10 Queen Street,
The City,
London,
EC4N 1TX
(020) 7377 6367
The ViewLondon Review
At this branch of Tsuru Sushi, you’ll find fresh and exciting flavours, attractive dishes and fantastic service.
The Venue
A recent addition to Queen Street, Tsuru Sushi can be found within the busy streets of the City but as yet has not been discovered by many which makes it a calm and quiet spot, away from all the hustle and bustle. It’s not particularly large inside but decorated tastefully with a cluster of round hanging lanterns in the middle, the open kitchen in sight of diners and wooden furniture boasting a clean, modern design.
Each table holds a cute brown jug of soy sauce and individually decorated chopsticks - which seem to set this restaurant apart from sushi chains where only white plastic chopsticks are offered. More care has been taken into the design aesthetics of this small, stylish space.
The Atmosphere
This restaurant has the potential to be packed at lunchtime with workers requiring a short and snappy break from their long working days, or it could offer a more intimate setting for smaller groups at quieter periods of the day or evening. Service is faultless with a casual, cheerful approach and expert recommendations, as well as knowledge of each dish at hand should you need it.
The Food
You can make your way through the menu as you please - whether via a strict starter, main and dessert format or with a mixture of starters and mains to share with your table. From the starters, you can pick from traditional tasters such as miso soup (£2.35) or edamame (£2.60). Or try a light salad such as the red cabbage and sesame salad (£2.45) with its sweet and juicy flavour complemented by the salty, nuttiness of the seeds. The favourites on the menu (according to the waiters) include free-range chicken kara-age (£4.55) which comprises marinated chicken in soy, ginger and garlic which has then been fried, giving a satisfying crispy texture with a hot, salty taste. Other options include various dumplings and tempura assortments.
Mains are just as various and intriguing. If you’re unsure of what to pick, the Tsuru premium sushi moriawase platter (£14.25) is recommended for its broad selection of 10-12 pieces of nigiri and maki sushi, including smoked salmon and prawn. Each piece is skilfully handmade and you can taste the freshness of the fish and complementing ingredients. Large piles of green wasabi paste and pickled ginger are also on the side for that extra spicy bite, and each piece has its own distinctive flavour. One surprising piece is the tamago which is a made from sweet Japanese omelette - it's certainly worth a try. There is also an alternative platter available for vegetarians at £10.20.
If you know what you like, you may prefer to choose the 8-piece dragon roll platter (£8.25), made with thick and creamy avocado, unagi and cucumber. This is presented beautifully, in fact it's almost too good to eat. You can also pick and mix your nigiri sushi with salmon, tuna, seabass, tiger prawns and tamago options (each £2-£4 in pairs). Go for katsu curry (with chicken, pork, salmon or vegetable £7-£8.45) or be temped by teriyaki bento with salmon or chicken for £8.20.
There’s only a small selection of desserts on offer, but after the temptations from the savoury side of the menu, it may be hard to fit them in anyway. Worth trying is the green tea ice cream (£3.60) purely because you may have never tried anything quite like it. It’s a bewildering sensation for the taste buds with its sharp and authentic green tea flavour and rich and creamy texture. The chocolate brownie (£4.25) is a popular choice, but be careful that supplies don’t run out before you’ve put your order in. The third and final option on the menu is the most bizarre. Mochi ice (£3.85) comprises three different sticky rice balls with ice cream centres, each as surprising in taste and texture as the first. They're flavoured with green tea and sesame and the outer rice shell has a strangely soggy texture, which isn’t entirely pleasant. Probably best to stock up on those impressive mains.
The Drink
Accompany your meal with a selection of beers (such as Asahi), consult an extensive list of white and red wines, or just settle for some sake for a more authentic Japanese experience. The beers or a crisp glass of white wine come most recommended as they'll complement all that fish perfectly.
The Last Word
Bursting with potential, this new gem in the midst of the City ticks all the boxes in terms of presentation, variety and freshness of its menu and fantastic service. The desserts could do with a little work but the rest certainly makes up for them.
Tsuru has been reviewed by 2 users