Trifter

Here are my three favourite ways to satisfy my cravings for Japanese food in Las Vegas:

1) Ichiza Japanese Restaurant and Sake House: Just minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip resides the cozy, off-the-beaten-track, culinary haven of Ichiza Japanese Restaurant and Sake House. It is a quaint yet vibrant haute spot in Las Vegas that creates excellent Japanese cuisine. Start off with a hot popcorn green tea while you browse the menu listings which adorn the walls of the restaurant.  My favourites: salmon belly steamed in sake, jalapeno fried rice, wasabi octopus, grilled bacon-wrapped asparagus (aspara-bacon), fried baby crabs, sashimi, and Asahi beer. For more pictures of Ichiza, check out Ichiza Las Vegas in Photos.

Image credit: Author

2) Swish Shabu Shabu- The perfect place for winter. It is definitely a comforting food during the cold season, but can be a nice treat during summertime, too (especially when the A/C is running on high). Shabu shabu is basically a big personalized hot pot. Each person gets their own pot of boiling broth and set of ingredients to “cook”. You can pick from vegetarian ingredients (mushroom-based or mixed veggies) or meat-centric ingredients, but all diners receive a plate with tofu, spinach, cabbage, onions, and carrots in addition to udon noodles, rice, and two sauces for dipping. For more details on the ingredients and cooking process, check out Swishing in Las Vegas.

3) Sushi Mon- Perfect for major sushi cravings. All you can eat, made to order, fresh sushi prepared by skillful chefs. If you are not in the mood for endless sushi, other options are teriyaki skewers, veggie and shrimp tempura, miso soup, udon noodle soups, or curried meats.  In addition, one can get potstickers, dumplings, egg rolls, edamame, and several combination platters of meat entries, sushi, tempura, and miso soup (bento box). Salads are also available, including a traditional mixed salad, a seaweed salad, and several green-leafy seafood salads. My favourite is the California salad complete with shrimp, crab, and avocado.  

So, those are top three favourite Japanese restaurants in Las Vegas at the moment. What are your favourite Japanese-inspired haute spots in the Valley? Please do share!

Other food & travel articles that may be of interest:

Las Vegas: 7 Places for French Food

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