Valerie Chang Shares Her 5 Favorite Nikkei Restaurants

"I don’t want to be biased, because it’s my brother’s [Nando Chang] restaurant, but I really do think he is pushing the limits and creating great things at Itameo AO. There’s so much love that goes into all the flavors. Nando is really good at highlighting the bold flavors of Peruvian cuisine, and he really excels at Japanese techniques. Plus, he uses all local Miami ingredients."

"Erik Ramirez at Llama San has done so much for Nikkei cuisine. He’s really helped highlight Peruvian food in the U.S. His restaurant was the first time I got to taste Nikkei food through the eyes of someone who had left Peru a long time ago and set roots in America. He’s pretty incredible."

"La Mar is always a winner. It’s not quite Nikkei as much as it is Peruvian, but chef Diego Oka himself is Japanese-Peruvian, so there are plenty of really wonderful Nikkei dishes on his menu. He’s got a great take on flavors and how to incorporate them into making beautiful works of art."

"I love Osaka. There’s one in Brickell in Miami, and I think they do an amazing job with their Nikkei food. They have an awesome nigiri program that I love very much. You really can’t go wrong with anything you order off that menu."

"Chef Mina Newman, who came up under Drew Nieporent, is serving seriously good Nikkei in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, and the restaurant happens to be kosher. Their ceviches and lomo saltado are two of the things they're best known and celebrated for and there's a great omakase on offer as well."