Eating sushi in a landlocked country far from Japan is always slightly unnerving. Where did this fish come from? How could it possibly be fresh? Does the chef have any idea what he’s doing?

While I can’t answer any of those questions about the place I’m about to recommend, I can at least tell you that I’ve found a decent sushi place not far from the U.S. Army’s Grafenwoehr Training Area.

While I don’t think Sushihaus Japaniche Kuche will be competing with sushi joints in Tokyo anytime soon, it’s pretty darned good compared to other sushi places in Germany that I’ve tried.

For one thing, the sushi isn’t even the culinary star of its show, at least for me.

The menu consists of a huge list of small plates, enabling you to try a bunch of different dishes, from sushi and sashimi to grilled meats and noodles.

There are a lot of meats served skewered on sticks, like the ever-popular yakitori (grilled chicken on a stick), seasoned in special sauce and served with vegetables.

There is also a selection of teriyaki meats, which are very good. I especially liked the crispy duck teriyaki, which comes in a very large portion for its relatively inexpensive price.

You also can’t go wrong with ordering the crispy duck skin. More like crispy duck sin. That stuff is amazing. Imagine if pork rinds were actually good, and also made of duck skin. Boom!

The sushi itself is all right. Not outstanding, but definitely more than palatable for anyone but a self-described sushi snob, or maybe someone who lived in Japan for a long time.

I had tuna rolls with cucumber as well as fried tempura shrimp rolls that came with a thick spicy mayonnaise-based sauce. I thought they were both pretty tasty.

If you want to try a little bit of everything, I suggest choosing a bento box, which will come with sushi rolls, a few slices of tuna and salmon sashimi, fish teriyaki, shrimp tempura and vegetables, and a salad.

But beware. If you order the bento box and think you want to try a few other things on the menu, you will more than likely get way more food than you can eat. Trust me, I’ve been there.

egnash.martin@stripes.com Twitter: @Marty_Stripes

Address: Sebastian Strasse 5, Wieden, GermanyHours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. for dinner. Closed on MondaysDrinks: Beer, sake, juicesFood: Sushi and other Japanese foodPrices: Around $15 for most meals, several types of rolls and other small platesDress: CasualPhone: (+49) 0961 3939 1750

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