there's a stunning view of the Hungarian Parliament building as you ascend to the street level). Prices, similar to comparable Japanese restaurants, are on the higher end by local standards.

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