Nizuni go, Marylebone Lane

It could be cosy

Nizuni go markets itself as ‘Japanese sushi and sashimi’, but in fact the menu is quite a bit wider than that, with ramen, curry and the like too. It's a takeaway-focused outlet of the main Nizuni restaurant - which spans several floors  on Charlotte St. nearby. Of greatest prominence here seems to be their menu of salads, featuring gyoza and hoisin duck. This didn’t bode particularly well for traditional authenticity, but I tried to keep an open mind.

It’s more of a cafe than a restaurant in feel. The wooden theme evokes a traditional Japanese feel and cosy warmth. This theme extends to the wooden sign hanging out front. Slightly jarringly juxtaposed to all this though is the glaring soft drinks fridge residing in the corner.

I ordered a katsu curry and a couple of pieces of Salmon nigiri sushi. The curry is particularly well-priced at under £7. The sushi came to £3.60 for 2 pieces, which is fairly standard for a hole-in-the-wall type of place.

The katsu curry arrived in record time and the first impressions were good: it was well-presented in a traditional wooden rice tub and was piping hot. It came with a small side of Japanese pickles.

There were only a couple of vegetable pieces in the curry which was a little disappointing. The curry was also by far the mildest I’ve ever had, at the expense of flavour. In fairness, it is described as mild in the menu, but the level of mildness was such that it had only hints of that distinctive Japanese curry spice blend. The katsu itself was well-seasoned, possibly with garlic powder added to the meat during the breading process.

The sushi was surprisingly good considering the curry. The salmon melts in the mouth nicely with an almost buttery texture. It was a little too warm though and the fish, in its softness, lacked a little body. It didn’t feel like biting into much.

The fish is good, but the block as a whole is top-heavy

Never devour the green wasabi mountain whole - it's extremely potent.

The rice held together well but the proportions were off. It may seem great to get a whacking great piece of fish on top but in actual fact, it made the nigiri difficult to handle with chopsticks while keeping it in once piece. The fish was prone to slipping off or engulfing the rice at the sides. Service was attentive throughout despite the cafe feel of the place.




All in all there was enough there to make me interested in trying the salads. It offers decent sushi on a budget - of far better quality than anything you might get at say, Itsu. I’d give the curry a miss though. There’s far better to be had for a few pounds more, with heartier servings too. The exception perhaps would be if you took away - the menu is slightly cheaper in that case.

You can find Nizuni go at 39 Marylebone Lane, W1U 2NP. the closest Tube stations are Bond St. and Oxford Circus.

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Fire in the Belly

It's not every day that a place is so good I feel compelled to write about it on the way home - but that's a testament to how Cocoro, a quirky Japanese dive a short walk from Tottenham Court Road station, wowed me.Inside, it's small but spacious enough. The decor is simple but effective. 

The food though. Oh. The food. 

I ordered a piece each of salmon and tuna nigiri, a chicken katsu curry and a pot of green tea. I began with the sushi. My first impression was that it had been served a little warmer than I'd have liked. It looked good but that can be deceptive. I was wary but that went out of the window with the first bite; the texture and flavour for both were pretty fantastic; really melt-in-the-mouth stuff with all the rich complexity that oily fish should have.

 

So delicious I almost ate the glass plate too

Yum.

I've had my share of mediocre katsu curries in England. I often resort to cooking my own since the quality I seek just isn't easily available.This though, was magnificent. It steamed with the heat of a thousand suns. I mean, it was still steaming at the end of my meal. Then there's the other kind of heat; the kind that builds up cumulatively with each mouthful of Japanese curry. The combination was potent. By the end of my bowl I had broken out into a sweat and my body had forgotten all about winter. Instead, I seemed to have acquired a furnace inside. To call the curry robust would be diplomatic in truly understated, Japanese style.
 

Not shown: volcanic vents of steam

 The chicken katsu was hot and fresh, not dry like some others I've had. Crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside, the way it should be. An unusually smooth surface for katsu but it was so good I barely missed the textured rivets that breadcrumbs usually make.
 
The vegetables in the curry had been cooked separately and added later. The sauce is cooked beforehand, and this keeps the veg from getting soggy. I enquired, and curry cubes are used but the chef adds his own spices to it so the result tastes unique. It's the best katsu curry I've had in London and I have no hesitation in recommending it wholeheartedly. Go there now and invite me while you're at it - I want to go back!


Afternote: Cocoro has another branch on Marylebone Lane which I have also visited. The one reviewed here specialises in Ramen and Curry and has a cafe-diner feel, whereas the one on Marylebone has more of a traditional Japanese restaurant vibe, with tatami. The menu there, whilst excellent, is different to this branch and generally dearer.