The global Sushi trend is as hot in Tbilisi as in Europe, with a handful of bamboo-designed Maki and Sushi restaurants to be found in the Georgian capital. Apart from at the shores of the Black Sea, raw fish is a rather unheard of ingredient in traditional Georgian cuisine, but due to travel blogs and increased mobility of the young, many long for Sushi restaurants.

Run by two young food revolutionaries, Sake Sushi Bar is nestled in a little alley next to Rustaveli Avenue, the main traffic artery of old Tbilisi. Getting there is easy, and over 5000 ratings on Facebook underscore the popularity of the place. A couple of Bamboo branches decorate the entrance, creating a corridor between the doorstep and the sidewalk specifically designed for a far-east feeling in the middle of the Caucasus.

The first thing that catches your eye is the Japanese interior design. Individual bamboo doilies go perfectly with small-sized furniture in dark colors. The staff is welcoming and escorts visitors to their table. Space is very limited, so if you plan to dine on busy days, booking is recommended. There are two closed-off sections for private dining arrangements. One of them is reserved for bigger groups of 4-6 people, while a smaller one serves for a romantic candle-light evening with your better half.

Despite the importance of a nice environment to savor foreign cuisine, the food transforms a dinner at Sake Sushi Bar into a real experience. Prices are on the same scale as in Western European countries, but the taste exceeds many wannabe-Sushi restaurants in France or the UK. When eating the different types of Maki, one feels the love with which the rolls were prepared.