Alex Sushi in Oslo has been voted the best Sushi restaurants outside of Japan.

The last few years, while the popularity of sushi has skyrocketed, they have experienced a lot of competition. But even if they may not be the most innovative and creative sushi restaurant, their sushi still tastes good.

Norway must be one of the best countries in the world to run a sushi restaurant. Not because of the large number of sushi chefs, but due to the easy access of fabulous fish! The Norwegian salmon is available all over the world, but delivered fresh from the ocean, you may serve it here while the tail is still moving!

I prefer my fish served dead, but fresh. And Alex sushi is a good place to get it. After more than ten years at Solli Plass, they opened a second restaurant on Tjuvholmen. I prefer the original. The décor is light and timeless, but a bit tight around the sushi bar area. Despite of that, this is where I prefer to eat wherever I have sushi. It is fascinating to watch the skilled sushi chefs carve and cut, and it is always fun to get some entertainment with the meal.

You can order various dishes or choose from a white, red or black menu, with an escalation in the number of dishes, types of fish and price. I prefer to ask the chef to prepare his favorite dishes and then just add any preferences as we go. The challenge lies in stopping before it is too late. Because you want to leave room for the Alex dessert. A wonderful combination of small dishes satisfying everyone with a sweet tooth’s fantasy.

The best part of eating the sushi is to pair it with great beer and sake, and Alex has a great selection. One of their staff is even a specialized sake sommelier. My favorite sake these days are the ones made by Nogne O. I know, who would have guessed that Norwegians could make sake? But their Yamahain Motoshibori sake actually won the gold medal in London Sake Challenge in 2012, and their Yunmai Shu got a bronze medal. That is quite an achievement for the first sake brewery in Europe, and only after three years of business. Thank you sir for giving us your last bottle of their unfiltered Yamahain! I also love their YK70. It is really fresh and feels so wonderful together with that raw fish. Add a bottle of Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale or Nipponia, and the meal is coplete!