Amazonia Nikkei Fusion, a stylish new restaurant on Main Street, takes diners on a culinary journey.
And that trip begins with the setting: Elegant emerald crushed velvet chairs; gold accents; rich dark wood tables; softly lit paper lanterns over the bar and sophisticated pop playing over the sound system.
On a hot day, the scene is cool.
From inside, diners can watch passersby through large front windows with a view of Main Street.
Dishes have Japanese and Peruvian influences, which is known as Nikkei.
There is fresh sushi; braised short ribs; poke bowls (a deconstructed sushi roll with rice, a protein and vegetables tossed in a rich sauce) and ramen noodles.
There is also Maroyana Rice, their take on Aji de Gallina, or Peruvian chicken stew.
This dish is elevated with salty kalamata olives and huacatay emulsion, made of Peruvian black mint.
It has a slight kick thanks to the yellow pepper or aji amarillo, which gives the dish its light-yellow hue.
It’s not overly spicy, so diners who avoid heat can enjoy this dish, while the chicken is tender and melts into the bed of rice. It was comforting and delicious.
There are specials: Ladies Night happy hour on Tuesday lasts five hours and features $1 cocktails (with a two-drink limit). It kicks off at 5 p.m.
A daily $15 lunch special includes a starter and main dish (look for the Maroyana Rice, served in a perfect portion for lunch).
The nigiri or hand-pressed sushi is fresh, and both the tuna and salmon are light. Combinations like mango with panko shrimp make up the nettai roll, stuffed with cream cheese and honey from citrus trees.
The mango on the rice invokes the feeling of eating mango sticky rice in a Southeast Asian dessert, while the panko shrimp provides a nice crunch – the roll is the perfect blend sweet and salty.
On the regular menu, the sweet black cod with rice is filling and full of flavor. The teriyaki sauce creates a sweet glaze on the tender fish.
Then there are the desserts. There is a flan with miso caramel sauce. Another choice: Pears soaked in plum wine (umenashi) sit on a delicate Chantilly miso whipped cream with an almond crumble. The pears are a brilliant purple and tender while the cream was a delicate complement to the bold wine flavor. Toban yaki or mango sorbet in a warm passion fruit sauce, also has an almond crumble and little meringues. The sorbet is fresh and mixed with the warm passion fruit sauce, and provides a nice mix of tropical flavors.
For the more adventurous eater, there is the $29.99 per person Sushi Night on Monday.
Served omakase style, or chef’s choice, diners can experience a variety of rolls that are served after each plate is cleared.
Amazonia Nikkei Fusion at 6704 Main St. elevates the dining scene in Miami Lakes.
It is open Sunday through Thursday from noon to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, noon to 11 p.m.
To see menus or make a reservation visit www.amazonianikkei.com or call 305-323-0573.