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What's the story about Eel Sushi then?
This is the latest opening from the same team who are behind Dorian and Notting Hill's Supermarket of Dreams, where the monthly Tuna Fight Club takes place. They say they're aiming at London's mid-priced sushi market - so that's somewhere between Endo and Itsu. The handy thing is that having built all the key supplier lines with the Notting Hill Fish Shop, which they also own, it's a relatively easy step to set up their own sushi spot, knowing that they'll have access to great quality seafood.
Where is it?
It's directly opposite Dorian on Talbot Road in Notting Hill. Either Ladbroke Road or Westbourne Park would be useful tube stops, but the constant parade of folk jumping in for a small plate of sushi over the course of the evening we were there made it seem as though a lot of locals are coming here.
Where should we meet friends for a drink first?
You'll probably end up doing what we saw lots of other diners doing here. As this is mainly a walk-in only place, you can swing by and put your name on the list and then head on over to Dorian for a drink while you wait. Pub-wise, both The Pelican and The Walmer Castle are a short walk away.
Where should we sit?
You'll sit at any stool you're lucky enough to get access to. There are 12 seats at the front, split between those at the window (good for people-watching) and those at the counter (good for chef-watching). There are also a handful of stools further into the kitchen if you really want to get up close and personal with the kitchen team.
Inside Eel Sushi.
What's on the menu?
This is a sushi bar, so obviously what's on the menu is dictated by what is the best fish available on any given day. That said, it's split into sashimi and nigiri and the chefs are also keen to help you decide on interesting sushi platters. Head chef Nick Xie (ex-Dinings) was on a work trip to Okinawa when we visited, so we were very well looked after by chef Jon Sho, who has Umu and Oxte on his CV and has quite the following on Instagram.
Chef Jon Sho heading up the kitchen on our visit
Here's what we tried to give you an idea:
Enoki and shimeji mushroom miso soup (£4) - order this while you're working out what your sushi order is going to be. Note all the prices were during the 50% off soft launch.
The most beautifully arranged platter of sashimi that we've seen in a long time - the scallop with N25 caviar (£7 supplement for the caviar) was insanely good.
Nigiri selection - obviously the fish is top-tier, but that sushi rice was perfection too.
A tuna trio of akami, chutoro and otoro with the latter given a light blowtorching to bring out the flavour.
What about the wine?
The good news is that Eel shares the same talent pool as Dorian, so the wine list is very, very good. Never one to knowingly undersell themselves, owner Chis D'Sylva described Eel to Hot Dinners as having "the best wine list of any sushi bar in the world". As you might imagine, that does make it pretty punchy, but you can get away with a glass of Languedoc Pok Pok Rose for just £9. There's a short page of wine and sake options by the glass and carafe, but if you go further into the wine list, you'll find delights like the 2022 Macon Vergisson Sur La Roche from Eric Forest for £70, which isn't a bad mark-up at all.
Overall thoughts:
You've got to hand it to D'Sylva, he really has his finger on the pulse of this part of town. On a random Tuesday night, there was a near-constant turnover of people angling for a seat at Eel. And wherever you sit, whether you're enjoying the people watching by the window or the sushi chefs hard at work, you know that the sushi is going to be very good indeed.
More about Eel Sushi Bar
Where is it? 118 Talbot Road, London W11 1JR
How to book: One hour slots available here. Otherwise walk-ins only.
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @eelsushibar
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Eel Sushi. Prices correct at time of publication when it was a 50% off soft launch.
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