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Spice is nice when it comes to savouring the flavours of sushi, according to a restaurateur who reckons a touch of Mexico makes all the difference.
Sushi Ko in Adliya offers diners a choice of raw or cooked fish dishes with a pinch of spice and a marvelous mixture of tantalising tastes.
The unique concept was brought to the kingdom by 36-year-old Yasser K Showaiter, a member of the renowned Showaiter sweet group family.
Yasser was first introduced to sushi by his friends while studying in the US and was not taken by the taste at first. But on a trip to Mexico, at a friend's restaurant, Yasser got the opportunity to watch sushi being transformed into something more palatable for local tastes.
He explained: "They spiced up the sushi and used more cooked fish than the traditional raw fish techniques."
Yasser spent six months learning the skills for creating the delicacies and Sushi Ko was opened in late 1999 at a time when the island had no other independent sushi restaurants.
The only two rival sushi restaurants were Sato at the Gulf Hotel and Kie in the former Hilton Hotel.
Yasser said: "When I started the restaurant I faced many comments from people saying it would never work.
"Today, we now have regular customers, ordering the same dish, at the same time ... daily for lunch and dinner!"
Slashing myths about sushi being a raw deal, Yasser's new techniques have helped create a fondness for the dish, not only amongst the Western or Eastern crowds, but also within the local Arab community.
"When I first opened, most of our customers were foreigners. Over the years, the restaurant has built-up a much stronger Bahraini customer base - up to 80 per cent now."
In the future Yasser plans to expand by opening more outlets across the island.
The restaurant's sushi chef Ronnie Freo said that alongside fish, rice, sushi vinegar, flavourings and seaweed it is important to have in your kitchen a sushi knife, a board, cling film and a bamboo net (for rolling).
