Delicious food, a great atmosphere and host to a wide choice of drinks you will be hard pressed to find another Japanese restaurant of this calibre in the area. This self-styled Japanese Kitchen & Cocktail Bar is well presented with a host of orient-inspired art adorning the walls, my personal highlight being the Godzilla themed city-scape silhouetted above the door! Every table is laid with chopsticks and plenty of cushions for that authentic-yet-cosy feel.
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| A cherry blossom tree ordains the walls (from the Nomu website) |
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| Why I don't mind if I do.... |
I have been to Nomu at least 3 times in 2014 so far, it's one of my favourite restaurants in Bristol and when my friend's birthday came around I couldn't help but suggest we celebrate at Nomu. There were 6 of us in total, and we ordered a lot of starters so we could taste a variety of the menu's offerings.
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| A selection of the starter dishes on offer. |
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| Spicy Tofu Fries in Japanese Mayo |
Yakitori Chicken - Cubes of tender grilled chicken skewered and glazed with a sweet tangy sauce. (middle left on the picture above)
Spicy Tofu Fries - Strips of tofu marinated in a spicy seasoning then deep fried until golden brown and dusted with some unknown Japanese herb. Hints of ginger, garlic and chilli permeated each bite. A pleasure to eat! (left)
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| Avocado Fritters |
Ebi Bites - HUGE prawns in a light, crispy tempura batter served with a healthy dollop of miso mayonaisse.
Definitely one of the top starters. (top left and middle right on the selection picture above)
Avocado Fritters - Crispy, breadcrumbed slices of smooth avocado. The crunchy bite complements the texture and taste of the avocado perfectly. Not your average starter, and certainly a unique taste but my favourite of the ones we ordered( right).
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| Prawn Korokke |
Prawn Korokke - Sounded better on the menu but essentially these were potato and prawn croquettes. (left)
Dynamite Rolls - Standard salmon and avocado sushi with added wasabi. Battered and deep fried to give the seaweed wrap that extra crunch! Highly recommended. (below)
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| Dynamite Rolls |
The main meals were equally as interesting and delicious as the starters, normally I would only review my own food when eating out but seeing as I have eaten both dishes listed below (on separate occasions) I will be telling you about both... aren't you guys lucky!
The thick noodles had just the right amount of "bite" and the squid and prawns were plentiful and well-cooked. The fish cakes were a bit bizarre (they sort of looked like cocktail sausages) but I enjoyed them nonetheless. The sauce gave an authentic taste, tangy yet not overpowering.
The salmon was flaky and full of flavour and the skin was well crisped. This created a great combination of textures when eaten.
I loved the deep flavour of the teriyaki and the rice was perfectly cooked. The sweet pickle was a surprising yet welcome addition, balancing well against the Salmon. This is my standout dish on the menu and I would highly recommend it.
Mango, Lychee and Passionfruit bubbles were on offer to drink with a variety of fruit teas. Mine was Lychee tea with Lychee bubbles and I couldn't get enough of it!
Score card:
Food: 9/10
As I said, I rate this restaurant amongst my favourites, and this is primarily because of the food. A highlight of the local area.
Atmosphere: 8/10
Well decorated with some interesting artwork. Maybe feels a touch too formal but suits the cocktail bar look they are going for.
Service: 7.5/10
On this occasion we were left waiting quite a long time between courses, and unfortunately the main dishes were brought out before the waitress had cleared the starters away. On other occasions service has been excellent.
Value for Money: 8/10
Not the cheapest Japanese restaurant but worth the money.
The conclusion to this review is simple, you have to go to Nomu! If you do, let me know what you think about it in the comments below.
Over and out
- the EnFoodiast
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