Nestled amidst a variety of world food restaurants in Market Row, just a stone’s throw from Brixton tube station, you’ll find the tempting TEMAKI restaurant. One of London’s few authentic hand roll sushi bars, the space seats diners around a bar, enabling them to witness sushi chefs preparing their temaki rolls, which these chefs then hand directly across to them. TEMAKI boasts a flavourful menu of sushi, sides and sakes, and next week, they will welcome diners for a monumental 20-course meal. That’s right. TWENTY courses.
On Tuesday, April 26, TEMAKI will host ‘One Night In Tokyo’, a spectacular omakase dinner. Omakase, which means “I’ll leave it up to you”, is a dining experience where the chef chooses the diners’ dishes, as opposed to guests selecting from a menu. On this occasion, Executive Chef Shaulan Steenson will choose (and create) a menu of 20 small plates and sushi, primarily inspired by his time in Hakkoku and Sushijin, located in Tokyo’s Ginza and Toyama districts. There will be other influences in the fish and vegetable dishes too; in one course, you’ll be whisked away to Kyoto and the Japanese countryside, and in another, you’ll be right back in Tokyo, feasting on traditional Edo-style (cured or cooked) sushi.
Temaki is a style of sushi literally meaning ‘hand roll’. A crisp sheet of nori is wrapped around a bed of seasoned sushi rice, layered with different fish and/or vegetables. While we don’t want to give away everything you can expect on the night, we can reveal the likes of crab, cuttlefish, scallops, eels and oysters will all make it onto the menu. The eel temaki roll is one of the jewels in the menu’s crown, with an almost melt-in-your-mouth texture, while the miso roll is sweet and juicy. The friendly and attentive chefs are on hand – literally hand rolling the sushi in front of you – to answer any questions you may have about your rolls or small plates.
While the eatery is intimate, the space is open and airy, so it doesn’t feel as though you’re in each other’s personal space. One Night In Tokyo offers two sittings – one at 6pm and the other at 8.30pm – with the meal costing £110 per person. Check out TEMAKI’s Instagram page for more information and to book.
Alternatively, TEMAKI is open Tuesday–Thursday for dinner, and Friday and Saturday for both lunch and dinner. Their regular menu has the same powers to transport you to Japan in just a few bites, and you’ll have complete control over what you choose to eat; check out their website to book your table today.