Evening Standard, 30 July
Fay Maschler says the latest branch of Hi Sushi Izakaya at 27 Catherine Street, London WC2, makes Japanese dining comprehensible, accessible and reasonable without too much compromise
Edamame beans, ordered while we were waiting for one of the empty tables, were noticeably perky, not drab and desiccated as they so often are. Gyoza pork dumplings came encased in neatly crimped and delicate dough. The plate of sashimi matsu (£20 for 15 pieces of five kinds of fish including tissue-thin octopus slices) was mercifully free of crab-flavoured sticks and was in fact a noble raw-fish assembly. When I went to the lavvy in the basement…I saw that the yaki grill was not fired up, which probably accounted for the fact that skewers of chicken wing, asparagus, eel, quail egg and pork belly lacked edge and allure. Yaki soba — fried noodles with squid, prawns and vegetables — was a fine backing group for the star of the meal. Everyone loves the sweetness and softness of black cod miso but I haven’t had it better than at Hi Sushi Izakaya. (A meal for two, with sake, about £74, including 10% service. Rating: 3/5)
Hi Sushi Izakaya – review in full >>
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Metro, 5 August
Marina O’Loughin enjoys the interesting looking space, average food and, most importantly, the people watching at Gallery Mess, The Saatchi Gallery, King’s Road, London SW3
The food arrives promptly and raises few complaints. Does that sound like damning with faint praise? I suppose it is, really. It's all kept deliberately simple, and there are several dishes that are little more than assemblies. But, still, there are things we like: a nutty salad with spelt and crayfish; fresh-tasting gazpacho; a serviceable if not thrilling organic burger. Not so much: greasy coil of Cumberland sausage over bullet-hard green lentils; a violently over-minted and badly judged salad of bocconcini (little balls of mozzarella) with orange…Our waitress, who's an English-rose ringer for Rosamund Pike, hasn't batted an eyelid at our umpteenth request for rosé and we have witnessed the most glorious procession of old-school Chelsea types, including a wonderfully Rubensesque dame of uncertain age who has used the lavs to change into a succession of ever more revealing outfits. (A meal for two, with wine, water and service, about £80. Rating: 3/5)
Gallery Mess - review in full >>
Time Out, 30 July
Chris Moss finds simplicity, good produce and careful Argentinian cooking at La Constancia, 52 Tanner Street, London SE1
The morcilla (black pudding) was moist, gristle-free, nutty and sweet, and the chorizo sausage, made to order locally to an Argentinian recipe, may be the best in town: not too spicy, very peppery and succulent inside. Again, no sign of gristle, which is rarely the case in the home country. We tried a fair-priced, slender churrasco (sirloin) , which cost £12, and a bigger, bloodier rib-eye at £17. The former, cooked perfectly with plenty of juices still dripping off it, was actually tastier. The restaurant also does parrillitas (small table braziers) for the sampling of cuts and extras, but you do run the risk of your steak being overcooked in the time it takes to explore the starters. The sides of chips and salad – which was generous and served in a bowl big enough to give it a proper tossing – were plain and honest. (Meal for two, with wine and service, around £90. Rating: 4/5)
La Constancia – review in full >>
By Janet Harmer
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