First Pop-Up Sushi Restaurant Opens in Zadar

Sushi pop-up restaurant Jiro in Zadar opens (Photo credit: Filip Brala)

Sushi Restaurant Jiro opened at Falkensteiner’s Hotel & Spa Iadera in Punta Skali near Zadar this weekend.

A two and a half feet long, 230230-kilogram tuna was filleted by expert sushi chefs in front of guests at the opening of Zadar’s first pop-up sushi restaurant on Sunday night.

(Photo credit: Filip Brala)

The idea and the realisation of a Japanese pop-up sushi restaurant came in conjunction with the company Kali Tuna, which is owned and chaired by Jiro Kambe, a friend and business associate of one of the world’s most famous sushi chefs Nobu Matsuhisa who visited Zadar in March last year for the Japan Fusion in Kali event.

(Photo credit: Filip Brala)

(Photo credit: Filip Brala)

(Photo credit: Filip Brala)

The official opening was supported by ZEN-NOH (Japanese Agricultural Cooperative Association) and was attended by a number of guests including the Japanese ambassador Keiji Takiguchi, who welcomed guests in Croatian.

Japanese ambassador to Croatia Keiji Takiguchi with Jiro Kambe and Georg Unterkircher (Photo credit: Filip Brala)

“This year marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Croatia. It is a beautiful friendship between two nations and that is why I am extremely happy to come to the beautiful Punta Skala. I am happy that Japanese tradition and cuisine has been accepted in this nice way in Dalmatia, especially in Zadar where the Sushi & Wine festival has been held for a number of years,” Ambassador Takiguchi said.

(Photo credit: Filip Brala)

The pop-up restaurant concept is exceptionally popular currently throughout the world, and now the leading resort in Punta Skala offers its guests a top-notch international gastronomic experience.

(Photo credit: Filip Brala)

“Almost all tuna farmed in Kali is exported, as much as 800 tons per year goes to Japan where our tuna is particularly appreciated, so we would like to offer domestic tuna to guests at the hotel, not only prepared in the Mediterranean way, but also in the Japanese way. The sushi pop-up restaurant will truly be a special upgrade and a great culinary summer surprise for our guests,” said Georg Unterkircher, director of Punta Skala Resort.