Sushi and nigiri in Madrid: inside Panthera's signature sushi

At Panthera the sushi is signature-style with a Nikkei accent: scallop nigiri with melted cheese, red prawn with its grilled head or torched salmon with chimichurri, plus gunkans, chef's sashimi and six rolls. It is ordered for sharing, as part of a dinner that becomes a club at midnight, on Calle de Miguel Ángel 21 in Chamberí.

What makes Panthera's sushi different

Nikkei cooking grew out of the meeting between Japanese tradition and the Peruvian larder, and you can taste it in how each piece is finished. At Panthera the base is Japanese (rice, knife work, raw fish), but the toppings look to Latin America and the Mediterranean: chimichurri on the salmon, a blowtorch on the scallop, caviar on the tuna. The menu describes itself as «international, with Nikkei, Mediterranean and Latin influences», and the sushi is where that mix is clearest.

The other difference is the setting. This is not sushi eaten in silence at a counter, but in a dimly lit room with live DJs and an international crowd. It is sushi for a group dinner or a date that is going to end on the dance floor.

Nigiri, gunkans and sashimi: the full list

• Scallop and melted cheese nigiri. The biggest surprise if you arrive expecting classic sushi.
• Red prawn nigiri with its grilled head. Two textures from the same prawn.
• Sea bass and lime nigiri. Clean and citrusy, a good place to start.
• Smoked beef tartare nigiri and wagyu beef nigiri. For those who prefer meat.
• Salmon or torched salmon with chimichurri. The most Latin touch on the list.
• Red tuna and caviar nigiri and tuna belly nigiri. The richest, most flavourful cuts of tuna.
• Gunkans with sea urchin roe, wagyu, or smoked steak tartare with caviar.
• Sashimi, the chef's selection in 4 or 6 pieces.

Rolls for sharing

Rolls are the easiest way for everyone to try a bit of everything. The Tuna Bomb brings together tuna belly and loin; the Spicy Tuna adds red tuna, avocado, sriracha mayonnaise and tuna tartare; the Dragon Tempura is battered, with eel, tuna, avocado and eel sauce. The Salmon Lover (cream cheese, avocado, fresh and torched salmon) tends to please everyone, and the Steak Tartare Handroll, with smoked beef tartare and aged beef fat, bridges the gap between sushi and the grill. There is also a veggie roll with seasonal vegetables. The full list is on our menu.

To drink, cocktails built on citrus and ginger go better with raw fish than the sweeter ones. There are specific suggestions in our guide to signature cocktails in Madrid.

How to order sushi for a sharing dinner

At a table of four, the most practical approach is to order in rounds. Start with the white fish and more citrusy nigiri, such as the sea bass with lime, and save the richer ones for later: red tuna with caviar, tuna belly or wagyu. Gunkans sit nicely between a single bite and a small plate, and the chef's sashimi in 6 pieces lets everyone try something. Rolls are best at the end of the sushi round and before the mains, as they are more filling.

A couple of details help. Nigiri are eaten in one bite and, if you use soy sauce, dip the fish side rather than the rice, which falls apart. Pieces that already come with a sauce, chimichurri or caviar need nothing added: they are meant to be eaten as they are. And if someone at the table does not eat raw fish, the wagyu and smoked beef tartare nigiri or the Steak Tartare Handroll are a good alternative.

Other places for sushi in Madrid

Madrid has a rich Japanese and Nikkei scene, and it is worth exploring. Here are three very different references:

• Zuma Madrid, on Paseo de la Castellana 2: contemporary izakaya-style Japanese, with a main kitchen, sushi counter and robata grill.
• Sr. Ito, on Calle de Pelayo 60 in Chueca: Japanese fusion with a neighbourhood feel, in a small space.
• Gaman, on Calle de Ferrer del Río 7 in Guindalera: Luis Arévalo's Nikkei cooking since 2018, holder of a Repsol Sun.

Each has its moment. Panthera is the one to choose if you want sushi to be part of a longer night, with cocktails and a dance floor afterwards. For more, see our guide to what to order at Panthera.