• Shumai - steamed wasabi dumplings $5.25 (shared)
• Seafood Tempura - shrimp, scallop, whitefish, and vegetables $19.25
• Coconut Cake $6.95

Nami is a great Japanese restaurant in Downtown Minneapolis. Ranking right up there with the likes of Origami.

They have a great open space which is nicely decorated and comfortable, but the important thing is the food...excellent. The dumplings were nice and light with a bit of kick. The tempura was also nice and light and everything tasted fresh and done to perfection. Interestingly enough the Coconut Cake, is one of the best desserts I have had in a long time. It was a amazing piece of cake.

I would go back to Nami when I am in the mood for good Japanese food, or maybe just a good piece of cake.

• Nami Special - 10 pieces of nigiri and 1 maki $21.95
• Chocolate Raspberry Torte $6.95

When it opened in 2002, the sushi revolution in the Twin Cities was just underway. At the time, and even today, I’ve wondered how many sushi restaurants the Twin Cities would support. Since then, you can find sushi everywhere from downtown to grocery stores to workplace cafeterias. We’ll see how long it lasts.

The sushi at Nami is as good as Origami, which is my personal favorite in the Twin Cities. I have been to Nami for lunch, and it was good to find that the dinner sushi was comparable to the lunch sushi (albeit more expensive). As many other reviewers have mentioned, Nami’s sushi is standard sushi without some of the innovation you might find elsewhere. For me, I’m fine with well made, fresh, standard sushi.

The shumai, or wasabi dumplings, was less impressive. Not that it was bad, it was just average, and the premise sounds better than the implementation. The wasabi was strong enough, but I expected firmer, better formed dumplings.

With very good, attentive service, good food, great location, and a hip, hot atmosphere, Nami should be a fixture on First Avenue for years to come.