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Tomoe, Marylebone (Restaurant Review)

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I have found my sushi heaven.

Having trawled countless foodie threads from eGullet to Chowhound, one recommendation kept cropping up time and again - Tomoe. This small, unassuming restaurant was apparently just off Oxford Street, so my husband and I made it our mission to go there for our anniversary lunch. We didn't book, as I decided that if it was Meant To Be, there'd be plenty of room to fit us.

We made our way past a dozen identikit bistros on James Street, before finding
Tomoe on Marylebone Lane, well secluded from the bustle of Oxford Street. Indeed there was a table for two free, and I was comforted that all the faces around us were Oriental because that means it's good, right?

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As soon as we sat down, they brought us complimentary Japanese tea. I looked around and was a little frustrated by that Japanese custom of having special, off-menu dishes written in kanji on little signs adorning the walls. At least that was my gaijin assumption - they could equally have said "If you can read this sign, that means you don't suck".


However,
the menu itself was clear and comprehensive, split into one-plate meals like donburi, soba and udon, as well as larger teishoku like udon/sushi sets. There was also a wide range of sushi and sashimi. Hubby went for a classic tonkatsu set and I went for tempura udon. We also ordered a deluxe sashimi set, and five individual nigiri of tobiko (flying fish roe), unagi (kabayaki eel), hotate (scallop), chu-toro (medium fatty tuna) and o-toro (super-fatty tuna), as well as a portion of tsukemono (Japanese pickles). I am greedy.

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First came the tonkatsu set, or rather its side dishes - miso soup, Wafu salad plus tiny saucer of pickles. "Here are your tsukemono" chirruped the waitress as she placed in front of me another saucer of pickles, as tiny as the one included in my husband's set and certainly not worth the extra £1.80. I felt sad and promptly ate all of his pickles too. I said I was greedy.

Next came the tonkatsu itself, a crispy, crunchy, panko'ed pork chop on a bed of shredded white cabbage. The accompanying rice was good and fluffy and the pork itself tender and flavoursome.

Tempura udon brought chewy, firm noodles in a rich broth topped with a variety of tasty tempura including prawns, shiitake mushroom, aubergine and potato, but sadly the batter was a little soggy (though this may be due to the fact that I was fannying around with my camera for so long before tucking in). Regardless, with a sprinkle of shichimi pepper, I happily lapped it all up.

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The deluxe sashimi appeared as a bejewelled platter of sliced maguro (tuna), hamachi (yellowtail), tai (sea bream), hotate (scallop) and salmon.

There was also chopped-up saba
(mackerel) with ginger and spring onions, and real-ish wasabi, shredded daikon, cucumber and shiso leaf. Every piece of fish tasted fresh, delicious and vibrant.

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The real star of the meal however was the sushi. The rice was warm and pearly with the slightest vinegary tang, the neta (toppings) were fat and generous and, my, I don't know if they were having a good day or what, but every single nigiri was packed with explosive flavour.

The tobiko popped with savoury bursts, the unagi was sinfully unctuous, the hotate sweet and lush, the chutoro delightfully rich and the o-toro - sweet. buttery. goodness.

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The whole lot only came to about £50 for both of us and we ate so much.

Tomoe is now my number one Japanese restaurant in London!

Around Britain With a Paunch, londonelicious, Kake and An American in London all loved it too!

Tomoe Sushi Bar
62 Marylebone Lane
London
W1U 2PB
020 7486 2004

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Tomoe on Urbanspoon

Comments

Browners said…
Wow. What a great review. Fantastic photos. I can't wait to go back. And thanks for your generous link.
Su-Lin said…
Great photos - I definitely have to try this place now!
Hollow Legs said…
Well, I managed to spend £18 here on 11 (albeit lovely and fresh) pieces of sushi and a miso soup. I left hungry and had to have a second lunch. 'Deluxe Sushi Set' my backside!
meemalee said…
@Browners - if I hadn't read your review (and the others) I wouldn't have gone, so thank you!

@Su-Lin - thanks! It's really lovely to see you here as you're one of the blogs I read daily - check my blogroll :)

@Lizzie - I though the Deluxe Sashimi was on the small side too, but then in Japan the portions are quite tiny, so I suppose they're being authentic ...
Kate said…
Your first post just appeared on Urbanspoon! Check it out:

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/776944/restaurant/London/Tomoe-Marylebone

You can also add a picture for your blog. This blog photo shows up next to your posts wherever they appear on Urbanspoon. Just head on over to your blog page on Urbanspoon to claim it:

http://www.urbanspoon.com/br/52/869/London/meemalees-kitchen.html

You'll find some interesting badges and widgets there. Let me know if you have any questions!
Anonymous said…
I really liked the article, and the very cool blog
meemalee said…
@Kate - Only just noticed this! Glad to be part of the Urbanspoon family :)

@Anonymous - Thank you!
I was invited to Tomoe by my Japanese friend. It was a fav one of him and his wife when they lived in London. They have a wide varied menu. Staff is friendly and service is quick! Then it has become my preferred option for eating out.