Tsuru’s Mansion House outlet is the third in this chain offering sushi and other Japanese food and drink in smart, casual surroundings. We were there for its launch on its second day of operation, and everything felt (and smelled) very new. The decor errs on the side of function, but the form is attractive too, with plenty of wood tones and smart lighting creating a warm environment.
The first of the food to arrive was the vegetable sushi; rice and seaweed in an omelette-like casing, it had bold, fresh flavours, and set the bar high. Tuna nagiri and salmon nagiri maintained the standard – delicate but well-flavoured fish on perfectly held together rice, they were terrific, and a testament to the quality of fish that Tsuru uses. Next up was salmon and avocado uramaki, the filling surrounded by sticky rice that had been rolled in tiny fish eggs. I loved the way the eggs popped as I chewed, a bit like culinary bubblewrap.
We then tried some tempura; aubergine was pleasant if unremarkable, but then I’ve never found aubergine to be very interesting. Asparagus was much more to my taste; keeping a nice crunch, it was perfectly cooked. And the prawn was a triumph, juicy and tasting as fresh as a daisy, we thought they were a definite highlight. All of the tempura dishes were well cooked, the batter light and crisp, working well with the underlying ingredient.
To round off the evening, we tried the chicken kara-age, which is on the Tsuru menu as a side dish. Thighs marinated in soy and mirin, with a katakuriko flour coating, these nuggets of chicken started with a crisp bite, and had the depth of flavour that you would expect from thigh meat (oh, stop).
This wasn’t our first experience of Tsuru – you can read about our visit to their Bankside outlet here and it won’t be our last. Tsuru is still very much the new kid on the block, and I don’t think it’s unfair to say that they’re not looking to change the world, but there’s certainly a place for them, because what they do, they do very well. The Mansion House outlet will be open until 10 p.m. daily, so whether you want lunch, an evening meal, or something to tackle the post-drink munchies, it is well worth a visit.