24 November 2014

So, it was a bit of a strange experience. To sum it up, the food was excellent but the restaurant was just odd.

Ohisama is a Japanese restaurant in the Baker Street area. It was recommended to me by a friend and was described as ‘Nobu but a third of the price’. I do agree with that description but I expected a swanky interior with mood lighting and an uppity crowd. Instead, I found myself double checking that I’d got the right place. I even rang my friend to triple check.

On arrival, I was ushered down a dirty staircase. The ‘background music’ was the sound of chopping and the chefs gassing in Hindi – of all languages! It’s safe to say, I was a tad worried.

My friend arrived and was equally confused. The restaurant is very basic. Paper napkins, cheap sofas and a glass fridge filled with cans of soft drinks. You can tell it took me a while to get over all of the above and focus on the food…

First up, the Dr Watson Roll…

Super spicy, beautifully presented and just the right amount of crunch.

Next – one of my favourite dishes of all time – the wonderfully simple Salmon Sashimi…

The Rainbow Roll. This dish alone is more than enough for a quick and healthy lunch. My friend and I both agreed that it was very reasonable at £7.50.

Crab tacos…not bad. But perhaps a little under-seasoned.

Fatty Tuna. A new experience for both of us. I loved it and I should say that all of the fish was extremely chilled and fresh throughout.

Finally, the Yellow Tail Sashimi with Jalapeño. This dish was as good as Nobu, half the price and a more generous portion.

The food at Ohisama is absolutely on point. And it was pretty reasonable at £25 per head (without alcohol). I’d definitely go back, but probably for lunch or a very early dinner. Unfortunately, the atmosphere doesn’t warrant a relaxed evening meal.

I should also say that the chef left at 9pm and we were presented with the bill at 9.15pm. As I said – odd.

If I had to rate this place on the food alone, it would definitely get 5 forks. But based on the experience as a whole…

Rating: