No ‘Maki-believe’: Takumi serves the real deal

We Dhakaites are no strangers to Japanese food. Since the early 2000s, restaurants like Samdado and Izumi, and more recently Tokyo Express and Izakaya have introduced us to Japanese flavours.

While the older establishments take pride in serving authentic Japanese cuisine, many of the newer ones across the city offer toned-down versions with Bangladeshi twists. In a food scene where ramen bowls are served with sausages and canned corn, and maki rolls are slathered in sauce and mayonnaise to suit local taste buds, Takumi feels like a breath of fresh air.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Gulshan 2, Takumi opened its doors on 1 January 2022, and quickly earned a reputation as one of the most authentic Japanese dining experiences in Dhaka. With more than half of its customers being Japanese, the restaurant does not compromise on its authenticity.

With their menu ranging from Cheese Katsudon to Shoyu Ramen, Takumi can match any of the Japanese dishes that we come across on social media that one finds on the streets of Tokyo.

Takumi achieves this by using ingredients imported and personally curated by the owner, who is not only a Japanese citizen but also a chef. Chef Nahid Hassan, who has been with Takumi for five years now, was personally trained by the chef patron himself; thus, inheriting not just the expertise but also the ability to maintain quality while keeping the menu fully halal.

The restaurant’s dedication to ensuring the authenticity of the food makes it a serious contender in the Dhaka food scene, offering dishes we see in popular Japanese food vlogs that are not available in our city, including popular Tokyo street food items like Takoyaki, a ball-shaped snack made of batter stuffed with diced octopus, and garnished with tempura crisps, bonito flakes and green onion – a perfect appetiser before you dive into one of their main dishes.