Sushi of Shiori - exquisite food and company

Sashimi platter

I'm going to have to try really, really hard to restrain myself in this post.  You'll remember how Misty the pussycat...

Misty in profile

is endlessly photogenic.  Well, the food at Sushi of Shiori is just as (even more?) photogenic as this pretty pussy.  How did Dalston and I come to be there anyway?

I blame Skinny Bib myself.  Although I should probably blame Jay Rayner because when I read his review I had peek the when I was next in Drummond Street, but didn't go in.  [Incidentally, when I was little, Jay (I remember him when he was called Jason) was my playmate as he lived up the road and the late, great (known to me as) Aunty Claire would keep an open house for the local children to come and play]. 


Appetiser

Anyway, it really was Skinny Bib's repeated visits to Sushi of Shiori that made it an absolute certitude that I would go there - and when better than in my birthday season.  To be honest, it's less of a season and more of a week.  The delightful Dalston is off to Deutschland on Monday and will be away for der (geburts)tag itself.  Given that we've already established that we both love fish, I could think of no finer way to celebrate my birthday with him than to indulge in some excellent sushi.  In fact, this was only the second ever sushi outing for Dalston, the first time being years ago when I took him to Kulu Kulu for his birthday.  I suspect that we went to the branch in Brewer Street although that's now gone downhill in my view, based on a visit earlier this year.  For the past several years I've preferred the Shelton Street branch (there's also one in Thurloe Square in South Kensington to which I've never been), not least because it's located close to Scoop in Short's Gardens (where the factory is located downstairs).  Coincidentally, Scoop also has a second branch in Brewer Street, where the gelato is of the same magnificent quality and taste as the original.  I suppose it won't surprise you to know that an ideal pick-me-up when I'm in WC2 or anywhere nearby is several plates at Kulu Kulu followed by the smallest cup from Scoop. 


Starter

On that first sushi experience six or seven years ago now, Dalston had been mesmerised (as I always am) by the kaiten-zushi experience, muttering as we'd stacked up about 14 plates (between the two of us) that we'd better go now otherwise it would be too tempting just to stay and continue taking plates ad infinitum.  This is pretty much what I do I'm afraid.  What a clever, perceptive man he is!  There would be no such temptation at Sushi of Shiori as I'd ordered the omakase of 7 courses (prices for omakase start at £30).  It took a while to do this as I read all the blogs and all of the newspaper reviews before making my decision.  Research is important in these situations - or, it's just me.  Anyway, having read all 17 reviews, I went for the seven course omakase and this is the one I'd recommend wholeheartedly.

Soup course

Before we got to Sushi of Shiori, we rendezvous-ed at the wonderful Wellcome Collection.  We'd first gone there for their brilliant exhibition on Dirt (on until 31 August) and once there, wondered how it was that we'd never been before.  It truly is that kind of place.  A repeat visit to the permanent exhibits is on the (long) list of things we plan to do.  On this occasion it was their comfortable café space and a pot of tea before heading over the road to Drummond Street.  It really is quite lovely, the café is run by Peyton and Byrne and the quality is evident.  The tea is served in a pot.  It is proper, loose leaf tea, complete with a tea strainer. Dalston informs me that the baked goods are delicious (he's a bit of a biscuit connoisseur), and they look it too.  If you're stuck in the Euston Road, waiting to travel or to meet with someone, I cannot think of anywhere nicer.

Sashimi platter

Our booking was for 6pm.  It was clear when I read the blogs that having booked a mere 6 days in advance, we'd been lucky to get a booking at such short notice.  I think one reviewer said that they had booked 3 weeks in advance.  It is tiny (9 seats only).  We were lucky enough to be seated at the chef's counter so we could watch a master at work.  It's well-documented by fellow bloggers so just a précis here.  The chef is ex-Umu.  His wife is front-of-house and provides the most delightful service either Dalston or myself have ever experienced in the UK.

We chose sake (for me) - very reasonably priced, well-chilled, clean, fresh, with lavender notes (£12 for 150 ml carafe) - and Hojicha, smoky (roasted) green tea for Dalston.  And then it began.

First up was the skinned, pached fig with reduced nasu no miso dengaku (aubergine in miso) dressing.  Utterly delicious, it augured well for an amazing meal.  Sweet with a light smokiness from the dressing, a figgy fig, and I think a touch of rice vinegar in the bottom of the bowl.

Fig with dressing

Next was the grilled unagi (eel) wrapped in cucumber with seaweed jelly, picked radish and seaweed (kelp or wakame). 



Grilled unagi wrapped in cucumber with seaweed jelly and wakame

The smokiness of dressing on the fig was slightly echoed in the rich, sweet, smoky flavour of the grilled eel, lightened with the crispness of the cucumber wrapping, the tender chewiness of the wakame and the slither of jelly.  Hey everybody, it's jellied eel Japanese-style, minus the liquor and mash. 

Chawanmushi

Soup followed.   However, because it's summer (and warm), we had Chawanmushi.  Best described as a savoury egg custard and unlike miso eaten with a spoon, this contained thin slivers of slightly chewy shiitake and bonito flakes.  The shiitake lent a woody, mushroom savour to the dish which was lovely.



Sashimi platter

What amazing sashimi!  From left to right (anti-clockwise): amaebi (sweet prawn); o-toro (fatty tuna); maguro (tuna); razor clam; sea bass; sake (salmon); aji (horse mackerel).  Spankingly fresh and, according to Andy Hayler, sourced from Atari-Ya.  A tiny digression here.  I'd had a date to meet up with Scarlett for lunch which she postponed, needing a bit of quiet time.  Having scheduled other commitments in to allow for lunch, I decided to pop down to the MAC counter at Selfridges.  Who should I meet on her way there but Scarlett!  We went there together, made our choices and then set off to carry on with our (separate) pottering about.  The thing is, as Scarlett had noticed, I'd been walking in the wrong direction for Selfridges.  That's right - I'd decided to indulge in a bit of solitary sashimi and try out Atari-Ya.  It was very good and very reasonable (no frills though).  I had a good munch through the sashimi options, but I must say the o-toro was much better at Sushi of Shiori.  Delicate, meaty, full of flavour, it melted on the tongue and dissolved (all too soon, I'm afraid) in the mouth.  Incidentally, I did 'fess up to Scarlett that I'd been on a fishy mission.  That o-toro is worth a closer look, don't you think?


O-toro takes centre (left) stage

 Mind you, so is everything else.  Fresh, slightly chewy razor clam which the chef (we were sitting at the counter, remember, so could see him at work) had marinated in what I'm pretty sure was ponzu to which he'd added freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Razor clam

And as for the chiffonade on the vegetables, like the carrot above...


Top left Chiffonade of cucumber and daikon.  Centre, the amaebi (sweet prawn) is topped with caviar

Quite extraordinary.  Although we chatted between courses, it seems in recollection that Dalston and I were almost silent during the eating of each course.  It really was an experience where one wished to concentrate and contemplate each mouthful, the look, the feel and the taste of the thing.



Sushi platter 1 (l-r) yellowtail, sea bass, mackerel, scallop with Italian summer truffle, chopped chu-toro temari style

Sushi platter 2 (l-r) mackerel, scallop with summer truffle, ika (squid) with smoked sea urchin and chu-toro temari style as above

 

OK, so what happened here?  Were we served two different platters of sushi?  Er, no.  I'll own up.  It's happened before and no doubt it will happen again.  I (actually we both were, but I was the one with the camera) so happy with the fish, the company, life and the universe as it existed at that particular moment, started eating before I'd taken the photo.  Clever Dalston not only reminded me (in the nick of time as it turned out), but also suggested  that I photograph both his and my plates to form a composite.  Fortunately, we'd each started at the opposite end.  So, you have the complete picture.  Incidentally, the squid was served with smoked sea urchin because it is not the season for fresh sea urchin. [Note to self: must find out when season for fresh uni recommences so that I can go again then, with Dalston of course.]  I'd also read that some reviewers had found the rice less than satisfactory.  All I can say is, it is now, each grain carefully seasoned, coherent and separate at the same time.

Amaebi (sweet prawn) with caviar

Dalston rarely eats red meat and the reviews (see, reading all 17 of them did pay off) had said that the next course would be wagyu beef or iberico pork.  Both of which I'm sure are delicious, but in the same way that tamago sushi seems a bit of a waste of time to me, we were there for fish.  The prawn was lightly seared on the outside and topped with caviar (again!).

Pickled Lotus Root

The prawn was already dressed, so there was no need for shoyu (we'd been given a little brush earlier with which to anoint our sushi so that we didn't disturb the dressings).  It was accompanied by pickled lotus root, which looks as if it belongs in a sculpture exhibition really.  A brief word on the fact that it's pickled.  It's been freshly pickled so there is nothing but the lightest sense of pickling.

Ice cream for pudding

The end was nigh.  Both Dalston and I chose the black sesame ice cream, which I'd not had since visiting Japan two years before.  They also had green tea; smoky green tea; and sweet potato (other bloggers have also found sweet chestnut on their visits).  It was divine: delicious, round and rich with the thinnest tuile I have ever seen in my life. 

The thinnest tuile I've ever seen

To be honest, given that was studded with black sesame seeds and sunflower seeds (it's a punk tuile), I don't know how it didn't topple over.  It really was the end then and as Dalston, whose company was as ever as exquisite as the meal, said - we could begin all over again.  Perhaps for his birthday in December!

We left Sushi of Shiori with a 'domo arigato!' and wended our way, we seemed to float, to catch a bus to Hackney.

Tugra was our next stop for coffee and a little something to round things off.  Here are the little somethings...

Dalston's little somethings

They're actually really quite small in real life, perhaps an inch square, if that.

My little something

Ditto re: size, perhaps three inches in length.  You will recognise it of course.  It's a rivani made with semolina and drenched in syrup (it really was soaked in syrup).  I think I managed about half of it before turning it over to Dalston to finish.  It was good, but honestly, Scarlett's was better.

So, my verdict on Sushi of Shiori.  If you like sushi and sashimi, I would consider it essential to go there.  It is quite extraordinarily good and the service, everything, is a delight.  It is something I would class as a special treat in these straitened times but well worth saving up for.  Whilst it is expensive, it is worth every penny.

Personally, I have not had such good sushi (including the rest of the two weeks in Japan) since the very first day, when we went to the Tsukiji fish market.

Tsukiji Scallops

Tsukiji Prawns

Tsukiji Octopi (note double row of suckers)

Tsukiji Clam

Yes, I have many photographs from Tsukiji, and from other fish markets around the world.  Sushi of Shiori was much more like many places in Japan but perhaps because it was a fish out of water it seemed extra special.  Even more special than...

Sushi platter in Kyoto

My vote for sashimi of the night goes to the o-toro (fatty tuna) and for sashimi of the night to the scallop with summer truffle from Albi (a revelation of sweet, mushroom, scented gorgeousness, a kind of surf and forest).  Domo arigato Sushi of Shiori.