Yakuza by Olivier Porto

Muito muito bom

Fantástico

Nice place to see and be seen. Outrageous prices for sushi. Some lapses in service. Asked for a white wine and got a sparkling one. Too long for the food to arrive. Average quality.

Ambiente acolhedor. Empregados simpáticos e atenciosos.

Excelente!

Great food but a bit pricey

Muito bom????

When I heard that the Monumental Café 1923 was changing to a Yakuza by Olivier I was shocked to say the least (After all the restaurant is located in a very French looking hotel managed by a very French company). That being said I said to myself and to the restaurant manager, Diogo, that I would give it a try. And today was the day that I gave it a try. For starters let me state that I love oriental cuisine (mainly Japanese), and I love sushi; but I never really had a great sushi experience in Porto. Maybe the city, which has a lot of gastronomical landmarks in it of itself, just didn’t care for sushi; and because there was no demand, there was no supply. A few years ago that changed. New sushi-focused restaurants started to appear like Subenshi or Kanpai in the city with concepts borrowed from other locations in Portugal, namely Lisbon or the Algarve. While the scenario was certainly improving, it was constituted mainly by new-age fusion sushi (which I tend to not appreciate as much as traditional sushi). Let me tell you something, this is none of that. While I certainly don’t appreciate the “by Olivier” in the name (I’ve had several instances of not-so-great experiences in other restaurantes operated by him) and the social-media-driven frenzy that surrounds his name and restaurants, this particular restaurant has enormous added value to the gastro-scene in Porto. Full disclosure, I’m friendly with the staff (not that that in any way affects this review), and I really enjoy the space where the restaurant is located. And that’s where this story starts. I was seated at precisely 8h30pm, the time of my reservation, on my regular table by the fireplace and noticed that the decor, apart from the samurai on the entrance, had changed nothing. The fireplace was still topped by a Poseidon sculpture which, I couldn’t help to notice, was staring directly at the counter where the sushi was being prepared, almost in awe of the things being done to the creatures of his realm, certainly with a great deal of joy. What a great allegory of what happened at dinner. Usually when I have no idea of what I want, or it’s my first time at the restaurant (which this would be the case) I tend to throw myself on the hands of whomever is most knowledgeable. David in this case was extraordinarily helpful, inquiring me and my companion as to our preferences regarding the menu, and carefully delivering us a tailored experience. So far so good. I’m not getting into detail about every single piece that we’ve tried throughout the over 2 hour dinner experience, I’ll just say that every single one of them managed to beat my highest expectations (and I’m known for being a particularly picky customer). Both the fish was beautifully cut and ridiculously fresh, and the rice an absolute banger. The meal finished with Chocolate Mousse with Kit Kat and their Green Tea Fondant with Sesame Ice-cream. If you know me, you know the importance that desert has on my dinning experience (desert if for the soul, not the body) and they still managed to deliver. 90/100 for the Chocolate Mousse and 150/100 for the Green Tea Fondant (that thing was bonkers, absolutely amazing.). The only downside to the dining experience is the music which sometimes can be pretty loud and “clubby”. Overall an amazing experience on every level, with a promise of coming back again in the future. If you have the time, make sure to arrive early and enjoy the hotel’s bar, which is now managed by the restaurant, and their signature cocktails made with a ton of love by Ricardo, Tiago and Pedro, the three bartenders which never fail to make me feel at home every time I go to the bar (which me being the raging alcoholic that I am (I’m kidding btw), is quite often.). Overall Score Ambient 85/100 (Decor ++, Music -) Food 95/100 (Menu ++) Bar 100/100 (Cocktails +++) Value for Money 80/100 Friendliness 100/100 Cleanliness 100/100

Muito bom!!!!

Great food, awesome experience. The place was a little bit noisy. Great entries, sushi & sashimi with outstanding quality and a delicious desert!

Exceptional service . Very good good

Very good meal!!! The service needs work but in time and with more attention from the staff it will be refined. The food goes beyond expectations and the manager is very pleasant and assistive. Will come back for sure