Japanese

Temaki

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Address: 12 Market Row, SW9 8LB

Website: https://temaki.co.uk/

Booking: Open Table

This is not a new restaurant but we thought we would revisit as it is ages since we went. We also thought we were not very hungry after visiting the Ritzy – we discovered that we did have an appetite after all as this is a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. The restaurant is small with few seats (for seats think of high stools that are arranged around the bar so you can see how all the dishes are made and served as well as being able to chat with the chefs. So you get the opportunity to ask what each thing is and of course think – well I would like to try that one too. The place was full except for one or two stools and the two tables in the cold in the alleyway. We bagged the last two seats so we advise booking.

There is a menu online and one on the board so we can’t produce them all here. There are small plates, snacks like tempura, pickles, and sashimi as well as the temaki. We chose the following some from the menu and some from the board. In order of photos: tuna temaki with shiso, Pork Gyoza, lobster temaki, miso aubergine temaki, 2 scallop ikura temaki, crispy rice temaki and pickles. We drank water and a Sakura Yuzu Negroni and a Temaki old fashioned.

All looked pretty of course and invited a bite. Starting with our favourites – the aubergine and the tuna tataki with shiso. We loved them both but particularly the tuna that was very complex even if some bits did start to make their way off the plate. The gyoza’s were also meaty and warming with the light soy sauce. We also loved the lobster with egg yolk, miso and citrus but we were split on the scallop (I thought it was too fishy). I am running out of hyperbole but the pickles were really useful to cut the richness between dishes. I was a bit disappointed by the crispy rice – they were an addition as we saw someone else order them. They looked incredibly pretty but were a bit oily and didn’t really hit the taste buds like the other dishes.

The drinks were small with lots of ice and were just right for the time we were there. You might be tempted with another as this is a leisurely meal. We did like our cocktails but couldn’t really detect what made them different to those we have had in a normal bar.

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Here we come to the bill. Do not come here hungry unless you have a large bank account. In total it was £129.95. The drinks were expensive at £22 for the two and there is a whopping £16.95 (16%) service charge. However, we will be going back as we loved the theatre and skill of the chefs. We know how much goes into each bite and so are willing to pay what it is worth but perhaps next time we will have a pizza first.

Tsunami

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5-7 Voltaire Road, Clapham, SW4 6DQ

Reservations: 020 7978 1610

https://tsunamiclapham.co.uk

Surprisingly this our first review visit to Tsunami in Clapham North. We had a home delivery during lockdown (see here) although we have visited several times. It might be a “short bus ride” entry, but, for us at least, buses don’t go that way.

This is a restaurant that has survived and grown in size. Not only does it have a covered area outside but is now twice as big as when it started so they must be doing something right. As with most restaurants, alcohol looms large with pages of cocktails to choose but we are in a sober period so only ordered tea. What was a surprise is that they only have it in tea bags and only three kinds given that it is a Japanese restaurant.

They have an extensive menu with appetizers like edamame beans to nibble with your cocktails, appetizers, salad, nigiri and sashimi, sushi, tempura, and mains including teriyaki. Then they have side orders and desserts.

We decided on sushi and a couple of mains to leave room for dessert. We ordered Dragon rolls – which are a sort of inside out sort of sushi with shrimp tempura and scallion with eel and avocado outside served with an Eel sauce. Not really traditional but definitely not a problem, and we also ordered Japanese pickles to cut the sweetness of the sauce in the Dragon rolls. This was definitely a good choice. The Dragon rolls have the nori sheet wrapped around the inside ingredients and the sushi rice is still on the outside, but then spotted with sauce. They were a little sweet but warmed up with wasabi, and the ginger in-between cleared the palate. If you want them much warmer they have Volcano Dragon Rolls. We love pickles so these maki were delightful.

We also ordered boa buns with chicken Katsu and coleslaw and spicy morillo mayo – a sort of global recipe not usually in Japanese restaurants but we were enthusiastic. You can pick it up and as long as you can keep the sauce inside you only need to lick your fingers. Finally we chose something from the appetiser section – scallops in a sauce (sorry we didnt take notes) that arrived flaming to the table – with whisky. This did give it a smoky flavour and the scallops although a little lost were still noticeable although more are needed so the sauce doesn’t wash away the flavours.

Then we have dessert. A yuzu panna cotta and mochi (vanilla and mango). Unfortunately the panna cotta didn’t have enough yuzu and it was large so I didn’t finish it. I was glad I ordered the green tea ice cream to go with it as it cut through the richness of the panna cotta (set cream). The mochi were cut in half and although were good they were very soft. Both the desserts were very pretty and came with delightfully shaved fruit so a great end to the meal.

We were glad to eventually visit this restaurant that filled up pretty quickly as we hit 7.30. It wasn’t cheap even without the cocktails (tea was £5.00 for a small pot). The total came to about £70 odd as we lost the bill. We will visit again as it has a long menu to discover.

Sushi Revolution

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Address: 240 Ferndale Road, SW9 8FR

Website: https://www.sushirevolution.co.uk/

We arrived at this restaurant on the day it opened – wearing masks and very early. It is pretty bare, some tables, counters with high chairs and a bar. We were mistakenly given a large table for the three of us, as speech in our face masks was clearly difficult to discern. We remained there for the whole meal as the alternative was to sit in a line at a counter, which is very awkward, even if very Japanese.

The menu description is “taking on Japanese classics with a rebellious twist”. I assume they mean Padron peppers with a yuzu miso, or miso soup with truffle oil. Plenty to try and we did our best to sample as much as possible. There are gluten free and vegan options.

The choice is snacks and nibbles, Sushi, Nigiri and Sashimi, “Revolution” – think panko popcorn shrimp, Salads, various Maki, and if you really can’t decide, then choose one of the four sharing plates. We have given a description, but can’t really describe the taste of each – they are right about innovation and we will return, less hungry, to savour all the different flavours.

We had Yellowtail Nikkei Sashimi with yuzu truffle oil, Karaage Roll chicken with avocado, yuzu koshu mayo – Crispy Drago tempura prawn with avocado, spicy mayo, teriyaki, and sesame. Don’t ask us to choose each one was a delight.

Then there was the Aubergine Nigiri (yummy!) and California Uramaki prawn, with cucumber, avocado, miso aioli, and tobiko (flying fish roe, small and perfectly formed but not as much of a zing).

For dessert we had a Mango Passion Fruit Mochi and a Coconut Mochi – we preferred the Mango one but both were delicious.

We washed it all down with a couple of bottles of Asahi beer, Blushing Bride Session APA, and a couple of glasses of Inzolia Borgo Selene, Sicilian white wine (no picture)

Choosing to browse the menu rather than eating the shared plate does increase the cost which was …… £91.14 including 12.5% service for three people and all our drinks. The most expensive sharing plate with 28 pieces was really enough for three and cost £35.00, but you can get away with £15 per person for an interesting plate that is probably sufficient for the less greedy. Our view is to return and we will sit at the counter if there are only two of us but if there are more than two and you are not prepared for the Wimbledon head turning experience then specifically ask for a table.

Nanban – delivered

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Address: 426 Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8LF

Telephone: 020 7346 0098

Website: http://www.nanban.co.uk/

Another Saturday night and nowhere to go, so we decided to watch Father of the Bride 3(ish) and order from one of our Brixton favourites (see here and here). It’s open for Click and Collect or Delivery  after 6.00pm. Don’t be in too much of a hurry, as we had finished the film and were onto a nostalgia piece – Father of the Bride 1 before it arrived.nanban31

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Koi Ramen Bar

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8 Brixton Station Rd SW9 8PD

Website: https://www.koiramenbar.co.uk/

Mon-Thurs: 11:30AM – 10:30PM
Fri-Sat: 11:30AM – 11:00PM
Sun: 11:30AM – 10:30PM

Tel: 07367 094962

Koi Ramen Bar now qualifies as a Brixton institution. It’s progressed from a stall in Brixton Station Road, through a unit in Pop Brixton and now just returned to one of the railway arches opposite to where they started. We’ve looked at it before in it’s previous incarnations, here and here. Now, like some other Brixton originals, it’s part of a chain, but has really found it’s feet. We went at lunchtime and sat outside, although there is some space inside that will be needed in winter months.

There’s a really short menu with four types of ramen, a few extra toppings and different types of gyoza, should you want a starter. You order at the counter but the dishes are brought to you. We went for the old scool Shoyu and the pure white tonkotsu with an extra nitamago marinated egg. The old scool shoyu (their spelling) is, as the name suggests, the original ramen, with a soy based soup with chashu belly pork. Tofu is available as an option. This was my choice and it was great and well presented in a proper bowl. Much better than the paper cups used on previous visits.

The tonkotsu, described as their “signature dish” , is a creamy pork noodle soup with chashu belly pork again, plus kikurage mushrooms and spring onions. Given that this is a meat broth there’s no tofu option. The egg was soft-boiled as required. My companion enjoyed it, but thought it might have benefited from a touch of chilli, to liven it up.

Ramen, at least in Japan, is real fast food. A lunchtime snack that’s eaten quickly and with relish. If this is what you are looking for this is now easily the best option in Brixton, benefiting from the narrow focus on its speciality. There are drinks available including Japanese beers and sake, but we just shared a bottle of still water. So the bill came to only £16.70, allowing for a £2.00 off lunch deal. This could well become a lunchtime regular.

Tsunami – the quarantine weeks

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Address: 5-7 Voltaire Road, SW4 6DQ

Website: https://tsunamiclapham.co.uk/

Phone (for deliveries): 020 7720 2922

Opening hours:

Monday to Thursday 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm

Friday 5:30 pm to 11:00 pm

Saturday 12 noon to 3:00 pm/5:30 pm to 11:00 pm

Sunday 12 noon to 4:00 pm/5:30 pm to 9:30 pm

So it’s our second week and I’m desperate for some sushi. Easier said than done, at least if you are quarantined and you want half decent sushi. There is good sushi in Brixton, but if you want straightforward delivery and a wide choice you have to go further afield. So it’s Deliveroo and Tsunami at Clapham North. It’s only later I spot on their website that you can order direct, although I haven’t looked to see if it would have been any cheaper. Continue reading →

Nanban – delivered

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Address: 426 Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8LF

Telephone: 020 7346 0098

Website: http://www.nanban.co.uk/

Nanban is one of favourites in Brixton (see here and here), so we are pleased it is open for Click and Collect or Delivery but only after 6.00pm, which is when you can see the menus on Deliveroo. There is a cheap and cheerful menu from Little Nanban, but we ordered a feast to celebrate … well Friday. Continue reading →

Nanban

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Address: 426 Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8LF

Telephone: 020 7346 0098

Website: http://www.nanban.co.uk/

Opening times:
Mon – Thurs 5pm-11pm, Fri 5pm-12am, Sat 12 noon-12 midnight, Sun 12 – 11pm

We visited Nanban a little time ago, but put off posting this review, in case it interfered with the recent voting for Brixton’s best restaurant. We have been before, of course, and the previous review is here, and we have been since. This is undoubtedly one of Brixton’s top places to eat, if not the best. We ate in the add-on part of the restaurant in a booth and it was quiet for a meal with friends we had not seen for many years.

There is now a longer menu with summer specials and an added glossary, so you can understand the naming of dishes. The four of us chose from different sections. One went for a selection of starters: edamame with black sesame salt, some crispy fried marinated jackfruit with a honey miso-mayo  and finally Nasu Dengaku, which was roasted aubergine topped with almonds and a sweet miso sauce. I chose the Lazy Goat Ramen, which had slow-cooked boneless goat leg, thick noodles in a rich Indo-Caribbean curry sauce, topped with seafood sawdust, fried shallots and a tea-pickled egg. I asked for no scotchbonnet pickled bamboo shoots as I know it is spicy-hot enough. The other two ordered  – the spicy sesame udon salad with crab (spicy sesame-lime dressing with cucumber, red cabbage, cherry
tomatoes, fresh mint and chilli oil – only 3 chilis) and the Yuzo-sesame salmon – both on what was then the summer specials menu.

The goat was, as usual, exactly as described -soft, full of layers of flavour and I really love the tea-pickled egg – cooling when sweat starts to break out. The photograph (below) shows a part eaten version.

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The crab and the salmon dishes were both well received, with the appropriate level of palette-tingling heat in the spicy noodles. At first glance the portions look on the small side but, in reality, there’s well enough to keep you satisfied.

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nanban24Warming edamame beans and jackfuit fritters were easy finger food. The aubergine though was a little harder to tackle with chopsticks. All were pronounced exactly right by the person in our midst who has an allergy to too much chili.nanban26

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The bill with service came to £94.61 and included fizzy water and four beers. We were full and contented but when we got home we had Brixton apple crumble for dessert.

Lunchtime Ramen

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Ramen is trendy and I’m a great fan. Particularly at lunchtime. But despite Brixton’s ‘foodie’ reputation, it’s not so easy to find, particularly on weekdays. So, for those who share my addiction, here’s a brief guide of what’s available.

Ramen is seen as a classic Japanese dish, although I’ve been surprised to discover that it originated in China and has only become dominant since the second world war, when cheap wheat imports became available. Named for the eponymous type of noodles, it’s served invariably with a tasty stock plus garnishes, usually meat and vegetables.

Here’s four places in Brixton that I considered for my Ramen fix, but you will see that early in the week there’s only one or two of them that are actually open. I might have missed somewhere so don’t hesitate to let me know. Continue reading →

Donburi & Co

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Brixton Station Road

This is a really useful addition to what Brixton has to offer, with simple but tasty Korean and Japanese food from a short menu. It’s aimed mainly at the takeaway market but there’s space at a couple of counters with high stools for those who can’t  wait to taste the food. It’s housed in a small shop front that’s had a chequered history. The planned burger bar failed to open because of problems with the ventilation.

You can choose between donburi (Japanese rice bowl dish); bibimbap (Korean mixed rice); or hirata buns (Japanese steamed buns), and all come with a variety of meat or vegetables.

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