Sushi Review of Nippon Japanese Restaurant in Houston, TX

Ever have one of those dreams where you go to work and you're not wearing any clothes only you really are wearing clothes and instead of being at work, you're sitting in one of Houston's best Japanese restaurants without any cash or credit cards? Yeah, not just a dream for me last year. So now that the emotional scars from that little episode have been tattooed over with little drawings of heart-shaped mountain bikes, my team of stalwart sushi comrades and I went back to Nippon. This time with money. Hooray!

The paper lanterns of Nippon in Houston

Holy out eating out of order Batman! One of my friends attained ultra-mega-regular customer status earlier this year, so the owner helped wait on us personally. Great, except that I angered the sushi gods (and felt that I maybe irritated her) by ordering the sukiyaki before the sashimi and the maki. Not traditional Japanese food eating order apparently.

Let's collectively gush over the sukiyaki. Split three ways, our mistake of not sitting at the sushi bar paid a dividend here by setting the pan in the middle of our table. Sweet, tender beef with tofu, spinach, onion, and noodles, it was all I could do not to plant my head in the pan and start slurping uncontrollably. Next!

Sukiyaki at Nippon in Houston

The sashimi unorthodoxically served after the sukiyaki came as squid, octopus, red snapper, tuna, sweet shrimp, yellow tail, and little red fish eggs. Wonderfully tender octopus, perfectly fresh red snapper, and excellent tuna cut in the shape of aspen leaves. Ahhhh. The yellow tail crowned the experience with a flavor and freshness that trancended the Osteichthyes class of vertebrates into pure edible angel... fish. But yellowtail. Mmmm.

Sashimi plate at Nippon in Houston

The maki included a futomaki (picnic roll) and a house special role containing tuna, spicy mayo, avocado covered in eel sauce, more spicy mayo, and those little deep fried flakes I can't remember the name of covering everything. Futo maki also translates as "let's all chuckle at our friend while he tries to only bite a piece off instead of sticking the whole thing in his mouth and letting the rest of it fall to pieces on his sushi plate". I know someone who has a friend that's neighbors with someone who speaks fluent Japanese. My first futomaki and I loved it. The house special role was also quite yummy.

Futomaki at Nippon in Houston

House special roll at Nippon in Houston

A perfect night in reverse. Be prepared for challenging parking and a warm comfortable dinning room as well as excellent service and a distinguished sake menu. I currentlty believe Nippon to be the best sushi restaurant in Houston. Contrary to what these proles believe.

Nighttime at Nippon in Houston

The sushi bar at Nippon in Houston