Review: Sushinho
I have to admit my cultural ignorance and reveal that I had no idea that there is a thriving Japanese community in Brazil. This, however, is a fact which is gleefully credited as the inspiration behind Sushinho, the latest fusion restaurant to take on the London foodie scene.
Unlike SUSHISAMBA (the American export of a similar vein) it is still possible to get a reservation at the newly-opened city branch of Sushinho. The Thursday night crowd was lively if not packed to the palm-tree rafters, and service was swift.
A drink in the basement bar introduced us to the delights of a Caipirinha, the Brazilian national cocktail. The simple concoction of cachaça, sugar and lime is like a margarita crossed with a mojito, and had a refreshing kick. In fact, if you close your eyes, the tipple along with the jazz quartet in the corner transports you to the streets on Sao Paulo itself.
The menu is a tantalising mixture of sushi and steak. It’s best to dispel with the usual three-course format here and order lots to share. Sushi is often associated with the hard, overly chewy rolls found dwelling on supermarket shelves in this country; at Sushinho, they effortlessly merge Japanese finesse with ingredients which appeal to a Western palate. The crab sushi roll looked spectacular and combined soft, battered crab legs in an even softer casing of rice and seaweed. The salmon sashimi is a must-try too: melt-in-the-mouth tender, with an almost creamy flavour which will convert those wary of raw fish.
Our waitress, Zandie, insisted that we also try the butterfish, which is as decadent as you might expect. Meaty yet delicate, it has – as the name suggests – a buttery finish which is hugely gratifying. We tried it both raw and blackened with wasabi guacamole (in true fusion form) – the latter is that golden gastronomic combination of tasting marvellously decadent, while being very healthy indeed.
It is a wise move to make sure you’re especially hungry before visiting Sushinho, as we quickly discovered when we moved onto the steak. The prime striploin is a lot of fun to eat, coming with a fragrant sauce and crushed nuts for dipping. The crispy cassava chips are an excellent side too.
Pudding here is, frankly, wholly unnessecary, but that didn’t stop us. The passion crumble with chocolate, toffee and sesame tuille was colourful with myriad flavours – sweet, salthy, tart, tangy and creamy all at the same time. It was essentially the Rio carnival in dessert form.
The South American element of this fusion joint is especially apparent in its extensive wine list. We drank a fruity Chenin Blanc with our fish courses, which complemented the freshness of the dishes. ‘Wine,’ explained sommelier Joris, ‘is like a woman’s make-up. It should make the best of what’s already there, not cover it up.’ His interesting analogy remained steadfast throughout the meal, none more so that with the Miolo ‘Terroir’ Merlot which accompanied the steak: rich and juicy, it made the steak taste even more so. With interesting and niche bottles heralding from Hungary to Brazil, it is worth asking for Joris’ enthusiastic advice.
We left Sushinho very full and very merry. With dishes ranging from around £5 to £45, it’s the kind of place which strikes a happy balance of being impressive without being pompous; any showiness (inevitable when you have indoor trees) is immediately justified when you taste the food.
Go for the novelty, stay for the quality. The fusion fans will soon be samba-ing through the door.
www.sushinho.com
Unlike SUSHISAMBA (the American export of a similar vein) it is still possible to get a reservation at the newly-opened city branch of Sushinho. The Thursday night crowd was lively if not packed to the palm-tree rafters, and service was swift.
A drink in the basement bar introduced us to the delights of a Caipirinha, the Brazilian national cocktail. The simple concoction of cachaça, sugar and lime is like a margarita crossed with a mojito, and had a refreshing kick. In fact, if you close your eyes, the tipple along with the jazz quartet in the corner transports you to the streets on Sao Paulo itself.
The menu is a tantalising mixture of sushi and steak. It’s best to dispel with the usual three-course format here and order lots to share. Sushi is often associated with the hard, overly chewy rolls found dwelling on supermarket shelves in this country; at Sushinho, they effortlessly merge Japanese finesse with ingredients which appeal to a Western palate. The crab sushi roll looked spectacular and combined soft, battered crab legs in an even softer casing of rice and seaweed. The salmon sashimi is a must-try too: melt-in-the-mouth tender, with an almost creamy flavour which will convert those wary of raw fish.
Our waitress, Zandie, insisted that we also try the butterfish, which is as decadent as you might expect. Meaty yet delicate, it has – as the name suggests – a buttery finish which is hugely gratifying. We tried it both raw and blackened with wasabi guacamole (in true fusion form) – the latter is that golden gastronomic combination of tasting marvellously decadent, while being very healthy indeed.
It is a wise move to make sure you’re especially hungry before visiting Sushinho, as we quickly discovered when we moved onto the steak. The prime striploin is a lot of fun to eat, coming with a fragrant sauce and crushed nuts for dipping. The crispy cassava chips are an excellent side too.
Pudding here is, frankly, wholly unnessecary, but that didn’t stop us. The passion crumble with chocolate, toffee and sesame tuille was colourful with myriad flavours – sweet, salthy, tart, tangy and creamy all at the same time. It was essentially the Rio carnival in dessert form.
The South American element of this fusion joint is especially apparent in its extensive wine list. We drank a fruity Chenin Blanc with our fish courses, which complemented the freshness of the dishes. ‘Wine,’ explained sommelier Joris, ‘is like a woman’s make-up. It should make the best of what’s already there, not cover it up.’ His interesting analogy remained steadfast throughout the meal, none more so that with the Miolo ‘Terroir’ Merlot which accompanied the steak: rich and juicy, it made the steak taste even more so. With interesting and niche bottles heralding from Hungary to Brazil, it is worth asking for Joris’ enthusiastic advice.
We left Sushinho very full and very merry. With dishes ranging from around £5 to £45, it’s the kind of place which strikes a happy balance of being impressive without being pompous; any showiness (inevitable when you have indoor trees) is immediately justified when you taste the food.
Go for the novelty, stay for the quality. The fusion fans will soon be samba-ing through the door.
www.sushinho.com