TOP 30 PLACEMENT AFTER 3 YEARS. Restaurant Narushi, operating in Vilnius and Nida (during the warm season), is the ninth new name in this year's top thirty best restaurants. It debuts at position 14.
3 WORDS BEST DESCRIBING THE RESTAURANT: love, authenticity, emotion.
WHY WORTH VISITING? We are not just a Japanese restaurant, we use many European ingredients such as truffles, various oils and, I believe, skillfully blend Japanese and European flavors, making Japanese cuisine more approachable, says Karolis Narušis, the founder of Narushi.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MENU? The founder of the restaurant advises guests not to hesitate and always ask the staff about any special dishes available that day. "We often have interesting ones—for example, we can offer all three parts of tuna. Many imagine tuna as red meat and nothing else, but, like beef, it has different cuts. Very often we have all three and suggest them as a special dish. And that doesn't mean it will be very expensive, far from it – the prices are the same as in the regular menu," Karolis recommends.
In Narushi the chef suggests trying the escolar maki (butterfish with yuzu and truffle sauce), a dish that emerged from a mistake but stayed on the menu due to its unexpected wow factor. Also, hamachi tataki (Japanese yellowtail, truffles, ginger) – this dish is not listed on the menu but is practically always available.
Although Narushi doesn't regularly offer tasting dinners, sometimes the menu includes so-called special dishes, with 3-4 of them costing a fixed amount, around 60 euros per person.
GUESTS RETURN FOR good food. "Additionally, we have an open kitchen; frequent visitors already know to sit at the bar, where they can chat with our chefs. Often, I myself am in the restaurant. This fosters conversations about food and a connection between our staff and guests," says Karolis.
WHO WORKS IN THE KITCHEN? The founder of Narushi, Karolis, has worked in well-known restaurants in London, where he gained kitchen experience. Starting as a pot washer, he observed kitchen work and soon found himself working there. The first professional kitchen he worked in was Nobu Park Lane, later awarded a Michelin star. Karolis says he likely fell in love with Japanese cuisine and it’s traditions there, which he, along with four team members, now tries to convey in Vilnius and Nida.
Photos by Robertas Daskevičius
