Nikkei restaurant in Madrid: what Nikkei cooking is and where to try it

Nikkei cooking is the fusion of Japanese and Peruvian food, born from Japanese immigration to Peru. In Madrid you can try it at specialist restaurants such as Luis Arévalo's Gaman, and on menus with a Nikkei influence such as Panthera's in Chamberí, where nigiri, tiraditos, yellow chilli and the grill share the table.

What Nikkei cooking is

Nikkei is the name given to Japanese emigrants and their descendants. In Peru, that community applied Japanese technique (precise knife work, respect for raw fish, balanced sauces) to Peruvian ingredients: chillies, citrus and corn. The result is not sushi with hot sauce or ceviche with soy, but a cuisine of its own with more than a century of history.

The clearest example is the tiradito: fish sliced thin like sashimi and dressed in tiger's milk, the sharp, spicy citrus marinade used for ceviche. Japanese technique, Peruvian flavour.

From there the family is broad: ceviches with soy or ginger, nigiri with Peruvian sauces, tempura served with chilli mayonnaise, or wok stir-fries that echo lomo saltado. What ties it all together is the balance of acidity, heat and umami, and the starring role of raw fish and seafood.

Panthera's Nikkei-accented dishes

To be clear: Panthera is not a purely Nikkei restaurant. Its menu is international, with Nikkei, Mediterranean and Latin influences. But the Nikkei side is one of the most recognisable parts of the menu:

• Sea bass tiradito with yellow chilli tiger's milk, sweet corn and toasted corn kernels.
• Wok-seared sirloin with yellow chilli mayonnaise, a nod to Peruvian lomo saltado.
• Enoki tempura with yellow chilli mayo and sweet chilli sauce.
• Gunkans of sea urchin roe, wagyu, and smoked steak tartare with caviar.
• Nigiri such as red prawn with its grilled head, scallop with melted cheese, or torched salmon with chimichurri.
• Chargrilled snap peas with togarashi, katsuobushi and homemade ponzu.

At the bar, the Margarita Nikkei (Patrón Silver tequila, yuzu, ginger sugar and tajín) is the liquid version of the same idea.

The rest of the menu completes the journey. The Latin side brings red prawn aguachile with avocado and jalapeño, the hake tempura taco and tableside guacamole; the Mediterranean side, grilled sea bass or the dry-aged entrecôte. That is why Panthera works well for groups: everyone finds their own ground.

Luis Arévalo and Gaman, a Nikkei reference in Spain

Talk about Nikkei cooking in Spain and you have to mention Luis Arévalo, regarded as one of its pioneers. His restaurant, Gaman, is at Calle Ferrer del Río 7 in Guindalera, has been cooking Nikkei since 2018 and holds a Repsol Sun. For a Nikkei experience from start to finish, it is a must.

There is some history with the brand: in summer 2021 the press reported that Arévalo led the kitchen at Panthera Hipódromo, the brand's seasonal edition in the racecourse grandstands. Today his home is Gaman, and the menu at Panthera on Miguel Ángel is a separate chapter with its own team.

How to order Nikkei at Panthera

1. Start with the raw dishes: the tiradito and the oyster with ponzu get things going.
2. Move on to gunkans and nigiri to share, two or three per person.
3. Then the grill: the wok-seared sirloin or, for a Mediterranean turn, the grilled sea bass for two.
4. Pair it with a Margarita Nikkei and finish with the torrija and its yuzu ice cream.

If you have an allergy, Panthera has an allergen menu; mention it when you book. And since dinner here ends in a party, take a look at how Dinner and Dance works.