Tsuru, Southwark, London

This was our primary visit. Having chatted to friends and looking at the evaluations we have been cease expecting dining here. The service was rather high quality. Very attentive. The atmosphere was calm yet inviting.They are going the added distance to be certain their guests are pleased.This was the most amazing plate That I have ever had!I recommend highly this restaurant for those who love foodstuff. Very accomodating personnel, try to there when you wish them.

The sushi chefs are perfect simply serve the freshest carp. I’ve endorsed this cafe to a lot of, many folks and none of them happen to be frustrated!!

Katsu curry is exemplary. Not too dear for the quality of food available. Service is equally good. Go there!

I went today very late for lunch (almost 3pm) and they still managed to put all together 9 pieces of fresh sushi (the taster platter) for my dad, even though they had sold out some things. I tried salmon teriyaki bento and miso soup. Everything was delicious and really good value, nothing compared to the kind of food you get from chains as Itsu, for example.
Staff were really helpful and friendly as well, so a place not to miss near the Tate Modern.

please see also:
http://hungryinlondon.com/2010/07/tsuru-sushi-bankside/

Tsuru Sushi is a little gem and I really wonder how I survived so long without it. My enthusiasm is attributable to several factors: (1) good food (2), so close to London Bridge (this is where I work), (3) possibly the friendliest and most charming service I have had in a long time and (4) it is already cheap but even cheaper when you have a Taste London Card (which I have and which gives me 50% off :D ).

I have to thank Catty who was talking so much on her blog about Tsuru’s ice cream matcha mochi that she got me very curious and I finally ventured out into the unknown.

N and I went there for dinner where they mainly serve “Japanese Tapas”, a small selection of sushi, sashimi and roles and their specialty – Katsu curry in every variation. However, I was told they have a extended menu for lunch with a plethora of very reasonably priced bento boxes, salads, soups – whatever you could wish for (for eat in and take away).

We decided to leave the sushi for the next time and focus on small plates for now. So we opted for the delicious Nasu Dengaku (4.10) which must be one of my favourite Japanese dishes of all times. And it’s good at Tsuru – soft aubergine with sweet miso paste and sesame seeds, very moreish indeed. Very delicious also was the Salmon Carpaccio (5.05) with tangy Ponzu dressing . The Seared Scallops, Prawns and Asparagus in Garlic Butter (5.55) were nicely cooked but did not blow me away tastewise.

Then of course we had to try the Katsu Curry (7.95). I am not a particular fan of things deep fried (don’t like grease) but this was really lovely. The curry had a subtle spiciness to it and went perfectly with the chicken (which was – even though fried in breadcrumbs – not greasy at all) and the fresh shredded cabbage.

And then the dessert – how nice was this! Ice cream mochi with toasted sesame and of course Catty’s matcha (green tea) mochi. I am strangely attracted to Japanese desserts, they are not really sweet, the flavours are somehow strange to a European palate and I can’t pinpoint what I actually like about them, but whenever I have them I want MORE!!

First off I have to say that I managed to catch a cold and lost all sense of taste about 15 min before having food at Tsuru so this review is a second-hand account of the food.

I have passed by the place a lot of times but never tried it. Located just behind Tate Modern it's in a very nice and quiet area. Interior is dark but spacious with a few seats by the table and some where you can watch the chef.

Two starters: the salmon carpaccio and seared scallops and prawns. They were both really tiny - especially for £5+ both of them - and not of the best quality. Flavor-wise they were pretty average with the salmon barely tasting of anything, the ponzu sauce not coming through as it should.

Two mains: the tonkatsu (pork katsu curry, according to the menu it's their "famous curry sauce") and the deluxe sushi platter. Even though I couldn't taste it I still felt let down by the sushi plate. Sometimes there was no wasabi at all on the sushi and sometimes enough to make you feel like you've been snorting pop rocks. Fish quality was not too bad but I can think of quite a few other places in London with better quality fish. The pork katsu was full of gristle and fat unfortunately.

An OK place, but nothing great. Good if you're in that area and have a craving for sushi.

Tsuru Sushi have two trendily named branches – Bishopsgate (by Liverpool Street Station) and Bankside (in Southwark) – and because I’m a noob, I assumed that both branches were the same in that they would at least serve the same food. Mistake number one: assumptions.

I didn’t tell anyone which branch I was going to. I didn’t think it mattered. But apparently it did because I went to Bankside and y’all, Bankside does not serve matcha ice cream mochi. Mistake number two: lack of information sharing.

So it was all my fault, really. Why I didn’t tell the good people of the interwebz that I was planning on going to Bankside I don’t know. Because once I did mention it, everyone jumped, aghast at my choice of venue because everyone seemed to know there was no matcha ice cream mochi there except for me.

I died a little bit when I found out.

Anyway, after mourning myself, I contained my grief and managed to peruse the menu. There’s an abundance of deliciousness laid out across Tsuru’s one page menu and soon my yearning for matcha ice cream mochi was gone. But certainly not forgotten.

We ordered a platter of sashimi moriawase to start, followed by a handful of small dishes. The sashimi was much of a freshness, glistening and colourful for about half a second until I popped it into my food hole. Fresh, crisp, sweet, perfect. Can’t really describe it any other way.

We ordered five other small dishes, the best sounding one being seared scallops, tiger prawns and asparagus in garlic butter. Sounds good doesn’t it? Sadly it was our least favourite dish of the night, the scallops and prawns were terribly overcooked.

Everything else was excellent though - nasu dengaku and agedashi tofu are all time favourite dishes of mine, the chicken yakitori was tender and tasty and the chicken kara-age… well, it’s fried chicken. In any language I’m pretty sure fried chicken = {heart}.

As I neared the end of the savoury feast, my tummy started to yearn once again for the matcha ice cream mochi. Ah, the ache of forbidden love. Well ok not so much forbidden as I just went to the wrong damn branch. The hole in my heart was somewhat sealed with a serve of brownie with matcha ice cream, but y’know, it’s just not the same.

Despite this lack of perception on my part, Tsuru Sushi impressed me enough that I’m heading back Bishopsgate way in a couple of weeks and hotdamn they’d better put a serve of matcha ice cream mochi aside for me.

I guess i must just be spoilt from spending the last year working in soho surrounded by inredible sushi places (see the numerous other reviews i've done on the theme) - but in spite of all the great reviews that they've had so far, I just really wasnt all that impressed. Although this could be because i also did a 'grab and run' rather than sitting down for a proper meal.

The selection wasnt huge, and it was a pretty standard variety on offer in the takeaway boxes. although i do understand that with their penchant for ethical sourcing that this could limit them.

The rolls themselves were ok, although the tempura rolls were very oily which was a little off putting. They were also rather small rolls.

In terms of price VS quantity i didnt feel that it was very good value for money. Lunch - which was 2 sets of maki rolls was just under 9 pounds. Unfortunately (for me) it is the closest sushi place to my office, so not withstanding all this criticism, i'll probably end up there fairly regularly because sometimes adequate is better than nothing....

I really like this place! It seems like a perfect place for a quick lunch but I have been two times in the evenings and it has a really nice laid-back atmosphere. I have tried the sushi platter and the Salmon teriayaki, both were excellent. It seems that they really care about the sourcing of their ingredients, using sustainably caught fish and as much recyclable packaging as possible. I think I will definately return for a sake tasting evening or sushi making class!

Was lucky enough to attend a cosy little sushi making event here recently - complete with warmed saki and step by step instructions from one of their chefs. We rolled cucumber maki, inside out salmon and avocado rolls, tempura prawn hand roll and salmon and tuna nigiri.

The chef was friendly and gave little tips and suggestions about making your own sushi (like you shouldn't buy raw salmon from super markets for sushi as most of it is wild salmon and there are some nasty bacteria that you don't get in controlled, farmed salmon that's not so good to have raw) and took us through the motions to produce our own little rolls of joy.

There was a little confusion over when to eat what we'd made as well as what was planned as initially we'd been told miso soup and katsu would also be involved, but on the whole was a fun evening and at a superb sushi destination with great staff and a pretty decent, authentic menu.

Tsuru - Pictures @ The London Foodie
(http://www.thelondonfoodie.co.uk)

I was recently invited by Chris (Tikichris from Qype) to participate in Tsuru’s Sake Cocktails and Japanese Tapas Evening alongside other 9 Qypers and food bloggers. Situated on Canvey Street, in the new Bankside development behind Tate Modern, Tsuru is a sleek restaurant, with a trendy but unpretentious interior, serving one of the best Katsu Curries in Central London.

Assisted by Wakana, a delightful Japanese sommelier from Akashi-Tai Brewery, the proprietor, Emma Reynolds gave us the low-down on the evening’s four cocktails and accompanying dishes.

We started off with a glass of “Kappa Saketini” – a Japanese version of the classic dry martini which replaces the usual vodka and vermouth with Japanese Shochu and Sake. Served very chilled with a fine cucumber slice, this was a refreshing and elegant cocktail.

To accompany our Saketini, we were served a platter of their free range Chicken Yakitori. The chicken was succulent, sweetened by the subtle teriyaki sauce; it complemented our Saketini perfectly.

The “Tokiwa Honeytini” (Tokiwa Shochu with Drambuie and Honey) was served next. The combination of flavours was amazing and a little reminiscent of a Rusty Nail (whisky and Drambuie).

The “Agedashi Tofu” was good – the delicate batter soaked up the “dashi” stock well while remaining slightly crispy on the outside. I normally make this at home, and find it an excellent introductory dish to serve to friends who are still not madly keen on tofu.

The “Tempura Prawns” were also faultless. With a crisp and light batter, the tempura batter was not overly greasy. They had been cooked perfectly for the prawn meat was succulent and not rubbery as some overcooked tempura prawns can be.

Our next dish was the “Fried Gyoza Dumplings” – Tsuru makes its Gyoza dumplings from scratch, which is impressive. I normally cook these from frozen, buying them already made from Asian supermarkets. It takes about 5 minutes to prepare and they taste nearly as good as Tsuru’s.

Next on the list was “Nippon-Fashioned” – a delightful cocktail made of Japanese whisky from Nikka and clementine peel. I had never tried Japanese whisky before but was pleasantly surprised by the lightness and subtle flavours which partnered well with the clementine.

Tsuru’s “Chicken Katsu Curry” was sensational and I simply cannot praise it enough – I am a Katsu Curry Fanatic, and have it for lunch at least once or twice per week. I have tried every outlet in the City of London selling Katsu Curry but have been mostly disappointed until now. Tsuru makes its own curry sauce from scratch, a task that takes 24 hours to perfect, and very successful it is. The curry sauce was packed with flavour but was delicate and not overly flavoured or pungent with MSG and curry spices as so often seen with SB cubes.

“Tsuru’s Sushi Moriawase” platter had a good selection of different fish – these were very fresh, as raw fish used for sushi should be, and the rice was perfectly cooked. Tsuru uses yellow fin line-caught tuna for their sushi.

To wrap up the evening, we had what I felt was the best dish – “Chocolate Brownies topped with Green Tea Ice Cream”. Rich chocolate served with green tea ice cream is a heavenly combination and in my opinion is the best Japanese dessert for the Western palate.

My favourite cocktail of the evening was the “Ume Hot Toddy” made of hot umeshu plum sake and Tokiwa shochu, served with a slice of lemon studded with cloves. This was incredibly warming and delicious and I will now hope to try and replicate this at home – very seasonal, this is perfect for a good Xmas tipple or any other cold night.

Verdict – Uncomplicated, good quality Japanese food in Central London at reasonable prices. The cocktails are priced between £6 and £7, and are a MUST on any visit to Tsuru. Highly recommended, I will certainly return.

Luiz @ The London Foodie

Yum yum!

OK so I have to admit to having gone to Japan and 1) not eaten any sushi and 2) not drunk any sake. This event certainly changed my outlook. From first to last, their range of sake cocktails make this place a definite mecca for the evening out brigade. Go here FIRST and get yourself a lovely few cocktails to start the evening off right. Ready to head home? No problem! This festive season stop in for their version of a hot toddy and I guarantee you'll never look back and be begging for the recipe!

On top of fantastic alcohol was absolutely top notch food. From dumplings to sushi to the phenomenal katsu curry, this place was a delightful feast of the senses. I even enjoyed a few pieces of sushi - a first for me. Brownies from Borough Market served with green tea ice-cream were the dessert and wow did that just round the evening off right. The food was brilliant here!

For ambiance you can't get any better. A sleek, modern interior with the kitchen in full view makes this an experience and not just another sushi bar.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place to everyone - even people not familiar with Japanese food.

I was one of the lucky Qypers who got to go to the sake workshop at Tsuru a week ago, and it was fantastic!

Service was exceptionally friendly and nice; upon finding out that there was a pescetarian in the group, they brought out additional items which weren't on the menu we were to have. I really enjoyed the agedashi tofu, which was soft, silky and just delicious.

The surprise, for me, was the katsu curry. It's not something I usually order in a Japanese restaurant, as I tend to regard it as the Japanese version of sweet-and-sour pork, i.e. a dish that's not for the discerning because it's just meat of an okay quality slathered in some incredibly cheap to make sauce and usually designed for the unadventurous. Plus, most of the katsu curry dishes I've tried just tend to be rather salty. But not Tsuru's version. This curry had depth.

And the dessert! Brownies from Borough Market served with green tea ice-cream. Such a great combination, and an utterly wonderful way to round off a great meal.

With regard to the sake, my favourite of the four cocktails we tried has got to be the Nippon Old-Fashioned. It was a nice way to warm up before departing into the cold night.

I work near this place and frequently visit for lunch. It gets very busy (and it only a small place) so I prefer to 'grab and run' - I usually go for the excellent chicken or vegetable Katsu curry on these colder days, and their even more excellent sushi boxes in the summer. The Katsu is better than Wagamamas and this is def. the place to go in south London for Sushi. If you have a group of you going and you want to eat in get there at 12 midday or you've no chance! p.s. the prices are not as cheap as some of the other reviewers make out (you can get sushi for half the price at M&S next door) but lets face it, if its freshness, taste and quality you want then you gotta pay a little extra.

Being new to this working South of the river lark, I've been on the lookout for a new sushi joint. Thanks to Qype I've found it!

Tsuru are all about quality ingredients, put together properly, and making everything from scratch. The sushi itself is very good, but the magic is in their Katsu curry. It's flawless.

There's no doubt that Tsuru is my regular local sushi place, and although the cocktails we had (and as others have ably commented) were amazing, I think they would be a very dangerous lunchtime pastime.

If you're in the area, especially at the Tate, then make sure you check them out.

I really enjoyed the Qype night out at Tsuru, a very good meal, entertaining company and the staff was warm, knowledgeable and clearly passionate about the food.

I would describe the menu we sampled as honest Japanese food- fresh, seasonal ingredients with an emphasis on taste and quality, yet still humbly priced.

We had a selection of classic dishes: yakitori (which i had to pass on being a pescetarian, but it looked delicious), gyoza, katsu curry – all of which were very moreish, and were prepared to a higher standard than what you might find at one of the more expensive Japanese restaurants. It's also comparably priced to one of the big chains. But then again, no lover of Japanese food would be caught dead in one of those places anyhow.

To complement our meal, we had a selection of familiar cocktails with a Japanese twist - substituting Sake and Shochu for Gin or Vodka. I'm a big fan of a good Old Fashioned, and Tsuru's Nippon-Fashioned is one of the better ones that I've had. Made with a Japanese whisky, that contains a some of the 'umami' quality we learned about on the night.

'Umami' we were told is the 5th taste sense, along with sweet, sour, bitter and salty. It's a flavour that adds that little bit of depth to the meal, enriching the experience.

In fact, Tsuru has that little extra bit of care and richness compared to other small Japanese restaurants, so you might say they are the one with an extra touch of Umami.

Another great night with lovely fellow Qypers!

Another terrific event arranged by the wonderful Qype Guru: tikichris!

It all happened on that fateful night at “not just another Japanese restaurant” though. Yes, it was Tsuru! A cute comfy little place only a stone away from Tate Modern.

I signed up for the Sake Cocktails night, not paying attention to the notion that there would be sake-merry go round, forgetting the fact that I actually do not like the taste of alcohol.

So, initially I felt really bad when I realised that all those sake might go to waste. But I was WRONG! They all went down pretty quickly to my throat (and other Qypers’ throats as well, if I might add), hehe. Yeah, I even had the Tokiwa Honeytini (Tokiwa shochu with Drambuie and honey) in one shot!

Well, for someone who does not like the taste of alcohol and hence does not really drink alcohol (hm, I might actually sound like a recovering alcoholic/converted AA member, haha, but I swear I just do not like alcohol), I can honestly say that Tsuru’s cocktails are pretty darn great!

And the food, oh my my…

What a succulent and yummy (lost for words, so yummy is all I can come up with) Chicken Yakitori. Perhaps even the best Chicken Yakitori I have had so far because usually either they are very dry or hard or too salty. Tsuru’s Chicken Yakitori: they are yum yum yum… or should I say: om nom nom? :)

The Gyoza Dumplings (made from scratch, in-house) were also fabulous. And the Agedashi Tofu, ooooh… aaaaah… (yes, almost like having an orgasm)… so good…

I was told that one of their specialty is actually the Katsu Curry (with free range chicken or vegetables). It was of course to my liking.. And the sushi were fresh! Yes, fresh… the way I like it!

One fellow Qypers who does not really eat sushi due to bad experience in the past has actually changed her mind after having some tuna, salmon, and egg sushi last night. So, conclusion: nice sushi…

Well, all in all, it was another fun night for me thanks to Qype, tikichris and Tsuru! I guess the people whom you are with truly counts and I believe that was probably what made my first visit to Tsuru becomes so memorable: my lovely fellow Qypers!

However, I also believe that the place itself has definitely played the part with its wonderful food (and sake, hehehe), very friendly staff and great service. As for the price, I do not really know because last night everything was free! Yeeey, thank you Chris!

So, I definitely, definitely will go back and bring people there. I did however suggest to one of the owners to open a chain soon in Westfield. When it happens, it would be amazing because it means that Tsuru would only be 3 minutes away walk from me! Yey… (PS: I live NEAR Westfield, not IN Westfield… yeah, I just thought I should clarify that…). The End. :)

In spite of the fact that, until my eating partner and I went to the till, the American-sounding waiter thought we were part of the large group of increasingly drunk and increasingly loud blokes standing round a big table, he was still very civil and service was perfectly timely. As we paid and he realised we were, as I said, "certainly not" members of that gang, he grinned and said something about how Tsuru is "not a pub", and while he's of course right, I wonder, given the location and the layout, how they'll avoid having more of the same kind of attention.

The place was pretty full, so we sat on the padded seats of a couple of wooden stools at the bar by the window and piled straight in to the menu. My dinner companion works nearby and is a regular visitor, so I took his recommendation of the chicken katsu curry ("sorry, no breast meat, only thigh"), and we settled between us on a sashimi moriawase, some vegetable tempura, and the lightly chilled Brouilly suggested on the menu.

The sashimi was good, not out of this world or noticeably large but very decent; same for the tempura, nice and crisp. The katsu curry, however, was quite possibly - and I say this advisedly - the best I've eaten. By comparison with Tsuru, which is definitely in the same ball-park as Wagamama (obviously), Satsuma, etc, the rest of 'em should just hang their heads in shame. Delicate, mild spice, in a thin but still seemingly creamy sauce, crisp breadcrumb, tender chicken.

The Brouilly was a very good match for the food, and the whole thing came to £24 each. Bingo. I'll be coming here again.

This is a great Japanese restaurant for both sushi (FRESH!!!! and perfectly cut) and cooked food (the katsu is perfectly spiced and utterly delectable). Service is friendly, quick and efficient. The wine list is expertly picked and the sakes are great too.

Tsuru is located right behind the Tate Modern and is now open on Saturdays until 18:00. It’s a perfect post-exhibit destination.

Food brings out the philosopher in me. Unless I’m in an Italian restaurant, of course, in which case I generally morph into a pasta-hoovering Soprano. But I digress…

I haven’t been to Japan. Nor have I been to China or Thailand or India or several other culinary capitals of the world. Accordingly, I try not to comment on the authenticity of assorted restaurants. For all I know Tsuru may be as authentically Japanese as Montgomery’s Cheddar. But what I do know is the food is exceptionally tasty.

The sushi is terrific and the katsu curry had me making odd little murmurs under my breath. They make the sauce daily from scratch and it shows: a deep, but gentle heat, a subtle sweetness, so many flavours… if you thought Wagamama’s interpretation was addictive, you ain’t trued nothing yet.

With a decent wine list, ice cold Asahi on tap and food this good, it’s the sort of place that’s got me checking Southwark property prices or, indeed, sending the charming Emma details of possible restaurant buildings in North London where they MUST have their second outpost…

Then again, the buzzy atmosphere down Canvey Street and Tsuru’s proximity to the Tate make it a reasonable destination place. Just plain great.

After one solitary visit, I am hooked like one of the fine line-caught tuna on offer at this stylish little South Bank number. Yes, not only is the fine Japanese cuisine here of the highest order but it is sourced with an ethical eye and a fussy palate. I am not sure if that makes the poor creatures feel any better, but I can enjoy a guilt-free evening.

What’s more, the other bugbear of mine, bad or indifferent service, is well and truly off the menu at Tsuru. The delightful freshly created assortments were delivered to our high bench-style table with a smile and some liberal splashes of charm.

Let’s recap then: the food is great (with a to die for katsu curry), the service too and the ingredients are top-notch and considerate of our feathered and scaled friends. The environment? Well, I actually quite enjoy this increasingly lively part of London on a Friday evening. The Tate Modern is local and open until 10.00pm, and the bar opposite with its deckchairs, games and outdoor joviality adds to the atmosphere without being overbearing.

There are also regular events held here in the evening, from sake tasting to Japanese music nights to wine evenings with Sotheby’s expert Damian Tillson (who created the perfectly, compact wine list), so it is worth checking the website if you’re looking to make a night of it. A quick in and out however, is also equally worth it.