The taste of faraway places

Six country cuisines that will broaden your culinary horizons

Enjoy the subtle flavors of a carefully composed sushi variation in style at Little Tokyo. An excellently prepared French mussel or Spanish fish dish is pure indulgence. The surprise effect that the spicy-sweet Thai basil brings with it when you eat it for the first time will remain in your memory. Not to mention the lasting culinary impression that a really spicy papaya salad leaves behind. There are so many reasons to set off again and again to explore the cuisines of this world. After all, what could be more exciting and satisfying than getting to know the cultural diversity of a country through its culinary specialties? We activated all our senses and asked ourselves the question: Which country cuisines are particularly good to explore in our country? Here is our itinerary through Düsseldorf's gastronomic scene, including a selection of country-specific delicacies.

Japan - Sushi, Ramen & Wagyu

Food is culture - nowhere else in the city is this simple equation lived out as creatively, uncomplicatedly and yet always to the point as in Little Tokyo around Immermannstraße. From the sushi bars and ramen stores that you'll find on every corner, to the izakaya with charcoal grills (a very popular form of pub in Japan), to the cafés and patisseries: The range of authentic Japanese gastronomy in this density is unique in Europe. The fact that Düsseldorf boasts two of Germany's five Michelin stars for Japanese cuisine - Nagaya and Yoshi by Nagaya - rounds things off nicely. But specialties such as wagyu and co. are also available for less money in the Japanese quarter, for example as a grilled skewer, as served by Izakaya Kushitei of Tokyo. If you prefer to prepare your own Wagyu on the table grill, you can also visit Ah-Un in Lörick. A branch of Kushitei that opened a few months ago is Hokkaido Kitchen Zero Banchi, which specializes in dishes from Hokkaido, the large island in the north of Japan. Unsurprisingly, sushi and sashimi can also be found in very good quality in Little Tokyo (for example in the long-established restaurant Yabase, in Nagomi or King Fusion), but not only here, but also from Pempelfort (in Sumi or in Roku, the third restaurant of star chef Yoshizumi Nagaya, here accompanied by excellent wines) to Unterbilk (Kyodaina Poke & Sushi) and Kaiserswerth (4 Seasons). For a hot noodle soup with an extra portion of umami, it's worth waiting in line at Naniwa - and has been since 1986. The Takeichi ramen store is also very popular. Handmade buckwheat noodles are available at Soba-An. And since Japanese lifestyle is always pop, treat yourself to a brightly colored tartlet with matcha mousse at Café Number 18 or some fresh taiyaki at Bing Go: every child in Japan knows these filled fish-shaped waffles.

Korea - Bulgogi, Bibimbab & Bingsu

Did you know that there are around 200 different types of kimchi in Korean cuisine? But fermented cabbage, which often adds a good dose of spiciness to food and is also extremely healthy, is by no means the only food that is prepared in many different ways in Korea. And nowhere in Düsseldorf is this creativity more vividly reflected than in the area around Oststraße. It really is only a stone's throw from Little Tokyo to Little Seoul. And there are also culinary parallels between the two countries' cuisines, at least for the Western palate. But it's worth taking a closer look. Perhaps you should start at Seoul on Klosterstraße. This family business, which fuses the culinary traditions of South Korea's western and eastern regions (and makes its own kimchi), serves a wide selection of banchan, small delicacies to share. After all, sharing is also the key to Korean conviviality. This is also what the Korean BBQ is all about. Literal hotspots: the Gogimatcha and, of course, the Korea Haus/Han Kook Kwan. Here you can prepare your own meat on a grill set into the table. Pozangmatcha/Finanzämtche, on the other hand, serves crispy Korean chicken wings in the quirky ambience of a former German pub. If you love bibimbab, the rice dish served in a hot clay pot with lots of fresh vegetables, Gusan on Stresemannstraße is the place to go. At YoGi, the multinational young clientele like to order bulgogi (grilled beef or pork), among other things. And at Seoul Deli, a little off the beaten track on Gerresheimer Strasse, authentic street food made by Dodo & Jojo has been served for almost a year and a half, including Korean corn dogs (hot dogs on a stick with various toppings). Dessert? You can get it at the Soboro bakery. Or you can order bingsu at Namu Café, a Korean ice cream variant that is also available with soy, oat, almond or coconut milk.

China - Dim sum, hot pot & Chinese foie gras

When it comes to Chinese cuisine: don't be afraid to try it! Ms. Chen and Mr. Dorsch, the brains behind the Green Light District restaurant, which opened on Klosterstraße in 2021, are not the only ones encouraging their customers to "Be curious". The duo bring this slogan to life with their "Innovative Chinese Cuisine" with great attention to detail. Where else can you find a menu laid out like a daily newspaper, a dish entitled "Tofu cream creates a new French revolution" and "Chinese foie gras" made from duck liver and fermented red tofu cream with beet juice and sesame oil? However, Hashi on Ackerstraße is also trying out the balancing act between East and West with its "Petit Chinoiserie" and compositions such as steamed oysters with Shanghai potato salad or venison wontons, just like the Böse Chinese with its two branches. At the Cooking Dad on Birkenstrasse, meanwhile, it is the classics that have established the family business's reputation, above all the Peking duck. The dishes may follow a traditional preparation, but the ambience at Cooking Dad is more typical Flingern than Peking. The small, family-run Fu by Meister Wang on Pionierstraße also dispels the preconception that good Chinese cuisine is often served in rather sparse rooms, and also tempts diners with excellent homemade noodles (the same can also be found at Gingerboy). The Dim Sum Gourmet on Brunnenstraße is simple, but great, and (like the Tao China Bistro Dim Sum in Pempelfort) has its specialty in its name: small steamed or deep-fried delicacies in the Cantonese style. Authentic in every respect and with an extensive menu: Tsun-Gai (from steamed squid to steamed noodles with a sweet lotus nut filling), Three Kingdoms (whole grilled fish, for example in spicy Szechuan sauce) and Dschunke (jellyfish salad with a thousand-year-old egg), all located near the station/east street. Hot pot, the Chinese fondue, can be found in the same neighborhood at XiaoLongKan.   

France - Saint Jacques, steak frites & French gin

Let's interrupt our trip through the national cuisines for a moment to take stock, because one thing surprised us too: even the tradition-conscious Chinese cuisine does not block the crossover. Some of Düsseldorf's protagonists obviously prefer to take their cues from the achievements of our culinarily adept neighbor: France. Understandably, it's not for nothing that the word "gourmet" is French. And the great thing is that you don't necessarily have to go to a Michelin-starred restaurant to indulge in French cuisine. However, a visit to the restaurants Im Schiffchen and Le Flair, both of which have been awarded one Michelin star, is definitely an experience. Chef Jean-Claude Bourgueil knows the whole city for a reason, and Dany Cerf, patron of Le Flair, is his pupil. But you can also enjoy excellent products and the best kitchen craftsmanship in Düsseldorf in many bistros and brasseries, including Bistro Fatal in the Flingeraner Kiez. And who is at the stove here, using regional, often vegetarian ingredients to reinterpret specialties such as Saint Jacques or croque (sic!) au vin? That's right, Alexandre Bourgueil, son of Jean-Claude Bourgueil. The Brasserie Stadthaus on Mühlenstraße serves French classics under, quote, "Düsseldorf's most beautiful coffered ceiling". Parlin (a composite of Paris and Berlin), also located in the old town, has its mission in its name. The same applies to La Bouillabaisse - not to be forgotten: The Paris Club in the 25hours Hotel. The Rocaille in Derendorf scores points with its homemade patisserie and bistro cuisine, including delicious wines. And on the left bank of the Rhine, there have been two new places to go for savoir vivre since last year: Anouki has opened on Hansaallee, serving classics such as moules marinières and steak frites. The Breton bistro Chez Lio on Barbarossaplatz, run by Jennifer and Doris Hülsmann, is now a congenial addition to Brasserie Hülsmann. The Francophile Lupin Gin Bar on Ackerstraße is an enrichment on the right bank of the Rhine. And for a croque monsieur the next morning, head to Les Halles St. Honoré or the Café de France!

Spain/Portugal - Tapas, Petiscos & Pescado a la plancha

We can't decide: Who serves the tastiest fish? And whose tapas (or petiscos, as they are called in Portuguese) really make you long for bar hopping in the good-humored hustle and bustle of a southern European metropolis? A luxury question, because both Spanish and Portuguese cuisine is seductively fresh and often full of temperament. Like at Clube Português. For almost two decades, the restaurant on Erkrather Straße, not far from the left-wing alternative Kiefernstraße, has been the legitimate authority when it comes to prawns in garlic, sea bream in salt crust or pastel de nata. And anyone who has ever been to Lisbon is sure to appreciate the Portuguese sour cherry liqueur Ginjinha, which is served here at the end of the meal over the colorful tiled counter. You could almost accuse the hosts Armando Cortes, Filipe Castelo and Jose Esteves of missionary zeal. Because with Cave Tapas and Frango Português, the trio also run two other Portuguese restaurants on Erkrather Straße. The small Barril Fado & Tango on Friedenstraße offers the perfect Portuguese feeling with an Argentinian touch. The "Spanish alley", officially known as Schneider-Wibbel-Gasse, in the old town is firmly in Spanish hands. A traditional restaurant here is El Amigo. Another Old Town classic is El Lazo on Bolkerstrasse, a well-known address not only for its Spanish specialties since 1975 (!), but also for its Argentinian steaks from the charcoal grill. A few meters further on Berger Straße, Taparia La Copa serves small delicacies such as pimientos de padrón, grilled baby calamari or chicken liver in white wine sauce. The stylish 20° Restobar in the Andreas quarter combines uncomplicated Spain with the somewhat more dignified Düsseldorf. But for tapas in particular, it's also worth making a detour to other parts of the city, such as La Copita in Pempelfort. Or to the Taberna Española. This Spanish restaurant, which also serves Portuguese classics, is located on Wielandstraße, in the former premises of El Ömmes - another tapas legend that has since moved to Flinger Broich. Bienvenidos also in Oberkassel, in the small Sabor de España! Or in Friedrichstadt. Here, the family-run Sol y Sombra invites you on a trip to Spain.

Thailand/Vietnam - Tom Kha Gai, Phở & Bánh mì

To round off our culinary journey, we return to Asia. Because the trip remains incomplete without a detour to Thailand and Vietnam. Why? If you love soul food, you can't go past these two countries' cuisines. Here, too, there are some worthwhile addresses around Oststraße, first and foremost Sila Thai. Thai culture unfolds all its magic in the restaurant on the corner of Bahnstrasse and Charlottenstrasse, making Sila Thai the perfect place for special occasions. And not just because of the impressive wood carvings and stone carvings. You can smell the aroma of traditional tom kha gai or a dish such as gaeng kheuw wahn gung, king prawns with green curry coconut milk sauce and Thai vegetables, just by looking at the menu. A stylish ambience also awaits you at Lay Thai. The restaurant was located in Monheim for almost a quarter of a century, but after being handed over from mother to son, it moved to Düsseltal on Weseler Straße in 2019. On Friedrichstraße, there are two reliable addresses for Southeast Asian cuisine: the long-established Mekong and the slightly more relaxed Lé'ger. And around the corner on Herzogstraße is Phoenix, one of the oldest Vietnamese restaurants in the city. Are you more into cookshop flair? Ayutthaya Thai Imbiss on Behrenstraße is sure to make you feel right at home - and the spicy papaya salad really is spicy! Tô 1980on Graf-Adolf-Straße is officially dedicated to Vietnamese street food. You can sometimes see groups of people waiting here at the weekend, and the offshoot Tô 1980 Vegan on Immermannstraße is no less popular. The makers come from Nam Dinh, a small town south of Hanoi, which is considered the home of the Vietnamese national dish, phở. Phox on the neighboring Stresemannstraße even dedicates Sundays and public holidays exclusively to phở and other soups, accompanied by starters such as summer rolls or mini pancakes. Never tried a Vietnamese sandwich before? Ăn Bánh Mì, with branches in Unterbilk and Flingern, specializes in these airy baguettes in different variations, including vegetarian ones - from spicy tuna to lemongrass tofu. 

This article is funded by REACT-EU.

Cover picture: Düsseldorf Tourismus