S11 is a new place on the map of Wroclaw. Although the address at Szajnochy 11 has been known to sushi lovers for 16 years, the arrival of new owners has opened an entirely new chapter here.

We created S11 as lovers not only of sushi, but of Japanese cuisine in a much broader sense. What inspires us most is the Japanese approach to quality, respect for the product, and the belief that even the simplest dish can be constantly refined. We combined this philosophy with more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry and decided to build this place anew.

We devoted a great deal of time to searching for and selecting ingredients. We wanted products that would satisfy not only us, but also our guests, who appreciate high quality and can recognize it.

During our search, we quickly looked beyond Poland, because many of the products we were interested in are difficult to find on our market, or are not available here at all. This is how we came across Mr. Tsutomu. Thanks to him, we gained access not only to original Japanese products, but also to the knowledge and experience of someone who grew up in Tokyo. Tsutomu therefore became our advisor in selecting products.

Restaurants are usually created according to their owners’ own taste, and it was no different for us. We were guided by what we ourselves enjoy, while also drawing inspiration from Japanese restaurants operating beyond our borders. As a result, we chose simplicity, clear flavors, and above all, product quality.

You will not find overloaded rolls with many ingredients and several sauces here. When it comes to fish, freshness, quality, and natural flavor are what matter most to us. Additions are meant to highlight the product, not cover it up.

Twice a week, we receive fresh deliveries of fish and seafood. We work with several suppliers because, during our search, we learned that there is no single company offering everything at a level that meets our expectations. So we looked for each product separately, focusing above all on its quality.

The rice we use is Koshihikari from the Uonuma region. Our soy sauces and rice vinegars are imported from Japan. We do not use equivalents produced in the Netherlands or other countries that do not have centuries of Japanese tradition in making them.

We also import daikon, or white radish, from Japan. With our nigiri, we serve freshly grated Japanese wasabi. We use Japanese miso pastes, and even the flour we use for tempura comes from Japan.

We prepare many things ourselves. Sauces such as nikiri and ponzu are made in our kitchen. We also make our mayonnaise from scratch. We could list many more examples, because we wanted as many elements of the menu as possible to have our own character.

With product quality and respect for it in mind, we have moved away from traditional sushi sets. Each piece is served immediately after preparation. This allows the rice to retain the right temperature and the nori to stay crisp. This is how sushi is served in good Japanese restaurants and sushi bars.

However, we have moved away from the term “sushi bar,” because S11 is meant to be something more. A traditional sushi bar in Japan focuses mainly on nigiri, maki, and sashimi. We, on the other hand, have also strongly developed our hot kitchen, so that name no longer fully reflected what we want to be.

Our menu includes, among other things, kushiyaki skewers, popular in Japan. We grill them on an original Japanese konro grill, fired with ogatan charcoal. This method of preparation allows us to achieve high heat, a distinctive aroma, and a flavor that cannot be replicated on a standard electric grill.

Here too, the product remains the most important thing. We use chicken from organic farms, long-aged beef, fish, and seafood. We buy octopus whole, not as ready-prepared, pre-processed tentacles. After a long preparation process, we serve it both grilled and as an ingredient in one of our rolls.

We also prepare tsukemono, Japanese pickled vegetables, ourselves. You will always find three types at S11. The most important is our own marinated original Japanese daikon, whose taste is distinctly different from the white radish commonly available on the Polish market.

We are not a ramen shop either. We leave that specialization to places that devote their entire menu and attention to ramen. However, we have introduced two types of light ramen that fit well with the character of S11 and complement the rest of our dishes.

We also could not leave out two soups without which it is hard to imagine a Japanese restaurant. The first is miso soup, prepared with two types of miso paste imported specially for us from Japan.

The second is osuimono, a very delicate, clear broth prepared using the fish we process every day in our kitchen. It is a light and subtle soup in which the pure flavor of a good product is the most important thing.

Finally, there is the bar, which we treated as an important part of the whole concept. You will find wines and sake selected especially for us by a sommelier and a Japanese sake master. We wanted them to pair well with our menu while also offering the opportunity to discover different styles and flavors.

We have also created our own cocktail menu. From the very beginning, we designed it with more than just alcohol drinkers in mind. That is why non-alcoholic cocktails are an equally important part of the menu. They are not simply easier versions of classic drinks, but fully developed, carefully composed creations.

The drinks menu also includes several beverages known to almost every Japanese person. Among them are classics such as Kirin Mets Black, C.C. Lemon, and Calpis Soda. These products are very popular in Japan, yet still relatively rare in Polish restaurants.

Japanese teas are also an essential part of the menu. We selected them to pair well with sushi, grilled dishes, or simply to provide a calm finish to the meal.

Coffee may not come from Japan, but apparently George Clooney drinks it every day. So we decided it also deserves a place at S11.

We hope you will share our approach to Japanese cuisine, quality, and simplicity. We also hope S11 will become a place you return to not only for sushi, but also for grilled dishes, ramen, sake, cocktails, or simply a good tea.

See you at Szajnochy 11.

The S11 Team