Kaiserslautern sushi spot wows with big presentation and big flavor

The “new” sushi spot a friend discovered in downtown Kaiserslautern turns out to be something I had unwittingly walked past dozens of times.

Even those who are modestly familiar with the city’s bar district have likely been in the same boat of overlooking Kenji Asia Cuisine, a quaint little spot near Fruchthalle that boasts big open windows and an airy feel.

One reason may be the outdoor signs still reading Oishi, which closed four years ago. Kenji’s owner has yet to change them.

But as Shakespeare would say, an unagi roll by any other name would taste as sweet, so I and two others who joined me for dinner headed inside and took our seats.

It immediately became clear to me that Kenji is big on presentation. Some patrons may be more practical and argue that taste is more important than appearance.

But as a devotee of many TV cooking shows, I say plating is everything. And it appears the chefs at Kenji agree. The first show of decadence came in drinkable form.

Our beverages arrived adorned with orange wedges, limes, curlicue pink stirring sticks and a healthy amount of mint. I ordered the mint lemonade, which was sweet and refreshing, especially given the recent heat wave.

My dining companions ordered a lemonade with Thai basil and a peach tea, one of many mocktails offered. Both received high marks for their freshness and tang.

Three specialty drinks, including a mint lemonade, sit on a table at Kenji Asia Cuisine in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Aug. 3, 2026. Kenji offers a variety of house-made teas and lemonades, including mint, Thai basil and peach tea. (Lara Korte/Stars and Stripes)

Kenji serves what I would say is the traditional spread of sushi restaurant appetizers. We considered the edamame and the miso soup before landing on pork gyoza dumplings.

But unlike those in other restaurants — or the Trader Joe’s variety I relied on during my college years — these dumplings were deep-fried, giving the wonton wrappers a golden, bubbly texture. We ate them all almost immediately.

Fried pork gyoza dumplings are served with a red dipping sauce at Kenji Asia Cuisine in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Aug. 3, 2026. The pork gyoza appetizer is crispy and crunchy and served with a tangy sweet chili sauce. (Lara Korte/Stars and Stripes)

For our main courses, my friend ordered the “deep gold beef,” a rump steak served with mixed wild herbs, cherry tomatoes, roasted onions and special sauce.

My dining companion, who has traveled to Japan on many occasions, said the beef was well-seasoned and flavorful. I was mostly charmed by the side of jasmine rice, which had been formed into a little pyramid.

I was even more delighted when my other friend’s flying noodles came to the table. The ramen-style noodles were suspended from what appeared to be floating chopsticks and flowed down into a bowl of flavorful broth and herbs.

We all oohed and aahed when the waiter set down the dish. My friend, who had lived in Japan for several years, called the noodles “visually stunning.” The dish came with fried tofu and vegetables.

Ramen-style noodles hang from chopsticks above a bowl of broth and vegetables at Kenji Asia Cuisine in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Aug. 3, 2026. The flying noodles come in a “visually stunning” display, as one diner described it. (Lara Korte/Stars and Stripes)

My order of sushi rolls was no less spectacular. I was a little anxious when my entree was taking longer than others, but then the waiter came out with a multilevel architectural marvel.

I ordered the Gangnam Style — yes, it’s named after the song — which included imitation crab, avocado, cucumber and cream cheese surrounded by spicy tuna, fried lotus root and teriyaki sauce.

The rolls were stacked up in pyramid form with a waterfall of spicy mayo and eel sauce cascading down the sides.

My other roll, an unagi, was a little more modest and included eel, avocado and cucumber surrounded by spicy mayo flowers drawn on the platter.

Sliced steak is plated with vegetables, rice and salad at Kenji Asia Cuisine in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Aug. 3, 2026. The deep gold beef comes with wild herbs, cherry tomatoes, roasted onions and a special sauce. (Lara Korte/Stars and Stripes)

Overall, I’d put Kenji on the higher end of the spectrum of German sushi restaurants and was pleased that my friends agreed.

I ended up placing a takeout order the following week but will definitely be back for more razzle-dazzle.

Kenji Fusion Asia Cuisine

Address: Fruchthallstrasse 3-5, Kaiserslautern, Germany

Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Prices: Appetizers range from 5 euros to 12 euros; house-made lemonades and iced teas 6.50 euros; mains about 15 euros to 20 euros; deluxe sushi rolls up to 20 euros.

Information: +49 631-31170308, www.instagram.com/kenji_fusionasiacuisine/