Oryza Sushi: Huntly Street, Aberdeen

AS A lover of all things Japanese, I was delighted to find a new sushi joint had opened minutes from my flat.

Oryza Sushi is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of place, quietly tucked away.

But if you have been lucky enough to stumble across this wee gem, you too will be won over by its charm. A compact little cafe, this eatery is reminiscent of Japan’s tea bars.

There’s only one table inside, right in the window so you can watch the world go by.

Otherwise you sit along the bar, where you have a perfect view of your dishes being freshly-prepared in front of you.

We tucked into inari sushi – big pouches of sticky rice wrapped in fried tofu (£2.80).

Deliciously moreish, in Japan these are favoured by children as they are so sweet.

We also enjoyed big, juicy king prawns (£3.50) and slices of peppered mackerel (£2.50) served on top of blocks of rice, in a style of sushi known as nigiri, as well as a selection of traditional maki rolls, which come wrapped in seaweed. (£3.50).

But best in show were the edamame beans (£1.70). Said to be favoured by Victoria Beckham for their low-fat yet filling quality, you have to bite the pod to release the soya beans inside.

Served warm with plenty of salt, they are simply divine. With a green tea and a soft drink the bill came to a modest £15.20.

Oryza Sushi – soon to be Aberdeen’s best kept secret no longer.