Bento Boutique – Awesome sushi on Weserstraße

There is no shortage of Japanese sushi places in Frankfurt. It is hugely popular and restaurants can be found in all central parts of the city. Among them are some of what are considered to be the best restaurants in all of Frankfurt. For example, Iwase close to Konstablerwache or Moriki in the ground floor of the Deutsche Bank towers are both well-known and offer some of the finest sushi in the city. There is however a restaurant in the Bahnhofsviertel that would also be a contester for the title of best sushi in town. Bento Boutique, in an extremely small place, just off Kaiserstraße, serves some absolutely great dishes.

I have already visited a few times and was always very happy with the service, the quality of food and the great arrangement of the plates. I usually order a mixed set of nigiri and rolls as well as edamame (salted green peas) on the side. One can however also put together their own mixes. The menu boosts a large variety of sushi, some really innovative. Besides the usual salmon and tuna versions, there is also eel, mackerel or caviar. There are all kinds of interesting combinations, for example with avocado, egg, tofu, but also cream cheese, chili-mayo sauce and reddish. They come accompanied with the traditional sides of pickled ginger and (a huge pot of) wasabi.

The place is really tiny and has only a few seats to sit. Actually, the ground floor is basically only the checkout counter, where busy people order their take-out sushi during their lunch breaks. A few tables can be found on the upper floor though. You either have be lucky or reserve in advance. The design is carefully thought through and has a classical Japanese touch. The owners and staff know that presentation of sushi is key and make sure already when you arrive that the chopsticks are arranged correctly. The plates are just outright beautiful, the food nicely decorated and presented. To sum up, this is one of my favorite sushi restaurants. I know however, that it has plenty of equally good competition in the city.

Style: Casual eatery/Dinner

Cuisine: Japanese

Location: Bahnhofsviertel

Website: http://bento.boutique/

Hummus Küch’ – All about hummus in Frankfurt’s South-of-the-river neighborhood

Sachsenhausen, Frankfurt’s densely populated neighborhood south of the river Main, exhibits a vibrant restaurant and bar scene and is therefore a lively and popular area to live in. Its culinary center is around Schweitzer Platz and along Schweitzer Straße. One should look however also beyond this main street to find some interesting food places. My favorite side street is Textorstraße, which is close to Südbahnhof. It is a street lined with beautiful turn-of-the century architecture buildings and boosts some interesting food and drink options like the hip burger place Good Fellas, a popular wine bar called Walhofs and a restaurant inside a renovated former train depot. A recent addition in this environment is Hummus Küch’, which brings Israeli enthusiasm about hummus to Frankfurt.

Hummus is a popular dip/spread from the Eastern Mediterranean (the Levant area) made usually from chickpeas. It is already hugely popular in Germany and can be bought ready-to-eat in all supermarkets. Hummus Küch’ is establishing a concept in Frankfurt that is new in the city however. Its dishes are all based on hummus. It can be accompanied with falafel, eggplant mouse, oil or poached eggs. The concept is very simple and at the same time different and interesting. It is trendy because not only is it innovative, but it is also mostly vegan. The owners are from Israel and their Tel-Aviv-style concept is of great appeal to Frankfurters as well. People can casually meet and chat over wiping some hummus off the plate with the flatbread.

The place is very casual and actually not really a restaurant, but more a (healthy) fast-food joint. I quite enjoyed the concept and I think it is a food option that enriches Frankfurt’s scene. For low prices, one gets a huge plate of hummus and a flatbread for wiping – enough for a good meal. I ordered a plate with falafel and my wife got eggplant mash and oil with hummus. Both was really delicious. The hummus is nicely refined with spices and is not too fatty. These are two characteristics making the difference between good hummus and bad hummus. Similarly, the falafel was not fatty at all. However, I actually most liked the eggplant mash. Overall, it was a fun experience and I recommend it for a casual meet and wipe.

Style: Casual eatery

Cuisine: Mediterranean/Israeli

Location: Sachsenhausen

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Hummus-K%C3%BCch-820719028079239/