Inamo, the Oriental fusion dining brand which blends sushi and sashimi with iPod-style touch ordering, has been thumbing its nose at traditional London high dining for over a year with its Soho outpost. Flushed with success, the duo behind this innovative concept recently added to their stable with Inamo St James, perched appropriately enough, next to the legendary Japan Centre on Regent’s Street.
Featuring the touch-technology tables, beamed pictures appearing magically on your plate and sleek cocktail bar which have become a staple of the brand, the sleek new spot hopes to join its Soho sister on the great London date list – but will it succeed? Hot Dinners were invited along to check if our scrolling fingers were up to the task.
The sheer novelty of the concept makes the first few minutes of your visit a joy, and have charmed even the most prickly of reviewers such as Jay Rayner. The interactive table allows you to scroll through menu choices, while a lightbox overhead obligingly beams a picture of each choice onto your waiting plate. Separate interactive menus allow you to place drink orders, check the progress of your bill – split by group or individual (very helpful for ending quarrels over a bill at the end of a night) and even plan your route home – via nearby clubs or pubs. For those who prefer an inside view, there’s also a camera broadcasting from the kitchen to allow you to watch your sashimi from chef to plate.
The menu encourages family-style dining by dispensing with any formalities – every course was brought out once ready, appearing, like Mr Benn’s shopkeeper, as if by magic. We stuck to tried and tested favourites and ordered plump, sesame-sprinked seafood gyoza and king crab to start.
Be warned, all this technological glitz and glamour comes with a price tag attached. The Alaskan King Crab, which Inamo boasts is a ‘highly sought after luxury dish’, is a slender – if tasty – two legs, but weighs in at £15.50. Most of the small plates lurk in the £6-9 region and aren’t enough to fill you up, and, like internet shopping, it’s easy to keep blithely adding to your interactive menu while the price adds up. Those relieved to be spared the obligation of tipping a waiter should also take a second look – the bill adds a mandatory service charge, despite the Zen approach to waitering (although it should be noted that the touch of a display button summons a server with airline hostess speed).
However, the mains are where Inamo really showed its flair, beyond the bells and whistles. A beautifully cooked sake salmon came wrapped in sake wood with a rich ginger butter sauce which paired perfectly, while the menu spans elegantly between Thai, Chinese and Japanese influences.
We sat next to a table of adorable French children who were clearly having a ball, agog at all the hi-tech wizardry, and it’s clearly an excellent destination for families as well as the sophisticated cocktail crowd Inamo is aiming its sights on. the place injects some much-needed fun into a fusion category which all-too-often takes itself much too seriously.
Sitting comfortably between style and substance, Inamo St James isn’t afraid to experiment. For a truly different night in a city that prides itself on breaking new ground, it’s absolutely worth a visit.
