Akai Koi Sushi
“Like going to Japan.”
Sushi. I have talked about it already a few times. The point stays: it is surprisingly easy to get it vegan, and if the basics are right, e.g. quality of rice and craftmanship of the chef, it will be an extremely satisfying result. Akai Koi Sushi was a bit of a random find when trying to get something “light and Asian” after an evening class ending around 9pm on a Monday night. Sweden tends to be difficult with food after 9pm, but luckily we managed to get some food here before bedtime.
Entering Akai Koi Sushi is like an instant flashback to my time in Japan. The atmosphere is stunning, beautifully arranged and it makes you feel welcome from the get-go. The place is tiny, but that only helps the atmosphere. Located at Parkgatan, right at the main car traffic street through Gothenburg, it is not the most inviting place to walk to. So the nice atmosphere inside makes up for it.
After the first “wow” from the atmosphere settles, the menu shows quite the variety with different types of sushi and rolls, also clearly marked as “vegan”, which is always a big plus in my world. But even some sides/appetisers such as Edamame and warm dishes inspired by Korea and Japan with Bibimbap or Gyoza. And on top of that they offer some Japanese beers (also alcohol free). So, it is more of a whole composition rather than just a sushi shack.
We went for the Vegan rolls with mango, avocado and cucumber, as well as Edamame. In the meantime, we received Miso soup that really deserves the name. An umami-filled taste of Miso really gets you going. A short wait later, we received the Edamame. Interestingly, they were cold and not steamed as you would normally receive, but they still worked well with the small pinch of sea salt on top.
Shortly thereafter, the Sushi rolls arrived on plates that are just a tad too small for it all. The rolls were generally generous in size and difficult to fit in your mouth in one bite, but that’s alright sometimes.
As for the taste, the composition is on point. The rice is juicy, the nori clearly fresh, and the ingredients inside of high quality. Good mango, good avocado, good sushi. With a price tag of just 109 SEK, this feels almost like a steal. It was just topped off with the friendliness of the personnel.
Price:
10x Vegan rolls: 109 SEK
Vegan Gyoza: 135 SEK
Edamame: 45 SEK
The Verdict
Akai Koi Sushi is a little hidden gem right in the middle of Gothenburg. Attention to detail, love for the food and cheap prices will definitely make you happy to come here. Definitely worth coming!
5/5 Leaves
Pro
Beautiful atmosphere
Friendly and attentive personnel
attention to detail
high quality ingredients
Con
Sushi is a little bit on the boring side (just some maki rolls)
Location is out of the way from almost all places
Location
Parkgatan 17
Opening Hours
Mo-Fri: 11:00 - 22:00
Sa-Su: 12:00 - 22:00
