If you live in Antwerp and you like sushi, it is almost inevitable that you have already tasted Zaowang’s sushi. You will find the store on the Oude Koornmarkt, near the Grote Markt, or in the second branch in the Scheldestraat on the South.
The Antwerp catering entrepreneur Yves Nieberding started the concept in 2005. “I then felt that the time was right to start a business like this. Actually, that was already too late, because sushi was already much more common in almost all major European cities. Strangely enough, the supply in Antwerp was still very small at the time.”
“Back then you already had the thoroughly Japanese places, such as Izumi in the South and Yamayu Santatsu in the student area. But there were few or no more accessible things where Western influences were also given a place,” he says.
“The demand immediately turned out to be high. People were happy that a tasty, easily digestible and relatively healthy dish was available. It was extremely busy and our sushi became a hype. We also had other oriental dishes such as wok on the menu. But a year after our opening, we already achieved ninety percent of our turnover from sushi. It has remained that way ever since,” says Yves.
But what exactly do these Western influences mean? “I’m not Japanese myself, that seems clear to me,” laughs Yves, whose family comes from Germany. “So I don’t call us a Japanese restaurant. What we do is bring a mix of classic sushi and a more western style. A Japanese person mainly wants to taste the taste of the products themselves. He likes things very austere. We often add more ingredients and flavors. Think of fried scampi or an extra sauce,” it sounds.
Celebrities
Over the years, many international stars also came into contact with Zaowang’s cuisine. “Sushi is a popular dish with many celebrities. We’ve already served sushi here to actress Nicole Kidman, model Dita Von Teese, singer Anastacia, and so on. We also regularly receive large orders from the Sportpaleis from an international star and his or her enormous entourage. We can handle those large orders. Many politicians or well-known Antwerp residents are also loyal customers here.”
“A Japanese person mainly wants to taste the taste of the products themselves. He likes things very austere. We often add more ingredients and flavors. Think of fried scampi or an extra sauce”
Yves Nieberding
Competition has increased enormously over the past nineteen years. “What catches on is copied. Our concept has already been adopted several times, and I see that as a compliment. Some times are better than others, I must say. But the fact is that many good things have been added in recent years. The key is to always reach that high level. Not for six months, and then weaken. That is what we try to maintain here year after year, and that is our strength.”
Now Zaowang is at Antwerp Proeft for the fifteenth time, an anniversary for which the organization also put the business in the spotlight during the press presentation. “After all these years, we have a great name recognition in the city, but Antwerpen Proeft remains a nice showcase to present ourselves. It is and remains the largest food festival in Antwerp, we are happy to be part of it. And we still notice that we also gain new customers afterwards.”
In the kitchen
Visitors to Antwerpen Proeft will be able to taste a selection of sushi, which will demonstrate the craftsmanship of the Nepalese chefs Rajan Giri and Lekh Gurung. “What is the secret of good sushi? Sushi actually just means ‘sour rice’. That’s the basics. In addition, everything has to be made à la minute. And you have to respect your temperatures. You have to respect that process, that routine. Only then will the result be perfect,” says Yves as chef Rajan puts his words into practice.
“That rice is extremely important,” he emphasizes. “If it doesn’t fit properly, your sushi won’t taste good. The mix between sweet and sour must be perfectly balanced. First you taste that light sourness, then the sweetness follows in your mouth. This way you let the fish or other ingredients shine.”
“Sushi should not lie for more than fifteen minutes. Otherwise, the crunch will disappear in certain variants, the nori will become tough or the fried version will become soft”
Yves Nieberding
“We make the rice perfect by cooking it in a rice cooker for 45 minutes and then pouring it into a hangiri. That is a round, wooden tub made of bamboo wood. You sprinkle the rice twice with what we call ‘sushi sauce’. That is a mixture of salt, sugar and rice vinegar. Three kilograms of rice use approximately one liter of sushi sauce. When everything has been nicely stirred and incorporated, the rice will be very tasty and sticky. That sticky part is very important to be able to edit it properly later, otherwise your roll will fall apart. Just like the fact that you should keep your rice lukewarm. If it is too cold, it is impossible to distribute it evenly over the nori sheet.”
Combining the rice and other ingredients and making a sushi roll, this will also be done on site during Antwerpen Proeft. “Sushi should not lie for more than fifteen minutes. Otherwise, the crunch will disappear in certain variants, the nori will become tough or the fried version will become soft. Then you only have half the taste of what it should be, and we don’t want that. So we have to do the finishing on site.”
Tags: business taught Antwerp eat sushi Zaowang permanent fixture Stad Antwerpen Proeft
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