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Nikkei Kitchen Schwabing peruanisches Restaurant Muenchen Brunch Bento Box-26

Have you been there yourselves?

NIKKEI KITCHEN: High-quality brunch bento boxes in Schwabing | Everyone's talking about it, but for many it's still a big question mark: Nikkei Kitchen! What's behind it, where does the cuisine come from, and why shouldn't you miss the absolutely unique brunch in the form of three different bento brunch boxes from the Nikkei Kitchen restaurant in Schwabing? – I'll answer all these questions and, of course, take you with me to Schwabing for the Peruvian-Japanese brunch.

What is "Nikkei cuisine"?

Before we eat, here's a little background information on Nikkei cuisine. The Nikkei food trend is older than we are, originating around 1900 – created and influenced by former immigrants, some of whom were Japanese. Peruvian cuisine was shaped by the large Japanese communities that settled there from the late 19th century onward. Why? Peru was the first Latin American country to establish diplomatic relations with Japan in 1873 and, in 1899, welcomed a group of almost 800 Japanese workers to work in Peruvian sugarcane fields. The original plan was to send the Japanese workers back to Japan after their work was done, but they chose to stay in Peru.

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Take a seat and enjoy – whether à la carte or in the form of brunch bento boxes.

You might be wondering what this has to do with Nikkei? – Today, over 100,000 people of Japanese descent call Peru home – incidentally, the second-largest Japanese community outside of Japan, after Brazil. Naturally, these numerous "adopted Peruvians" with their Japanese roots have also influenced Peruvian cuisine and local eating habits. The resulting culinary style combines Japanese preparation methods and cooking techniques with Peruvian ingredients and is called "Nikkei" or "Nikkei cuisine." The Nikkei cuisine concept has become so popular that it is now offered by some of the world's finest restaurants.

Nikkei cuisine is also known for being consistently healthy and light, for not rigidly adhering to prescribed traditions and culinary rules, and for being reimagined and creatively implemented every day. This means that every "Nikkei kitchen" and every Nikkei restaurant tastes different and unique. I've learned (and tasted) that every Nikkei chef consciously brings their own touch to their creations, thus ensuring unique culinary experiences for you as a guest. A particularly good place to experience Nikkei cuisine is the eponymous restaurant. Restaurant „Nikkei Kitchen“ in Schwabing.

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Chef and owner Michael Canepa explains the individual dishes to me

The Peruvian-Japanese restaurant "Nikkei Kitchen" in Schwabing

Now that we know the origins of the cuisine, let's take a closer look at Schwabing's culinary scene: The "Nikkei Kitchen" restaurant first opened in March 2021 with a takeaway service during the lockdown. Since mid-May, you can also enjoy their delicious food on-site. Upon entering, you'll be immediately greeted by the friendly Nikkei team. Nikkei Kitchen stands for hospitality, a family atmosphere, warmth, and, of course, good, high-quality food. The location is small and cozy; inside, there's room for 20 guests, and another 10 on the terrace. It's furnished with simple wooden tables adorned with fresh flowers; the walls are painted in vibrant colors, and a toro (a mythical creature) watches you dine from its screen.

Nikkei Kitchen is distinguished not only by its delicious dishes and bento boxes, but also by the exceptional expertise of its Peruvian team. Owner and head chef Michael personally oversees the cooking – himself Peruvian and a former chef at the Mandarin Oriental. He meticulously ensures that only the highest quality ingredients are used, and each dish is served with that special something. The focus is on the pure flavor of each component. This means that every ingredient takes center stage, highlighted by the unique Nikkei-style cooking and preparation. Classic Peruvian dishes are always prepared with a distinctive Nikkei twist, and you'll be served creations where the special character is immediately apparent after just one taste. Look forward to sophisticated yet down-to-earth and authentic Peruvian cuisine.

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The three bento boxes: Box Nikkei, Box del Mar and Box de Desayuno.

Brunch at Nikkei Kitchen

I went there for brunch. The Nikkei Kitchen Brunch is currently offered on Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM and consists of various bento boxes, from which you can choose. Bento boxes, by the way, have existed in Japan since the fifth century and have remained popular to this day because their design allows for many different small delicacies. So you don't have to commit to just one dish; you can try and share a lot – ideal for brunch.

The three bento boxes from Nikkei Kitchen were specially curated by head chef Michael and his team, and each contains a different selection. You can also customize your box if you have any dietary restrictions or preferences. Most brunch items can also be ordered individually for breakfast on-site. Each bento box comes with a hot dashi soup (a Japanese base made from kombu seaweed and dried bonito) and miso to warm you up and prepare you for the bento brunch box that follows.

You can choose between three different boxes. My tip, however, would be to come to Nikkei Kitchen in a group and have brunch together. That way, you can all order the three bento boxes and explore and sample the delicious Peruvian dishes together, one by one. I think that's the most fun way to do it, as each box is different and a little culinary work of art in itself.

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My favorite at the front is the „Box del Mar“ with „Causa Octopus“, „Quinoa Salad“, „Salmon Teriyaki“ and a daily special.

An overview of the bento boxes:
The first box is the „Box Nikkei“ and offers a great overview of the highlights of the Nikkei Kitchen menu. It includes "Ceviche" – the 'national dish of Peru' with fresh sea bass and squid/octopus marinated in leche de tigre (lime juice, vegetables, coriander), ají amarillo (Peruvian yellow chili), roasted Peruvian corn from the Andes, sweet potatoes and red onion; "crispy gyozas" – these are meat-filled dumplings; "temaki" – sushi where the nori sheet is rolled by hand into a pointed cone and filled; and "Domburi" – a small beef and rice bowl containing sous-vide cooked beef, edamame, vegetables and the Peruvian street food sauce 'anticucho tonkatsu'.

The second box is the „"Box del Mar"“ and your choice if you like to eat fish. Inside you will find "Causa Octopus" – a cold Peruvian specialty prepared with potatoes, lime and ajíes –, "Quinoa Salad", "Salmon Teriyaki" – warm salmon on rice in teriyaki sauce – and in the fourth box compartment a changing daily special.

You can also order Peruvian delicacies à la carte.

The „Box de Desayuno“, Box number three is the "Breakfast Box" at the Nikkei Kitchen restaurant and is a tribute to German breakfast culture combined with a Peruvian touch. It contains a classic chocolate croissant, a small farmer's breakfast with potatoes and egg, "Chicharón" – a Peruvian dish with sweet potatoes and pork – and also a daily special.

I had the opportunity to try all three boxes and actually found it difficult to choose a favorite because everything tasted so good. I'm a big fish fan myself and enjoy trying dishes I haven't had before. The "Box del Mar" would probably be my first choice, although, as mentioned, each one has a different contents. I was very impressed with the quality and presentation of the Nikkei Kitchen brunch.

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Each bento box is filled differently.

Nikkei Kitchen in the evening

Dinner service begins at 5:00 PM, and you can order Peruvian dishes à la carte until 9:30 PM. However, the restaurant remains open until midnight. Those who have previously tried the brunch mentioned above will recognize some of the dishes on the dinner menu from the bento boxes. The dinner menu offers numerous other highlights from Peruvian cuisine and changes regularly – it's definitely worth coming back several times. For example, you can expect three types of ceviche ("Ceviche Con Sabor a Perú," "Ceviche Fish & Octopus," and "Ceviche Red Spicy with Crunchy Calamari"), various salmon creations ("Tiradito de Salmón," "Roll Salmón," "Salmon Teriyaki"), as well as "Otoshi," "The Cholito Kraken," "Calamari Strikes Back," "Nikki Duck," "Char Siu," "North Beef 770," "Pisco Sour de Maracuya," and many more dishes. Fondant de Chocolat, macarons and mochi ice cream are also on the menu.

Definitely check out Nikkei Kitchen and see for yourself. For me, it's a truly fantastic restaurant that impresses with outstanding quality, incredibly warm service, and a cohesive overall concept. Thumbs up!

+++ This article was created in cooperation with Nikkei Kitchen. Thank you! +++

HARD FACTS / CONTACT FOR INQUIRIES

Nikkei Kitchen Herzogstrasse 86, 80796 Munich

Opening hours:
Brunch: Friday and Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm;
Dinner: Tuesday to Saturday from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM (open until midnight)

Website

Contact via telephone: 0176 884 79 259

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