The Genuine Nipponic Cuisine of Shiroya Restaurant in Rome, Italy

Posted by Rowena Dumlao - Giardina 5/17/2019

The Genuine Nipponic Cuisine of Shiroya Restaurant in Rome, Italy

Something was clear in the mind of young entrepreneur Sabrina Bai when she opened Shiroya Restaurant. After extensive travels and work in Japan, she wanted to share her passion and lead the Romans to a gastronomic voyage through the Land of the Rising Sun, taking as much authenticity as she can. The soul of a country is breathed in the kitchen where history and beauty merge in dishes created by the hands of its own people. There are complexities in the flavors, aromas that emit unfamiliarity and curious consistencies. Japan is a land in East Asia composed of a group of 6,852 islands located in the Pacific Ocean. Being surrounded with water, traditionally, the cuisine has a predominance of seafood and vegetables emphasis on their seasonality, accompanied by staples rice and noodles. Only in the mid-19th century was meat introduced to the Japanese diet.

Sabrina Bai, with the fundamental support and consultancy of Dario Laurenzi of Laurenzi Consulting who was one of her principal professors at the university, embarked on a paramount adventure. Thus, in mid April of 2019, Shiroya Restaurant was born a few steps of one of Rome's major squares, Campo de' Fiori. "When I first thought about the birth of Shiroya, I asked myself a question: how many people had the opportunity to travel through Japan, among the hyper-technological cities and the countryside where you can still feel the history of this people? Here in Italy everything is so different for ways of living, thinking and cooking," recounts Sabrina.

A Japanese sushi chef creates the country's most popular dish behind the counter while traditional cooked dishes are prepared in the kitchen. Chawanmushi, €12 (steamed egg pudding with clams and salmon roe), tamagoyaki, €5 (the Japanese omelette), tonkatsu, €12 (fried breaded pork cutlets), shoyu ramen with pork broth cooked in 12 hourse €14, hand-made gyoza, €5 - €6 (dumplings), yakimeshi, €8 - €10 (fried rice), yaki udon, €15 - €18 (stir-fry with udon noodles), cooked and raw donburi, €18 - €25 (rice bowl dish) and yakitori, €8 (skewered chicken) are just some of the delicacies that you will find in the ample menu.

"In the kitchen, we prepare traditional Japanese dishes every day following only authentic recipes, guided by the principles of Japanese culture: respect for the times, balance and respect for popular flavor," explains Sabrina.