Japanese

Bristol

NEW
COSMO RESTAURANT
30 Triangle West, BS8 1ET
Tel: 0117 934 0999, web: www.cosmo-restaurants.co.uk
● See Chinese.

NEW
MASA
42-46 Baldwin St, BS1 1PN
Tel: 0117 929 3888, web: www.masajapaneserestaurant.com
● Never heard of teppanyaki-style eating? Guests share tables surrounding a large hot plate, where theatrical Japanese chefs whirl, twirl, juggle, flip and flame raw ingredients into delectable meals. Set
menus offer outstanding value - choose from a range of fresh meat or seafood along with soup, rice and vegetables. Chilled or hot sake is a must on the side, or try a Japanese-inspired cocktail. Sushi, sashimi and tempura are also on offer, along with a flame-grilled fruit dessert that’s well-worth saving room for. Visit website to have a good old gander at the menu. Price ALC: sushi/sashimi approx £4-£5.50/main £5.95-£11.95. SL: 2 £6.80. SD: from approx £16.50pp Wine list HW £11.90 btl Open Daily 12noon-11.30pm. No disabled access. Parties welcome - call for details.

OBENTO
67 Baldwin St, BS1 1QZ
Tel: 0117 929 7392, web: www.obento-bristol.co.uk
● From the same family who bring you Dynasty and Zen. Venue’s reviewer enjoyed a ‘fine, filling meal of contrasting tastes and textures’ – this place has earned itself an exceedingly good reputation for healthy, flavoursome Japanese-themed menus in contemporary surroundings, at prices that belie the quality on offer. Sushi, salads, soups, sashimi, teriyakis and three types of noodle (soba, ramen, udon). ‘Well prepared and well presented,’ said our man of his ‘Sakura’ banquet. ‘A thoroughly good experience.’ Sign up on the website for special offers. Price ALC: sushi/sashimi approx £3-£5/mains approx £7-£10. SL (Tue-Fri): 2 £6.95 (inc non-alcoholic drink, eat in or to go). SD: set menus from approx £17pp Wine list Good range, alongside beers, lagers, etc. HW £11.90 btl Open Mon-Sat 12noon-3pm & 5.30-11pm (Sat lunch til 4pm), Sun 12noon-9.30pm. Disabled access. Parties welcome - call for details.

TAMPOPO
Unit SU84A, Glass House, Cabot Circus, BS1 3BX
Tel: 0117 927 7008, web: www.tampopo.co.uk
● The name Tampopo (Japanese for ‘dandelion’) is taken from the title of a Japanese film that chronicles a quest for the perfect bowl of noodles - a quest that continues at this small UK franchise today. The menu serves up some of the best street food and signature dishes from across eastern Asia, including classics like steaming noodles, slow-cooked curries and sizzling stirfries. Just like in kitchens across East Asia, they make their sauces and stocks in house every day from the freshest market produce. If you’re in a hurry, try the Eastern Express Menu: main plus side £6.95 (Mon-Fri 12noon-5pm). Price ALC: £3.75-£5.50/£6.95-£9.50/£3.50-£4.95 Wine list HW £12.95 btl, £3.65 gls Open Mon-Sat 12noon-11pm, Sun 12noon-10pm. Disabled access (lift to food court). Takeaway available. Parties welcome - call for details.

TEOHS
28-34 Lower Ashley Rd, St Agnes, BS2 9NP Tel: 0117 907 1191
Old Tobacco Factory, North St, Southville, BS3 1TF Tel: 0117 902 1122, web: www.teohs.net
● See Thai, Malaysian, Singaporean & Indonesian.

YO! SUSHI
Glass Walk, Cabot Circus, BS1 3BQ Tel: 0117 321 3161
The Avenue, The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, BS34 5DG Tel: 0117 321 3170, web: www.yosushi.com
● ‘A smart operation with helpful staff of all nationalities (except Japanese, interestingly),’ said Venue’s reviewer, ‘and designed to be user friendly. The tables are neat modules with dispensers of chopsticks, soy sauce, wasabi, sliced ginger and filtered water on tap, plus a button to alert staff when you need something else - hot food, miso soup, human contact… At your elbow the endless train of time-dated plates rolls by and you help yourself in the usual way. We took stock while the miso soup was coming, using the helpfully illustrated guidebook to identify the colour-coded plates. The food was all good and some things particularly so: harusame aubergine, tuna loin sashimi and eel dragon roll topped the cold selection; spicy pepper squid, chicken yakitori and salmon & asparagus yakitori were the hot favourites.’ Find more than 90 dishes to choose from at these local outlets of the successful chain. Sign up for the Yo! Love club on the website for special offers and discounts of up to a third off. Price All dishes £1.70-£5 Wine list Small and exclusive, from approx £13.50 btl, £4.80 gls. Japanese beers & sake Open Cabot Circus: daily 12noon-10pm. Cribbs Causeway: Mon-Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 11am-5pm. Disabled access at both locations. Parties welcome - call for details. Takeaway available.

Bath

YEN SUSHI
11-12 Bartlett St, BA1 2QZ
Tel: 01225 333313, web: www.yensushi.co.uk
● Make like our reviewer and take a ringside seat at the conveyor belt in this cheery but cosy, unfussy Japanese canteen. ‘It’s the hottest seat in town for the inquisitive gourmet,’ she said. ‘A lap-dancing club for scoffers; tapas for the jaded.’ Expect dozens of brightly coloured saucers to flaunt their tantalising toppings right under your nose, from the familiar (California rolls, tempura, edamame beans, sashimi) to every variation on the full-on authentic makizushi theme. A smart, jolly sushi chef chops, dices and rolls everything together before your eyes (and is happy to talk you through your choices) while the kitchen delivers hot stuff (soup, teriyaki, noodle-based dishes) to order. Bento (rice-based) boxes and ramen (noodles in soup) also available. Price Conveyor belt/hot dishes £1.50-£4, bento boxes £6.50-£8.50, ramen £7.50-£9.50 Wine list Small but perfectly formed. Japanese & continental beers & lagers, plum wine & sake. HW approx £12 btl Open Daily 12noon-3pm & 5.30-10.30pm. Disabled access. Group bookings - call in adv. Takeaway available (excl ramen).

NEW (COMING SOON)
YO! SUSHI
Milsom Place, BA1 1BZ
Web: www.milsomplace.co.uk
● International chain credited with introducing British diners to the Japanese kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt) presentation of sushi – setting up shop shortly in Milsom Place. Visit Milsom Place website (details above) for updates.

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