Nagi Sushi (Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati City): The Sushi Concept of Ramen Nagi
The Nagi Group, the group behind the Philippine franchise of the Japanese ramen chain, has been opening new dining concepts in the recent years. One is Nagi Izakaya, the group’s adaptation of izakaya or Japanese drinking spots.
Last year, they launched Nagi Sushi, which serves nigiri (hand-pressed sushi rice topped with raw seafood), temaki (hand-rolled sushi) and Ramen Nagi’s classic ramen bowls. It’s first branch is located in Ayala Triangle Gardens, which is a growing food haven.
Nagi Sushi at The Shops at Ayala Triangle Gardens
Nagi Sushi
We availed their Premium Set 3 with Niboshi King ramen. This set has Chutoro (medium fatty tuna) Nigiri, Akami (the red and meaty part of the tuna) Nigiri, Salmon Nigiri, Hamachi (yellowtail) Nigiri, Unagi (eel) Nigiri, Katsuo (skipjack tuna) Nigiri, Katsuo-Don (skipjack tuna over rice), and Torotaku (tuna and pickled daikon radish) Temaki.
Premium Set 3 (PHP1280) with Niboshi King (Plus PHP520)
The Niboshi King is an exclusive to Nagi Sushi. It has a sardine-infused tonkotsu broth, two kinds of noodles (thick and flat), soy chashu, onion leeks, nori, and a touch of fire sauce.
Niboshi King
Honestly, I find the broth fishy. It took some time for my tastebuds to adjust. But the two kinds of noodles provide textures. The soy chashu is like ham; it’s thick, moist, and tender.
Flat Noodles of Niboshi King
We also had their Chicken Karaage (Japanese fried chicken), which is crisp and juicy. It has the strongest ginger taste among all karaages I tried.
Chicken Karaage (3pcs.: PHP250; 5pcs.: PHP360)
Let’s now turn to the highlight of the restaurant—the sushi. How do I find it?
To be frank, the katsuo items are fishy for me. So when you visit Nagi Sushi, skip these or don’t order sets that include it.
Katsuo-Don
The other items are buttery, such as the hamachi and salmon, with the latter being more buttery.
From Bottom to Top: Akami Nigiri, Salmon Nigiri, and Hamachi Nigiri
But the best one (and it’s expected) is the chutoro. It’s the most buttery of all the sushi items I had. It’s like it combines the texture of tuna (which I love) and the richness of salmon.
Chutoro Nigiri
Nagi Sushi serves fresh sushi while offering its ramen staples. If I’m going back, I would just settle for their classic Butao King ramen and order more chutoro. I think the chutoro alone is enough reason to visit again. I recommend Nagi Sushi to you.
Address: Lower G/F, The Shops at Ayala Triangle Gardens, Paseo de Roxas Ave. cor. Makati Ave., Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating Hours: Daily, 10AM-9PM | Facebook | Instagram