THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
2 Stage Plaza, Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NQ
Revolution is a bit of an exaggeration. Evolution would be more accurate. Cities and food are in a constant state of flux and Sushi Revolution represents both. I saw nothing of what I equate with Shoreditch in its new Stage Plaza. The ultra-modern architecture surrounding the open expanse is stunning and certainly brings the hipster hood into a new era. There’s not a lick of graffiti anywhere!
With their take on sushi, veterans of the industry Tom Blackshaw and Aidan Bryan continue the West’s infatuation with the Japanese delicacy. Like the neighborhood, it loses the flavor of the original and offers something new and exciting in its place.
Classic nigiri sushi, vinegared rice with wasabi, raw fish and soy sauce is pretty close to culinary perfection and difficult to tamper with. Maki sushi (the rolls) are much easier to play with and over the years the West has made them our own. Chef Blackshaw offers a small selection of the classic but his menu is primarily based on maki sushi with a few other hot dishes and some lovely vegan options. What is most revolutionary is the prices! It is very affordable.
There are 4 types of maki on the menu: house rolls, futomaki (large with nori seaweed on the outside), uramaki (with rice on the outside) and kaburimaki (with a topping). Nearly all contain avocado and a fried ingredient which diminishes the innovative aspect. Few of them contain raw fish which brings down the price. I sampled 4 and enjoyed them all, though fish and seafood get somewhat lost in the mad mix of flavors: Tempura soft shell crab (£13.50) with spring onion, flying fish roe, avocado, teriyaki and kimchi hummus; Smokey salmon (£10) with spring onion, flying fish roe, avocado, kataifi (crispy shreds of filo) and a truffle, beetroot barbecue sauce; Crispy California roll (£10) with tempura prawn, cucumber, avocado, miso aioli and flying fish roe; Tempura prawn with avocado, spicy mayo, tonkatsu and sesame topped with raw tuna (£14.50).
Panko popcorn shrimp (£10) was my favorite dish. Six crispy king prawns with chili mayo, chives and a surprisingly well balanced sprinkling of parmesan cheese! An umami bomb of East and West.
Soft scallops rolled in crispy kataifi (£9) were another crunchy delight with black garlic aioli and mustard cress.
The drinks list is cheap and cheerful. A picante sour (£9!!!) was a booze forward mix of tequila, pineapple, fino sherry and honey with a smoked salt and spice rim which I thoroughly enjoyed. 140 ml of house yuzu sake (£10) was also a bargain, served in a beautiful carafe. The hit of citrus adds a nice note to the rice wine.
Mango mochi (£3.25) made a nice finish for those who like chewy ice cream and mini miso brownies were 2 bites of salted chocolate indulgence.
Our server was warm and attentive from start to finish.
This Sushi Revolution is not quite Che Guevara, but definitely a fist pump!
