Inspired by two very unique cultures, sushinho is an entirely new culinary experience. Think Brazilian chic mixed with all the practicality and efficiency Japan has to offer.
sushinho’s menu fuses Japanese, Brazilian and European fare, offering such exotic concoctions as Tempura Maki Rolls; Bruléd Foie Gras and Mango Sushi and sushinho’s very own take on pizza - crusty flatbread topped with wasabi aioli and tuna/salmon sashimi. The bar offering is equally groundbreaking, boasting such bespoke creations as Sakeirinha (Caipirinha with Japanese Sake instead of Cachaça) and Whisky Tea (Whisky with chilled green tea).
Sushinho
Restaurant in Chelsea
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All In London Review
Sushinho launch ‘downstairs’, offering Japanese-Brazilian tapas
In the meantime, the restaurant has removed tuna from their menu, meaning all their seafood, fish and meat are now obtained from entirely sustainable sources. They are so far the only high-end sushi restaurant in London to make such a move.
On to the food. The downstairs menu is different to that of the restaurant, and I quickly spotted the specials, which featured a tartar of salmon with a slightly spicy pineapple, coriander, chilli and sesame dressing (£6) and the scallop ceviche (hand dived – meaning there is no impact on the seabed and only fully grown scallops are picked) with a zingy lime and cucumber dressing (£7.50).
The kazan roll (£7.50) was filled with the interesting combination of tempura tiger prawn and cream cheese, which together with the stronger flavours of coriander and chive made for a very unique bite.
Moving on to the robata grill offerings, the corn fed chicken yakitori (£5) was simple, without flamboyant dressings, while the Wagyu rump with Mumbai salsa (£7.50) consisted of pieces of succulent beef with a peppery seasoning. The aubergine with sesame and citrus miso (£4.50) - also on skewers, like the other dishes - was crispy and delicious.
The Caledonian prawns with mango and habanera sauce (£6) were plump and fleshy, arriving with what looked like mini-egg yolks on the side, however these were in fact little mounds of mango sauce.
Elsewhere the Japanese mushroom and endive salad (£5) had a liberal application of sesame dressing, the pork and shrimp gyoza (£5.50) were tasty little parcels of meat and tender prawn, while the grilled Calabrese sausage being a tad chewy was perhaps the weakest dish of all. The accompanying sweet potato sliced into thin layers with mozzarella over the top was the perhaps the stodgiest item, yet perversely enticing.
For dessert there was a choice of sorbet, an exotic fruit platter, or a mochi with vanilla ice cream. I was extremely excited when my mochi arrived freshly out of the oven and therefore still warm. Upon digging my fork into its gooey texture it revealed a sweet bean paste filling, even more delicious when paired with vanilla ice cream.
Aside from the delectable menu the cocktail list has recently expanded to include low calorie cocktails. I am pleased to say that the ‘cherry tea martini’ (£9) does not taste like a slimline drink; then again I am partial to less sugar and more booze. Cherry vodka, green tea and Campari made up the concoction.
The ‘bluebell’ was another drink not for those with a sweet tooth. To make it, fresh blueberries are muddled with vodka and blueberry liquor before being finished off with champagne, a slightly fizzy, strong, berrylicious cocktail.
With all the portions being tapas sized it’s easy to rack up a hefty bill, this is somewhere to go as a deserving treat. The quirky combinations of ingredients may not be to everyone’s taste, however against all odds every dish seems to work. Being served by a waitress that seems to have infinite knowledge of the menu added to the experience; it seems Sushinho have found staff that are passionate about their food. Having eaten here a on a number of occasions, I have to admit I get pretty excited about it too.
Reviewed by Leila
Published on May 7, 2010
A year after opening, Sushinho’s menu has clearly surpassed itself
The starters alone are the gourmet equivalent of art. Who would have thought that vanilla and pineapple would serve as an appetizing glaze for hiramasa king fish carpaccio (£9)? As strange as it sounds the combination is a light, refreshing entree. The beef fillet tataki is also cut into slithers, served rare with enoki mushrooms and an apple and vinegar dressing (£14.50).
My main course was an explosion of different flavours – I would not recommend Sushinho to those who don’t like strong tasting foods – a dish of chicken marinated in cachaça and coconut, served with small cuts of a chorizo-like meat, thinly sliced creamed leak and lotus root (£14.50). For lovers of rich food like me this dish is a triumph.
My companion chose the red snapper fillet that comes with gnocchi cooked in squid ink, cucumber and fennel salad and black sesame sauce (£22). The snapper was perfectly cooked and served with squid ink, a tasty, interesting addition to the gnocchi. Sides are ordered separately and we chose the sesame spinach with ginger and the cassava chips with shichimi mayo (both £3.25).
Where desserts were a tad disappointing previously, and certainly an anti-climax after the rest of the meal, on this occasion the sweets were as exciting as everything else we’d tasted so far. A rich chocolate cake with coconut ice cream came with a shot of passion fruit juice as a palate cleanser. The sharpness of the juice served to bring out the flavour of the coconut and tame the richness of the chocolate. A white chocolate and peanut cake with toffee caramel was equally delicious without the usual stodgy feeling of cake.
Sushinho is one of the more innovative restaurants in London, catering to an adventurous palate who wishes to try new flavours. The sleek décor lends a relaxed, chic atmosphere to the venue – and there’s a bar downstairs where why can continue indulging their tastebuds with sake and cachaça based cocktails.
Reviewed by Leila
Published on Jan 6, 2010
Some teething problems, but exquisite food
suggests that Sushinho is destined for great things. The innovative fusion of Brazilian and Japanese cuisines with offerings such as ‘crispy pork belly with feijoada bean purée’ is at least interesting enough to make the toughest cynic water at the mouth.
But before we even get started on the food, there are the cocktails, which are rather spectacular in themselves. The Sakeirinha (£7.00), Sushinho’s house cocktail is made with sake and muddled pink grapefruit and passion fruit; expecting sake with a hint of fruit we got quite the opposite, sake delicately infused with citrus. The Muay-Thai-Ini (£7.50, was a moreish drink of coconut cream, Drambuie whiskey, lemongrass, chili, ginger and lime. Their list features other curiosities such as the Cinderella Sling with roast pumpkin puree, apricot jam, Grand Marnier, orange and passionfruit which I am intrigued to go back and sample when I have more time.
We were hurried along somewhat at times despite the restaurant not being busy on this post Xmas Tuesday evening, and the waitress seemed very intent on taking away our menus after we’d ordered our food without a chance to order wine. “Oh, we don’t do these by the glass” she explained when I asked if she could recommend a red. I had yet to visit a restaurant where the staff were not falling over themselves for me to sample everything in sight, but I guess it was bound to happen at some point.
As a starter I ordered the kabotcha pumpkin gyoza with truffle (9.00). The kabotcha, a smaller sweeter tasting type of Japanese pumpkin was roasted, with a similar texture to roast potatoes, and was absolutely superb. The seafood seviche (£9) consisted of small cubes of raw fish which had been marinated in lemon and herbs, served in a martini glass. This shaped glass is seemingly becoming quite de riguer for serving starters in West London’s high end restaurants.
Mains were equally exquisite. Tuna was grilled enough to be well cooked yet tender on the inside, served over cassava puree and with a pot of chimichurri sauce, which is otherwise oil, garlic and herbs. The miso salmon had a slither of foie gras laid out on top with miso sauce drizzled all over. Portions were adequate but accompaniments must be ordered separately, and at £15 and £18 respectively are average price for the area.
Deserts were a little more disappointing. The Brasileirinho (£7.50) consisted of a rather dry corn cake served with raspberry sorbet, chocolate sauce and caramelized pistachio. The fruit sable (£ 7.50) was a little better, however merely included a ‘brazilian nut biscuit’, an interesting coconut custard, and summer berries, in other words strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.
Despite feeling a little let down over the desserts (partly due to how wonderful the main course was) and a few slight mishaps in communication, I still rate Sushinho very highly. The food is as exquisite as I have sampled in a very long time, not only delicious but unusual, perfect for impressing someone with your culinary knowledge. In terms of décor the sleek, minimalist setting is highly appealing too. Perfect for impressing someone in intimate surroundings.
Reviewed by Leila
Published on Jan 8, 2009
User Reviews
Sooz
Feb 18, 2009
We went to the bar downstairs below the restaurant - the cocktails were delicious and the staff very helpful in making suggestions on what to try and were very friendly. My only criticism would be that the bar seems a little dark and uninspiring (some of the spotlights were broken which I guess didn't help). I would definitely go back though on the basis that the drinks were so delicious, which I guess is more important.
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