A return to Nini Choo has long been on my bucket list. This Japanese restaurant, opened two and a half years ago, is an offshoot of the famed Nini Hachi in Tel Aviv. It is conveniently situated in an open-air mall in Petah Tikva, with free parking nearby for restaurant patrons.
It was a sunny, crisp day when we arrived for lunch. I inquired about a business lunch and was told it was 10% off the menu’s regular prices.
We asked for English menus, which were instantly available. There is a large variety of starters, which include sushi, sashimi, tataki, nigari, and chirachi.
My choice was tofu agedashi, which is fried tofu with seaweed and green onion. The tofu cubes were crumbed and deep-fried; the sauce was faintly sweet and might have contained some rice wine.
I liked that it was served hot; the tofu was crispy and the sauce very good, but the nori seaweed was just perched on the side and somehow didn’t blend in with the dish. However, it was a satisfying starter and so generous a portion that I was able to take a lot of it home for my vegan son to enjoy.
My companion chose crispy chicken wings in a sweet & sour ginger and garlic sauce. Although very adept at wielding chopsticks, he discovered this was not an option and resorted to using his hands.
We decided we had better just taste the sushi to be able to report about it. Two magnificent specimens of spicy nigiri arrived at our table, one with smoked salmon, the other with fresh tuna (NIS 39). They were true works of art and delicious as well. A mouthful of flavors and textures.
We were asked if we would like the chef to start on our main courses, and we were very happy to give the go-ahead. This meant we might have to wait a while, which is far better than having the mains arrive while still eating the first course.
I chose a dish called nam man hoi beef, which consisted of three kinds of mushrooms, bok choy, and asparagus, with steamed rice (NIS 60). This was a great choice. The asparagus was fresh, the bok choy crunchy, and the paper-thin slices of beef very tender. The three kinds of mushrooms were Portobello, champignons, and beech mushrooms – the tiny-headed white variety (NIS 69).
My companion had chicken teppanyaki with carrots and peppers. It consisted of pieces of baby chicken seared on a grill with garlic, soy, and ginger sauce (NIS 78). He pronounced it very acceptable, though a little prosaic.
For dessert, we chose chocolate brownies with crispy chocolate tuiles, which we shared (NIS 48). It was very rich and topped with crushed salted peanuts, creating a nice contrast.
To conclude the meal, we drank hot lemongrass tea to help all the calories go down (NIS 19).
We left Nini Choo in agreement that the restaurant has maintained its very high standards.
The other diners, many coming for lunch from the offices and hi-tech companies nearby, all seemed to agree. This is definitely a restaurant to revisit – as we did.
- Nini Choo
- 18 Hasivim, Petah Tikva
- Tel: (03) 518-3333
- Hours: Sunday-Thursday, noon-11 p.m.; Friday, takeaway only; Saturday, one hour after Shabbat until midnight
- Kashrut: Petah Tikva Rabbinate
- Wheelchair accessible
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.