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Sushi Of Shiori


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A visit here last night and I have to say I was impressed

Whilst the dining space is nothing special put it this way, they are making the most of the space they have. In spite of those shortcomings the Midi Tuna, Yellow tail sashimi was faultless and of serious quality there's also great attention to detail think the tiniest Daikon butterfly perched atop some wasabi.

Its in the Dinings mold without the bells and whistles of new wave sushi....its smaller a mere 8 covers, in other words its straight sashimi, nigiri all of the highest quality. There are some other options of miso soup and chicken yakitori both excellent. Also worth noting - they make their own ice cream. Japanese restaurants are often left wanting in the desserts dept so this was a welcome change - both a pumpkin and a sweet potato icecream with some excellent homemade sesame tuiles were very good and an unusual end.

More than anything it is very reasonable and for this quality I would put it in the same bracket as Sushi Hiro in Ealing

http://www.sushiofshiori.co.uk/

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If only I had seen this earlier. Just caught the train back Euston and had an hour and a half to kill waiting for it. Ended up in Nandos!

Temari sushi looks so cute. Fresh back from Japan this week too so would have been in a great position to assess the quality.

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  • 7 months later...

A friend of mine who is not a member of eGullet has put a report up on london eating, and she asked me to post it here on her behalf. I have also been to Shiori a couple of times, and I agree with her views. It really is a great place.

"My partner and I are always on the lookout for the best Japanese restaurants we can find in London, searching for the quality and freshness of the sushi and sashimi we’d experienced in Tokyo, or on our travels elsewhere in Japan, New York or California. Despite its unlikely setting behind Euston Station, tucked in among the Indian restaurants of Drummond Street, Sushi of Shiori is the closest we’ve come to the atmosphere and flavours of a true Japanese sushi bar. This little place only has about 7 or 8 seats, three ranged along the inner bar and the rest looking out of the front window. (We like to perch at the bar, where you can watch the almost preternaturally skilled chef at work, slicing into the finely textured wedges of tuna, or shredding daikon to lacy thinness.) If you’ve been to Tokyo, you’ll recognise the set-up from the multitude of micro-eateries dotted around that city; like those, Sushi of Shiori manages to feel at once pared-back and homely, thanks to the charming husband and wife team who run it. For years we lamented the lack of a North Londoner’s Sushi Hiro – when it comes to the food, Shiori is it and more.

The style of the food at Shiori initially seems on the traditional side – what you might expect from Hiro, or the Edoko – Tajima-tei – Matsuri trio around Holborn – but marked out by the delicacy of the cuts of fish and their presentation. Before setting up on his own, Shiori’s chef first came to London to work at Mayfair’s Umu, and it’s in the kaiseki-like flair of the way he sets up his plates – the placing of a daikon-curl just here, a spray of spring onion just there – that his training shows. (Though in our opinion, the omakase at Shiori far exceeds what you get in the sushi and sashimi courses at Umu!) This attention to detail might mean that with a full house orders can take a little while to arrive, although thanks to the intimacy of the restaurant and attentive service, you know you’ve never been forgotten. The little, inventive touches, like a creamy scallop touched with black truffle, or a slice of octopus brought to life with a fragrant homemade shiso-leaf pesto, show that something interesting is happening here, which you won’t have encountered elsewhere. That’s not to say that it’s full-blown fusion, as at Dinings say, but rather an entirely Japanese palate and aesthetic, with hints of modernity. Because of its size, Shiori does a healthy take-out trade (if you call in advance, you can pick up your order already made-up) and we envy those working nearby who could pop in for a quick sashimi salad at lunch. Over the last few months – it’s still relatively new – we’ve tried a range of the set sushi plates, but what keeps us coming back week after week is the outstanding omakase option, where you name a price from £30 a head and let the chef do his thing. (I think they prefer if you let them know when you call to reserve if you might want omakase.) His combinations will vary slightly each time and according to the seasons. So in winter you might expect a warming egg and mushroom stew (chawanmushi) in place of the regular miso soup, and in the summer months the nigiri start to include refreshing and flavoursome vegetables (bamboo shoot, grilled aubergine topped with bonito) in among the expected yet ever-varying selection of fish. In spring the lovely proprietress has bunches of the first cherryblossom FedExed over from Japan, so a pink bloom will appear, salted, atop a seabass nigiri, or as the killer ingredient in one of their homemade sorbets.

Certain things stand out: the rich sea urchin folded in a creamy scallop, an appetizer of translucent squid tartare laced with green chilli, the huge and succulent spot prawns, the razor-thin slices of sashimi (usu zukuri) laid out in a fan, all made from ingredients sourced with loving care. Of this last, try both the glisteningly tasty salmon and the edge-seared tuna, which are lent a ceviche-like inflection by the tangy citrus in the ponzu dipping sauce. We rarely leave without a scoop of one of the homemade ice creams, topped by a sesame and sunflower crisp. If the cherryblossom sorbet is out of season, don’t miss the sweet pumpkin, or the most recent addition to the menu, a black sesame ice cream of charcoal-like intensity, that quickly became our favourite. Don’t expect the instant trendy ambience or expensive interiors of a Roka or Sake No Hana, but for a quiet meal with a couple of friends, in our experience you won’t find better sushi in London (and incidentally at such reasonable prices)."

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Thanks guys, these pics turned out great so I just had to share with you. They were only taken on my point & shoot compact but the light was so good that day. Of course it helps that the food is stunning to look at in the first place.

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  • 4 weeks later...

i had just finished some takeaway from sushi of shiori.

Had the negi-toro gungan and the the toro,eel and scallop nigiri

First time trying toro, wasnt overly impressed with it, but the scallop and the unagi were simply amazing.

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Looks like the secret is well and truly out with a very positive review from Jay Rayner. Has he been reading this thread maybe?

I thought precisely the same. Fay Maschler reviewed in the Evening standard too earlier in the week. Though his take on the rice may put some off ( I disagree with him on that incidentally - on the occasions I've been it was excellent)

Those 8 seats will be tricky to bag for a while I suspect

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  • 3 months later...

Terrific, just terrific food here tonight on a £40 omakase.

Lots of overlap so I won't repeat what's already been said but particular highlights for me were:

razor clam sashimi with ponzu, a sublime sashimi plate including scallops with truffles, some lovely scad, sushi with o-toru, a "steamed sushi" dish with unagi (the chef was inspired to make this due to the terrible weather according to the delightful waitress), and of course the wagyu.

The ice cream with sesame was also lovely.

All washed down with some great cold sake.

This place is a real find!

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More than anything it is very reasonable and for this quality I would put it in the same bracket as Sushi Hiro in Ealing

B.T.W. Sushi Hiro closed in March 2010, now a Atariya Sushi. Obviously still open when this was originally posted.

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  • 1 year later...

Sushi of Shiori is in it's third year now and this little place is going from strength to strength. I'd not been back for a while, almost a year, but what they served me for my 8-course Omakase meal last weekend was a good a meal as I've had in that time. The place itself has changed a little, gone is the counter-seating facing the shop front. Now there are two small tables, increasing the seating from 7 to a whopping 8 or 9 at a push! Here's what we had. First appetiser was...

badly focussed! Must have been too excited about the very interesting trio of Yam and Uni, Herring Roe and Pickled Crosnes

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Abalone, Pickled Persimmon and Cucumber

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Turnip "chawanmushi"

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Sashimi selection, including Hamachi Belly, Mackerel, Otoro, Chutoro, Squid two ways (one with bottarga), sea bass with shiso and spot prawn wrapped in yubu and topped with gilded caviar

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The green blob on top of the chutoro was slimy okra, much to the amusement of our dinner companion

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Sushi selection, from R to L, Scallop & Black Truffle, Crystal Bay Prawn & Shiso Pesto, Turbot & Engawa (side fin) with Plum, Salmon & Ikura and lastly more tuna, this time a special cut from the collar

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Hot Eel and Shitake Sushi

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Wagyu Beef

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Chestnut Ice Cream

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A wonderfully refreshing cup of tea, I forgot to ask Hitomi what this was but it tasted very much like a Pu-erh

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I really hope this place is still around in another three years, it's small but perfectly formed. The welcome is genuinely warm and friendly. Every time I leave there I leave with a sense of glowing satisfaction.

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