Toki

With quiet booths, an authentic feel and relaxed pace, Toki immediately feels like the kind of place that we could spend a whole afternoon inside, slowly devouring the entire array of sushi options.

However, when we start to look through the menu, it seems that would be a bit ambitious. It is absolutely huge. It all sounds lovely, though, so perhaps we will give it a try.

With noodles, stir fries and a long list of hot starters, we quickly realise this is far more than a straight-forward sushi joint.
We spend ages deliberating before eventually deciding on our spread of colourful dishes to be shared between two.

The fried gyoza dumplings are filled to bursting point and we’d definitely try them again. The tofu salad has a pleasing mix of textures, plenty of tofu and the slightly-sweet dressing is sensational.

The “crazy salmon maki roll” from the specials is the real highlight. The salmon itself is super-fresh and is joined by avocado and what is described as “special sauce”. There’s nothing overtly crazy about it, other than how good it is. Perhaps it should be a regular dish.

The sushi sampler includes seven pieces of various nigiri and four pieces of California roll. If you like your sushi with cream cheese in it, the latter will delight you.

Almost everything is superb, and we have our eye on the udon noodles and teriyaki chicken for our next visit. There’s a lot of the menu left to try, after all.

WHAT IS IT…
Something of a veteran of the Abu Dhabi Japanese dining scene.

WHY GO…
For the super maki rolls and the chance to try plenty of dishes.