Originally published on Thursday, 15th May 2008

Saki

One of my favourite sushi places, this Smithfields pitstop has a nice balance of contemporary sleekness and Japanese authenticity. At ground level there's a bar and deli where you can stock up on wasabi peas, freshly-made noodles and miso soup, while downstairs there's an exceptional sushi restaurant.

The chef here, Yoshitaka Onozaki, clearly knows what he's doing, serving up the freshest raw fish/rice/tempura combinations, and to prove the point further he's caught onto the gourmet vegetarian wave that's currently lapping at London's restaurant shores.

Taking inspiration from the ancient 'shojin kaiseki' approach to the cooking and preparing of food, Onozaki focuses on seasonal vegetables, fruit, beans, shoots, leaves and so forth. So, for instance, you might start with sashimi of abalone shitake mushrooms (that resemble abalone fish), move on to a nimono (casserole) of young bamboo shoots, jade aubergine and grilled plum and then tempura of sesame tofu, grilled lotus root and a miso soup with marinated myoga flower buds.

This is seasonal vegetarian fine-dining at its best - I may even forgo the fish for once.

Hours: Mon-Fri 12-2.30pm & 6-11pm • Sat 6pm-11pm
Place: 4 West Smithfield, EC1A 9JX
Cost: £40
Web: saki-food.com
Book: 020 7489 7033

by SL