Miyabi 9

Never thought I’d find my favorite sushi place in Des Moines, IA, but Miyabi 9 changed my mind. Located in the East Village, this trendy little sushi joint fits in well with its surroundings. With only about 10 small tables it is obvious that Miyabi 9 focuses on quality not quantity.

We attempted times before to visit, but it was always too busy. They take reservations only if your party consists of 6 or more. A good bet is to go during the afternoon if you just want to try it out. My boyfriend and I (sushi lovers) were brought to Miyabi by his parents one afternoon. We were lucky to get a table right by the window. When we walked in the door we were greeted by the sushi chefs behind the bar. Our server quickly brought us water and was very helpful explaining the menu.

We usually order way too much food when we go out and this visit to Miyabi 9 was no exception. A huge plate arrived with a rainbow of fresh fish. We had everything from caterpillar rolls to toro sashmi. This was the first time any of us had ever had toro. Our server recommended it to us explaining it was the fatty oily part of the bluefin tuna belly, but super delicious. We agreed! Since that day my boyfriend and I have been toro fanatics! All the other sushi was amazing as well. I think the other table favorite was the rainbow roll which was covered in salmon, shrimp, tuna, hamachi and eel.

Everything was ultra fresh and beautifully presented. The restaurant decor is classy, modern and clean cut. The staff is super courteous and showed an obvious amount of passion and love for their art. It is a little pricey, but well worth it. I hope I can visit again soon!