I took a trip to Euro Plaza this week, for the first time in a while. It was 11.45am and I was ready for an early lunch. What I was really craving was sushi. I’ve heard a lot of great stuff about Kyo-Sakura Japanese restaurant, so I decided to give it a try. Sandwiched between Costa Coffee and Starbucks, it’s in a prominent position on the ground floor of the shopping mall. You have a choice of dining inside the bright and very comfortable restaurant, or out on the terrace. I opted for inside, to escape the lingering summer heat, and chose a table beside the open plan kitchen.
There’s a choice of two menus, the lunch sets and the main menu. Lunch sets include tempura, sashimi, sushi, pork cutlet, and chicken teriyaki. Sets include soup, rice, salad, and pickled vegetables and are good value at RMB 88-108. There’s a children’s set too for RMB 58, plus a range of grilled dishes, sashimi, tempura, sushi, and plenty of sea urchin. Tempura is a weakness of mine, so without hesitation I ordered the shrimp tempura. At RMB 40 for two pieces I had high expectations. Those expectations were not only met, they were exceeded. The tempura pieces were huge, with a crisp and incredibly light batter enveloping two perfectly cooked shrimp. I was in tempura heaven, only wishing I’d ordered more.
Sushi rolls include California, tempura shrimp, eel, and a duck liver parfait (RMB 68-88). The salmon and mango roll incorporated soft avocado, crab, and shredded radish, rolled and topped with smoked salmon, mango, and roe. The salmon was delicately flavored, and the thin slice of mango gave the roll a wonderfully fresh and light taste. Looking at other dishes the chefs were putting out, presentation is very impressive, with a real attention to detail.
Wait staff were polite and very efficient. The restaurant has its own bathroom, so you don’t have to use the ones in the mall, great if you’re dining with kids. Only a few tables were occupied when I arrived, by the time I left there was a queue of hungry diners waiting to be seated.
Kyo-Sakura
1/F Euro Plaza, 99 Yuxiang Rd, Shunyi District (8046 1397/1398, 138 1187 2809)
beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.
Photos: Sally Wilson
