Nikko Sushi & Ramen is a Kaysville Hidden Gem
Nikko Sushi and Ramen is a hidden gem, tucked away in a Kaysville strip mall, at 242 N. 300 West. It’s known for Japanese cuisine such as sushi, ramen, udon, ngiri, tempura, and teriyaki, as well as a range of dishes from other Asian cuisines.
I recently interviewed owner Jennifer Lee Tran for a Standard-Examiner story. When she bought Nikko Sushi & Ramen three years ago, she already had years of experience in the restaurant industry. Her parents, Joe Lee and Sue Zhang, founded the Ho Wah and then Wing Wah Chinese restaurants in Ogden. She grew up working with her parents, sister Nancy Keys and brother Raymond in their restaurant. About five years ago, Nancy Keys took over the reins of Wing Wah when her parents retired. (See the story of Wing Wah’s history and expansion here)
But three years ago, Jennifer Tran had taken maternity leave because she was expecting her third child, and was thinking it was time to retire to stay home and raise the kids.
“Then my husband was browsing and saw that Nikko was up for sale. I’m a big foodie, and Japanese food is one of my favorites. When the opportunity came up, he said, ‘Why not?’ ”
The Trans are west Kaysville residents. Her husband, Dinh Tran, is director of a software engineering in a Provo company. Nights and weekends, he’s at the restaurant helping run it, and so are the kids.
“It’s nice to see the kids help out when it’s time to close. They are filling up soy sauces, washing dishes, helping build responsibility for them,” said Jennifer Tran.
The Trans chose not to change the Nikko name, “because the restaurant already had a good following.” Nikko means “New Sun,” and I think of it as new beginnings, Tran said. “We have tweaked some of the presentation and added a lot of new items.”
The restaurant runs a lot of weekly or monthly specials — check its Facebook, TikTok and Instagram accounts for updates, and for occasional upcoming events such as Paint Night or Kareoke Night.
“And we do a lot of customizing. Most of our sauces are made in-house, so we can tailor them to special dietary needs, such as gluten-free, dairy-free or soy-free.”
When you walk into the restaurant, you’ll notice the cherry blossoms draped overhead, and a sushi bar with seating. “But we find our customers prefer our booths,” Tran said.
A few of the restaurant’s dishes dishes include:
“Prawnz” appetizer: lightly fried tempura shrimp, drizzled with a creamy sauce of honey and sweetened condensed milk, and sprinkled with walnuts.
House Udon (Japanese noodles), with thick wheat noodles, pan-seared chicken thigh, tempura shrimp, seaweed, fish cake (fish held together with tapioca), egg and green onion — all in a sweet soy-based broth.
Katsu Curry is a flavorful extree — panko-breaded pork loin, served with a curry sauce made from pureed carrot, potato and yellow onion.
“Blending them together makes the sauce so creamy,” Trans said.
Tran said she lets her sushi chef decide how they want to plate the sushi, ngiri and sashimi. They may be on a wooden block, long plates, or a wooden boat (as in the photo above), depending on the order.
Tempua vegetables include battered carrots, yellow sweet potato, and kabocha, or Japanese pumpkin. Tempura shrimp are another popular appetizer.
About Nikko Sushi and Ramen:
Hours: 4-8:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 4-9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday; closed Sundays
Location: 242 N. 300 West, Kaysville
Contact: https://www.nikko-restaurant.com or 801-513-5596
Price range: $5-$19; more for large shareable sashimi or nigiri platters