Black Kampachi sashimi served with mizuna, pomelo ponsu, and a topping of crispy garlic
So what do we need to know about Inko Nito?
It's the newest UK restaurant from the Zuma/Roka team, so there's a bit of sushi, a bit of robata - you know the drill.
Where exactly is it?
You'll find it on Broadwick Street - just off Carnaby Street. Nearest tube is probably Oxford Circus.
Portland crab tartare, with roasted nori and chicken skin
And where should we meet friends for a drink first?
There's always Antidote around the corner for a decent glass of wine, or if you're after cocktails, how about Disrepute or Cahoots in Kingly Court? A good decent local pub to meet up in would be The Sun and 13 Cantons.
Where should we sit?
We rather liked the unusual layout of the restaurant. Where other places would have put the seating in a square around a central kitchen, the design here sees counters going off at a tangent to the kitchen. There are nice spots up at the window if you fancy a bit of people watching or if you like watching some chef action, then there are plenty of seats with a view of what's being served up from the grill. At the far end of the restauant is a bank of raised tables that would be good for small groups.
Cobia collar with yuzu butter
And the food?
The menu is loosely split into dishes coming from the kitchen and those from robata grill. We kicked off with a top snack of Portland crab tartare, neatly served in a tin, with roasted nori crackers and shards of chicken skin to scoop the crab up in. Yes it's obviously made for the Insta crowd, but it tastes good too. At £11.80 it's a generous serving for two.
A dish of veggie sushi topped with avocado (£4.90), lured us with the promise of crispy rice, but that turned out to refer to the topping, rather than the fried sushi style we were hoping for. Much more successful was the cold starter of black Kampachi sashimi served with mizuna, pomelo ponsu, and a topping of crispy garlic (£9.80). Easily one of the best dishes from our lunch.
We had two dishes from the grill - slow cooked beef cheek came with a moreish Korean miso sauce and butter lettuce to wrap it up in (£19) and if you love fish all smoky from the robata to attack with your chopsticks then you should order the cobia collar (£17.60).
For a bit of tableside waiter action, make sure you have the baked potato (£5.60) which comes with the potato scooped out of the shell and turned into buttery mash before being topped with yuzu kosho sour cream and spring onions. The shell - which has been dried off over the grill - sits on top before your waiter smashes it into shards.
Dessert is easy - there's only one dish, a charred coconut soft serve with soy, matcha pocky and sprinkled with Japanese granola (£5.50) which is perfect for two to share.
What's on the drinks list?
There's a short selection of cocktails (£8-£9), Japanese beers and plenty of wines by the glass (£6-£9). Or you could push the boat out and go for a flask of Narutotai Nama Ginjo Genshu at £54.
Charred coconut soft serve with soy, matcha pocky and sprinkled with Japanese granola
Overall thoughts?
With the kitchen open 'till late (11.30pm Monday to Saturday) we can see this new Soho spot becoming a popular choice for popping in for a late night supper, picking a few dishes from across the menu with a cocktail or two. That said, it was also doing strong business on a Friday lunchtime too. It's not a groundbreaking restaurant, but there's plenty on the menu to get you coming back for a second or third go too.
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Inko Nito
More about Inko Nito
Where is it? 55 Broadwick Street, Broadwick Street, W1F 9QS
How to book: Book online
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @inkonitolondon
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