In need of detox - Sushi Atelier Review
So Christmas is over and you've just about recovered from New Years; you can’t stand the thought of turkey again, or any form of roasted vegetable, and you're trying out Dry January, so what better way to start the new year detox than with fresh sushi that isn’t going to break the bank.
Since it opened in July, I've seen Sushi Atelier making the rounds on Instagram so decided to give it a go... it is lauded as one of the best priced omakase (chef's sushi selection) in London at the moment; can’t be too bad a choice. It’s also from the team behind Chisou Sushi in Mayfair and Knightsbridge, which is usually on the “where to eat sushi in London” lists, which is a good sign that the sushi wouldn't disappoint.
The Location
Found on Great Portland Street, Sushi Atelier is a five to ten minute walk from Oxford Circus or Goodge Street Tube Station, so ideal for a post shopping lunch or dinner.
It’s a good distance away from Oxford Street to avoid the crowds which means you’re more likely to get a seat at the sushi bar without too much of a wait. Given the accessible location, it would also work if you’re looking for a relaxed evening meal; The Lucky Pig Cocktail Club, London Cocktail Club and Reverend JW Simpson are all in close proximity for a pre or post dinner cocktail.
The Space
Walking into Sushi Atelier, the first thing that grabs your attention is the sushi bar. The bar, made up of 16 seats, gives you a front and centre view of the sushi chefs plying their trade. On the night I visited with my cousin there were three chefs working the bar; hand sculpting, blow-torching and dishing up the plates on offer.
The room's light and spacious, with ample room between seats so you’re not sat on top of each other, with a few tables at the side.
For larger groups, there's additional seating downstairs with a couple of booths, not to mention an impressive collection of sake on display.
The decor is modern whilst in-keeping with Japanese tradition; on the wall as you enter is a colourful, street art-esque mural of a geisha which really grabs your attention once you walk in. There's a second wall mural downstairs of Koi fish as well which adds a nice touch of decoration to the otherwise minimalist feel.
Service at Sushi Atelier was also friendly; the sushi chefs offered explanations as they served the dishes, the waiting staff topped up water and green tea without being prompted, and the front of house made us feel welcome both before and after the meal.
The Food
There's a fair few sections to choose from on the menu... Starters, Salads, Carpaccios, Hot Dishes, Omakase, Sushi Sets, Rolls, On Rice, an A la Carte Nigiri and Sashimi menu, plus desserts. It sounds pretty daunting but luckily each section is limited to five or six dishes to make the choice easier.
We decided to mix things up with something from a few of the sections rather than going for the Omakase. The Omakases range in price from £15.5 to £32.4 for six to 12 pieces of sushi (read nigiri) or sashimi respectively, so really are pretty good value.
We opted for one course from each of the Starters, Carpaccios, Hot Dishes, Rolls and Sashimi, finishing with dessert.
Before any of these were served, we were surprised with a taster from the kitchen of tuna in mirin (Japanese rice wine) and soy sauce. Mirin adds a sweet flavour to dishes from its high sugar content, so paired with the soy and strong tuna, creates an umami-esque flavour. Good start!
From the starters section, we went for the Shiitake & Kinpira Gobo (burdock root) (£4.5). The shiitake and burdock had been pickled, creating a sweet flavour with the earthiness of the mushroom and root. This was a good start to the meal and acted as a palate cleanser before the rest of the dishes were served.
We were also eyeing up the razor clam ceviche which was served with some theatrics (which I won't give away), but unfortunately they'd ran out for the night. One to order though when you visit if you're lucky!
We then selected the Salmon Carpaccio (£8.5). Thin slices of seared salmon, topped with umami salt, tomato sauce, crispy kataifi pastry (fine threads of filo pastry), cress and an edible flower. This was the standout dish of the night (so much so we almost ordered a second serving). The salmon was delicious, with the tomato sauce not too sharp to overpower it, whilst the kataifi was crispy before melting with each mouthful.
Next up, scallop sashimi (£8.4). Served as three slices of scallop, the presentation was good. Being completely honest though, this wasn't the best scallop sashimi I've had, which by no means means it's bad, I've just had better. This could be due to scallop not being a regular order for sashimi, but it wasn't quite as fresh as I've experienced before.
To add some carbs to the meal, we decided on a couple of orders of Sushi Rolls. Now if you're a sushi purist, you'd say don't go for the rolls as they mask the flavour of the fish, or only leftover bits of the main fish are used after cutting off the nigiri or sashimi slices. Well, the first one is probably right, the second I could argue against based on my seat overlooking the sushi bar, at least at Sushi Atelier. The chef specifically cut up fresh fish from the fillet to fill the rolls which is always a good sign.
We chose the Spicy Tuna (£8.5) and Yellowtail Truffle (£8.5).
On first impression, they're not the neatest rolls you'll ever see. What does make up for the presentation though is the ratio of rice to fish, no one wants a roll that's all rice, so that's a thumbs up! The subtle heat that built from the spicy filling also wasn't overpowering. An interesting addition was the crispy puffed rice sprinkled over the outside of the roll which added a crunchy texture to it as well.
The Yellowtail Truffle (pictured below) again wasn't the most neatly presented but did have good flavour and amount of fish. The truffle was subtle but present and went well with the yellowtail, not overpowering the more delicate protein. Again, the crispy puffed rice was sprinkled over the rolls.
Last up for the savoury dishes, the Ocha Zuke (£4.8) from the Hot Dishes section.
Three sea bream maki (sushi rolls with seaweed on the outside) served in a bowl with warm green tea dashi stock to pour over, topped with crispy mint and more puffed rice. By this point the appeal of the puffed rice had worn off. It didn't really add that much to the dish to the point it needs to be sprinkled on everything. Positives though was the green tea dashi, a stock made from dried fish or kombu (kelp), was delicious, and I finished off the whole bowl.
To end the meal, we opted for the lighter option of ice cream Mochi (£4.5), which I'm a huge fan of. If you haven't had mochi before, they're gelatinous rice cakes filled with ice cream and come in a variety of flavours. For our serving, we were given Vanilla, Mango and Green Tea, with Mango being the standout. For £4.5 for three, this was pretty good value as well.
The Verdict
Cost ££/£££ (out of ££££)
Is this the best sushi I've had in London? No, it's not, but it's not what Sushi Atelier is trying to be. It's offering up affordable sushi with inventive twists and good service which isn't to be underrated.
There are some standout dishes on the menu, notably the Salmon Carpaccio, and there were some other dishes I'd try if I went back, which I will do. The setting is also relaxed and friendly and would suit a casual dinner date or catch up with friends.
Downsides, this isn't somewhere you'd go if you're looking for top of the range sushi, which would also bring with it higher prices to match (e.g. Sushi Tetsu or The Araki). There are a couple of things that didn't work for me, e.g. the puffed rice on everything, but I can see what the chefs were trying to do to add some creativity to the plates. You also have to be careful to not miss out on some dishes due to the availability of ingredients.
Overall though, it's a welcome addition to the choices of sushi restaurants in London, and I'll definitely give it another try in the future.
114 Great Portland St
Fitzrovia
London
W1W 6PA