The dining room at Kumori
So what do we need to know about Kumori?
Kumori is at the vanguard of a slew of handroll bars that have opened and are opening across the West End this summer.
What's their USP then?
It helps that the both the chefs involved have stellar sushi CVs. Head Chef John Randy De Guzman arrives here after a brief-ish tenure as Head Chef at Tobi Masa, but also with a decade of Nobu too. His senior sushi chef here is Alvin Contawe, who is ex-Dinings and Roka. So it's fair to say that they're both more than at home behind a sushi counter.
Here they're making quite a thing of the nori they're using. It's a custom-cut nori which they say "is cut and specified differently from standard sushi formats to achieve maximum crispness, snap, and structural integrity."
Where is it?
You'll find it down Denman Street in Soho, just down the road from The Devonshire.
The signage is quite subtle, so this is what you're looking for. The door is on the left.
Where's a good place to go for drinks first?
Obviously The Dev is a very easy answer, and if it's a pint you're after, you couldn't do better. If you fancy a cocktail, then head to nearby Soma underneath Kricket (designed by the same team that did this place), and there's always the lovely terrace bar at Ham Yard Hotel right across the road from Kumori.
Is this an all-counter affair?
It is, but while the window seats do offer the lure of great people watching in Soho, really the place you want to be is up at the main counter, watching the chefs do their thing.
What's on the menu?
To make it easy for indecisive folk there are three set menu options involving three, four and five handrolls and ranging in price from £24 to £35. But if you fancy going a la carte there are a handful of appetisers, three raw options and then 10 handrolls to choose from which range from £8 to £16 each. Just tick the box next to the ones you fancy and they'll be delivered to you one by one as they're made.
Toro (£19)
Yellowtail with yuzu truffle (£13)
We opted to work our way through as many of the rolls as possible. Here are the highlights:
On the right is probably Kumori's signature roll, the baked crab on soy paper (£12).
Left to right spicy scallop and yellowtail koshu (£10 each)
Not pictured, but two that you absolutely should go for are torched in front of you - the burnt salmon (£9) and the unagi with foie gras (£16).
What's on the menu for vegetarians?
Honestly, not much. That said, you could go for these padron peppers without the bonito flakes. There's also miso soup, and we very much liked the look of the miso aubergine handrolls we saw being served up.
Padron peppers with miso and bonito (£6)
And for dessert?
It's one choice only - mochi, with flavours
The mochi are £6 for two pieces - choose from matcha, vanilla, black sesame or mango passion.
And to drink?
The drinks list is three times as long as the food menu, with a range of cocktails and, as you might imagine, a pretty impressive sake offering with almost all of them available by the glass, carafe and bottle.
Left to right: Yuzu margarita (£12) and Yamanshi grape gimlet £12).
Overall thoughts:
From the design of the room, to the service and the food it felt that Kumori was a cut above the average sushi spot. The rolls are excellent and we'd say it was a high-energy addition to Soho's dining scene. It's just as much a handy place to dive in for a quick handroll as it would be to go for a longer meal and make more of the cocktails and sake list.
More about Kumori
Where is it? Soho - 26 Denman Street, London W1D 7HX
How to book? Book online
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @kumorihandroll.
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Kumori. Prices correct at time of publication.
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