For 11 years, AronSushi has been serving traditional sushi in Lisbon, with locations in Saldanha, Estefânia, and São Sebastião. For the first time, it has expanded beyond the city to the Cascais Line. The brand's new restaurant is in the Riviera Shopping Centre in Carcavelos and was officially inaugurated on 19th of June, although it has been in soft opening since February.
“We always had many customers coming from the Cascais Line and realised that many did not come as often due to the distance, and that there would be a market to explore here”, says the chef responsible for the group, Brazilian Aron Vargas de Almeida.
One of those customers was precisely the owner of the Riviera Hotel, where the shopping centre is located. He extended a hand to the sushi chef by inviting him to occupy a vacant space, which, interestingly, had previously been Sushi Toro; and before that, Sushi Fashion, where Aron Vargas de Almeida himself had worked.
The idea with the new AronSushi was precisely to stick to what works and make a safe bet. The menu, which can be viewed online, is exactly the same as the Lisbon restaurants, featuring sashimi, temaki, hosomaki, nigiri, chirashi, uramaki, gunkan, noodle soups, tempuras, and breaded dishes.
The big news is that AronSushi in Carcavelos features three private rooms — one larger room that can accommodate nearly 20 people, and two smaller rooms, each for five people. These are designed for groups of friends who prefer more privacy or for those who wish to hold meetings while having lunch or dinner. “It was something that was frequently requested in Lisbon, even by the Japanese Embassy, who are our clients. They wanted more private and discreet rooms that could be used for meetings".
Overall, the space, which has been completely renovated, has a capacity of about 60 people, featuring a row of seats at the counter with a direct view of the sushi chefs preparing the dishes. For a restaurant located in a shopping centre, AronSushi has managed to create a unique atmosphere, with carefully curated Japanese decor and an appropriate playlist that helps us forget where we are.
For now, Aron Vargas de Almeida states that there are no plans to open more locations. “We need to establish each one before taking the next step, but you never know.” Born in 1979 in São Paulo, he began his journey by helping his mother in the kitchen of a Japanese restaurant when he was just ten years old. Although he had daily exposure to the art of sushi from an early age, he wasn’t allowed to learn more in the kitchen because he wasn’t Japanese, which only fueled his desire to deepen his knowledge in this field. In 2001, he accepted a job offer and moved to Portugal, where he worked in various restaurants before opening his own business.
Riviera Shopping Centre, Rua Bartolomeu Dias, store 31, Carcavelos. 21 247 0722. Mon-Sun 12.30-15.00; 19.00-22.00