There’s a moment when you walk into Sakana Nikkei when everything clicks at once. The lighting hits just right, the room hums without being loud and the bar, glowing at the center, feels less like a place to order a drink and more like the heartbeat of the space.
Chef Brandon Bull didn’t set out to follow a trend. If anything, he went in the opposite direction. “My inspiration really came from the people around me. My partners, Kiomi Castillo and Rosemary Batzel, come from a Japanese-Peruvian background, and when we came together, it felt like the natural thing to do—to create a menu that honored their heritage and brought those two cultures to life through food.”
That foundation gives Sakana Nikkei its edge. It’s not fusion for the sake of being different. It’s personal, rooted and intentional. You taste that immediately, especially in dishes like the Lima Tiradito, where delicate slices of mahi mahi meet bright citrus and a subtle heat that lingers just long enough to keep you going back for another bite.
“Our most popular dishes right now are the Lima Tiradito, the Niji Roll and the Sakana Roll. All three are crowd favorites for good reason,” Bull says.
And they are. Not because they’re flashy, but because they’re balanced. Nothing feels overworked. Nothing feels forced. It’s food that knows exactly what it’s doing.
But what really sets the tone here isn’t just the menu; it’s the feeling. Sakana doesn’t operate like a place you visit once and check off a list. It pulls you in a little differently. “A night at Sakana feels like a night at your favorite family’s house, warm and welcoming, with familiar faces greeting you every time you walk through the door,” Bull says.
That sense of familiarity is intentional. The space is designed to blur the line between polished and comfortable, where red accents and gold details meet a layout that encourages conversation, movement and energy without ever feeling chaotic. The 360-degree bar keeps everything in motion, drawing people in, keeping the room alive. “You’re not just dining, you’re part of something,” he says.
And that’s exactly how it feels. You look around and realize people aren’t rushing. They’re lingering. Ordering another round. Sharing plates they didn’t plan to order five minutes earlier.
Bull’s approach to cooking mirrors that mindset. It’s less about showing off and more about creating something that sticks with you. “I love to eat. I love the experience of a great meal… If I can give someone that moment of real satisfaction, that’s all that matters to me.” That mentality shows up in the details. The precision of the fish, the texture of the rice, the way flavors layer instead of compete.
And while Sakana Nikkei delivers a high-level dining experience, it doesn’t box itself into that category. It’s not reserved for big occasions or once-a-month reservations. It’s built for repeat visits and for midweek dinners that turn into late nights. “My ultimate goal is to keep making food that tastes like home cooking but gives you the experience of a night you want to relive,” Bull says. That’s the balance Sakana Nikkei manages to strike.
And in a city that’s constantly adding new restaurants and chasing the next big thing, Sakana takes a quieter approach. It focuses on staying consistent and staying real. “The future of Sakana is simple: we hope to be here for a long time… a place that truly belongs to this city,” he says.
Judging by the energy in the room, the steady flow of returning guests and the way people settle in like they’ve been coming for years, it already does.
The Dish: Lima Tiradito
Ingredients:
For the fish
- 6 oz mahi mahi, thinly sliced, tiradito style
- ¼ cup leche de tigre
- 2 Tbsp crema rocoto
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
Garnish
- 2 Tbsp chalaca, diced onions, lime, cilantro, olive oil
- 2 slices glazed sweet potato, chopped
- 1 Tbsp Peruvian corn
- 1 tsp ají limo, thinly sliced
For crema de rocoto sauce
- 4 rocoto peppers, fresh or frozen
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cups whole milk, for blanching
- 3 oz queso fresco (fresh white cheese)
- 3 Tbsp sour cream or crema de leche
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp huacatay paste (optional, Peruvian black mint)
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Method:
For the fish
Begin by preparing the mahi mahi. Using a very sharp knife, slice the fish thinly on a bias into tiradito-style pieces. Arrange the slices evenly on a chilled plate, slightly overlapping for presentation. In a mixing bowl, combine the leche de tigre, crema rocoto, salt and sugar. Whisk until fully incorporated and balanced, adjust seasoning if needed for acidity and heat.
Pour the sauce evenly over the sliced mahi mahi, ensuring each piece is lightly coated but not submerged. Sprinkle freshly chopped cilantro over the top.
Finish the dish by adding small spoonfuls of chalaca across the plate. Garnish with glazed sweet potato slices, Peruvian corn and thin slices of ají limo for color and brightness.
Serve immediately while cold.
For the sauce
Begin by slicing the rocoto peppers in half and removing the seeds and white membranes. Wear gloves if your skin is sensitive, as the oils are potent. Retain some seeds if a fiercer heat is desired. Place the rocoto halves in a saucepan and cover with the whole milk. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. This traditional technique mellows bitterness and tames the raw heat while preserving the pepper’s fruity character. Drain and discard the milk.
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion and garlic and sauté until soft and golden, approximately 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Transfer the blanched rocotos, sautéed onion and garlic, queso fresco, sour cream, huacatay paste (if using), sugar, lime juice, salt and black pepper to a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth and velvety.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of water if needed to loosen the consistency.
Taste and adjust seasoning: more salt for depth, additional lime for brightness or a touch more sugar to balance the heat. For a thinner sauce, incorporate a splash of water or extra sour cream and blend again.
