What the critics say: Yoshi Sushi, Caravan…

30th March 2010, 10:37am

A round-up of the latest reviews

Yoshi Sushi, London
Toby Young, The Independent, 28 March

"One of the most appealing things about Yoshi Sushi is the sheer range of food on offer. In addition to the sushi menu – 'sushi' is generally taken to mean nigiri, sashimi and maki rolls – there is a four-page menu offering everything from ika natto (sliced cuttle fish with fermented soybeans) to chawanmushi (steamed egg pudding). A couple of my favourites are yakitori (bite-sized marinated chicken pieces grilled on skewers) and yaki gyoza (grilled pork dumplings)."

"It's always good. The tempura is succulent and not too greasy, the fried pork combines with the vegetables and the spicy sauce to produce something irresistibly moreish, and the maki and nigiri are full of rich, fishy flavours. This is freshly prepared, well-balanced food made by an experienced chef."

36 on the Quay, Hampshire
John Walsh, The Independent, 27 March

"Inside, the dining room is small, low-ceilinged, crowded and cosy. The décor is mostly neutral beige, offset by the bright pinks, greens and reds in the evening wear of the sailing fraternity. Emsworth is home to one of the three sailing clubs in the area (along with Itchenor and Bosham) and it shows. The clientele in here is rich, comfortable and local. This restaurant is their second home. The chap at the next table has kicked off his Gucci loafers and is eating supper in his socks, as he'd do by his fireside. Opposite him, the lady in the cashmere sweater is telling friends, 'It was just too cold for a second coat of varnish.' It takes a moment to realise she's talking about her boat rather than her toenails."

"My starter of pigeon breasts on a braised onion and pinenut compote was arranged in arrowhead formulation, with black pudding in the middle and cubes of steamed beetroot sitting in a light game reduction. Game poultry and black pudding together make quite an assault on the tastebuds – like being set upon by two of the aforementioned sailors simultaneously. Each was delicious, and perfectly cooked, but didn't work as a duet. Likewise, the sweetness of the compote had a fight on its hands with some warm plum chutney: I wished there had been fewer tastes to confuse the palate. And it was an enormous starter."

Caravan, Farringdon
Fay Maschler, Evening Standard, 25 March

"Two lunches by no means exhausted appealing choices in the list of small plates, prices for which range from £4.50 (butternut squash, ginger and coconut soup) to £8 (soft-shell crab, celeriac slaw and seaweed). The falafel, which came with a sweet/piquant apple and pepper relish, tahini and coriander, was wonderfully light and yet proved still to have that useful scouring quality on the digestive system. 

Pickled mackerel with sweetcorn, avocado and jalapeno was a bit chilli-lite the first time but the dial had been turned up on the second try. The word 'gypsy' (it's Caravan, remember) is invoked both to describe a honey-glazed bun filled with spiced pork that is an interesting take on char siu bao — crisper crusted bread and pulled rather barbecued meat — and a dish of white potatoes and sweet potatoes with a hit of garlic in a creamy, almost cheesy, sauce."

Guerilla Burgers, London
Liz Hoggard, Evening Standard, 25 March

"The music is ear-splittingly loud; they're angling for your dessert choice before you've necked the starter. One waiter poured red wine into my friend's unfinished margarita. But before you complain, read the 'house rules' which range from 'music is at the volume we like' and 'if you don't see it, we don't have it'.

"We started with a selection of 'apps'. We liked the jamjar crayfish cocktail and the raw slaw salad with seeds. But the salmon in the fish tacos had been grilled to death; and the chicken bites were gritty."

L'Art du Fromage fondue, Chelsea
Jay Rayner, The Observer, 28 March

"Cylinders of herbed goat's cheese wrapped in smoked salmon are the sort of thing you eat while waiting for something else to happen. Which in this case was the fondue Savoyarde, to be shared by a minimum of two people at £16.40 a head. The mix of Emmenthal and Beaufort with Comté sounded serviceable, and we very much liked the toasted, seasoned croutons dribbled with olive oil for dipping. So much better than the usual lumps of a Swiss loaf. Swiss bread is the only one that manages to taste stale 30 seconds after coming out of the oven. But the fondue itself was a dismal affair, starting with the moment when they poured on the kirsch and set fire to it. Flambéed cheese? What's all that about? You shouldn't burn off the alcohol: the kirsch should go into the fondue so your children get unwittingly drunk.

"It went downhill from there. 'It's under-seasoned,' Pat said. 'They've rubbed the pot with too much garlic, and it's separated.' She was right. A glassy layer of liquid lay atop the molten cheese, and the flavour was shallow and dull. 'What do the French know about fondues?' she muttered. 'The recipe I learned was on an apron. It's not a secret.' There are other fondues available, including one made with goat's cheese, which probably tastes like a farmyard smells, as savoury goat products often do."

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