London has its fair share of great sushi (and of course the not so great…), but a recent meal at Marylebone’s OKA has definitely seen it bump up my list and take a spot in my top three. One of five of the restaurants in London, visiting midweek a neighbouring table commented ‘I can never get a table in Primrose Hill for love nor money’; surely an accolade, if it’s that popular surely they must be doing something right?
Kick off your meal with a cocktail; I headed straight for a Roku Martini, a refreshing combo of Roku Gin and lychee, while their signature Lychee and Ginger Mojito went down a treat on the opposite side of the table. While the extensive sushi menu includes the classics, its was their speciality rolls that really drew my eye. The Red Dragon Roll was incredible; panic crusted prawn and fresh mango, topped with tuna tartare and ponzu sauce. My friend turned her nose up at the mango, yet admitted she was too quick to judge; it was the juicy sweetness that made flavours work so well together, with the tangy kick of ponzu and crispy panko crumb providing a wonderful juxtaposition of textures in every mouthful. The salmon skin rolls were crispy and delicious and while we probably could have sated our appetites just with sushi, the main courses looked to great to resist.
The miso salmon was a seriously hearty portion, served with stir fried vegetables. It was sweet and sticky, deliciously grilled and really quite excellent value for money given the sheer size of the fillet. The sashimi salad on the other side of the table was a fresh and tasty choice, luring us into a false sense of security that we were eating healthily…
Little did we know pudding would be such an indulgent affair. Such a simple idea and yet unbelievably tasty, we were served a dish of fresh from the over hot cookie dough, just baked, with a blob of vanilla ice cream to finish. Reader, it was worth every calorie.
It was one of the best sushi meals I've had in London, and there have been a few. If the comment about Primrose Hill was anything to go by, you ought to bag yourself a table while you can.
OKA Sushi, 19 New Cavendish Street, W1G 9TZ
www.okarestaurant.co.uk
