Restaurants and cafes

Delicious Sakhalin
The cuisine of the Sakhalin region has long become a brand. It was formed at the junction of several cultures — mainly due to the proximity of the Russian, Japanese and Korean diasporas, due to historically prevailing circumstances.

The peculiarity of Sakhalin cuisine is primarily a mix of Russian and Korean gastronomy. Korean cuisine was brought here at the beginning of the last century by settlers who arrived on Sakhalin during the Japanese mobilization.

Recipes of dishes were carefully passed down from generation to generation. Now they say that Sakhalin Korean cuisine is the real food of poor peasants, which has preserved its authenticity thanks to a kind of reservation on the island. It was these dishes that were on the tables in Korean homes at the end of the century before last and at the beginning of the last century. It's easy to cook them, because all the ingredients are, as they say, under your feet and in the sea, which is just around the corner: fern, wild garlic, carrots, burdock, sea cabbage and sea grapes, unpretentious kim-chi cabbage and pepper, squid, crabs and scallops.

On Sakhalin, they love and know how to cook Korean national dishes, so no matter which restaurant or cafe a traveler goes to, he will not be disappointed. It is only necessary to be ready for a plentiful lunch and dinner: after all, traditional Korean snacks will be served to the main dish ordered in Sakhalin restaurants, most often it is spicy turnips, diap che noodles, kim chi, carrots in Korean.

The geographical location of the Sakhalin region, the proximity of the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, the diversity of aquatic biological resources makes the island a gastronomic Mecca for lovers of sushi, sashimi, spicy, rolls and hundreds of other dishes that are open (namely open, not invented) in the land of the rising sun and successfully implemented here, but many of these delicacies are simply unknown residents of Russian cities. Moreover, the very concept of Japanese cuisine is sometimes perverted, because it is difficult to imagine that mayonnaise was used for making rolls in Japan, and salted fish for sushi.

No wonder Sakhalin's guests, having visited restaurants and cafes of Japanese cuisine, stop visiting similar establishments somewhere on the mainland for a long time. There is nothing to say about Sakhalin residents — they all wrinkle their noses at the mere mention of "Japanese cuisine" in both Russian capitals.

And this is not surprising. The freshness of ingredients, cooking technology, the art of serving and the skill of local chefs, many of whom have been trained by masters from a neighboring country, make Japanese cuisine on Sakhalin not just authentic, but real — truly Japanese. Small portions of sushi, rolls and sashimi turn every Japanese lunch into a tasting. You can order several different types of dishes to appreciate the variety of flavors created by nature itself.

Japanese cuisine can be seen on the menu of almost every restaurant on Sakhalin, and they will all be of the highest quality. However, Sakhalin residents prefer those establishments that were opened by immigrants from the Land of the Rising Sun. There are five of them in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and each has long received its regular customers. The reputation of these restaurants has been tested for years: they contain the spirit of Japan, its taste and its philosophy. It is here that dear guests are brought, important events are celebrated here, and they just drop in for a snack at lunch.

Come and see for yourself: Sakhalin is not only beautiful, it is also delicious.