A first for both Miss and Mrs, Oishii is a small 20-30 seater Japanese restaurant clad in red and black, just like their lacquer bowls. We hadn't reserved a table so sat at the glittery bar and ordered after having a good read through their extensive menu, both opting for a set meal. Service at the beginning was super quick and speedy but there was a long and frustrating wait for the bill at the end.
Throughout our meal there was a real mix of customers in and out - a large group of students, pairs of tourists, locals breaking for lunch and people popping in and out for takeaway. There was one more demanding customer who had reserved a table (a specific table) by phone. She was immediately rather angry and aggressive to find out she had to sit at a different table, but she managed to get one away from the door which I think was her main concern. I suppose the restaurant was slightly on the cold side.
Miss Twin had Set Lunch B (£7.50) - miso, 2 gyoza, teriyaki salmon and steamed rice + tap water.
Miss Twin: Oishii made for a nice little lunch. I went for the warmer of the two set meals, miso soup followed by a plate with two gyoza dumplings and a piece of salmon teriyaki. The fish, although very small in portion size was the taste highlight and the dumplings were pleasant enough. This was accompanied by a generous sized bowl of rice, which helped set me up for the afternoon. The glittery bar was fine to eat at, and although it’s a small restaurant it didn’t seem too cramped.
Mrs Fish had Set Lunch A (£7.50) - miso, 3 cucumber maki, 3 salmon maki and 5 nigiri + Asahi (£2.50?)
Mrs Fish: Oishii seems small but has the look. Sitting at the bar in front of the happy-go-lucky chef was good - close enough to check out what was going on (in the mirror) but tucked in at lower height so weren't all up in his space. The service to begin with was super slick: quick to order, quick to receive. The food itself was good, clean and fresh, but somehow wasn't quite as good as the sushi I've had in Tang's or Sushiya. I'm not really sure why this was, perhaps I didn't put enough wasabi in my soy, but that's just how I felt. Bonus points for the selection of nigiri - tuna, salmon, prawn, sea bass and omelette.
Watching the food being prepared squeezy mayo featured highly, but I suspect it probably makes a good glue. The chef seemed very skilled and made rolling sushi look like a piece of piss. The only real problems we had to speak of, was our lack of foresight in sitting a lefty and a righty the wrong way round when using chopsticks (our own fault) and the trouble with the bill at the end. We finished before said large group of students but we arrived at the till simultaneously and although there was only two of us and ten of them we were asked to wait (a minute) whilst each of them paid separately and by card (10 minutes). Stood at the till squashed awkwardly into the tiny space was not really a highlight. To be fair the waitress probably didn't know they would all pay separately, but after ten minutes of waiting it took us ten seconds to pay together and pay cash and it was a bit of a crap end to an otherwise speedy and tasty service.
Entered restaurant at 13:05 and ordered food and drinks.
Drinks arrived straight away and food at 13:10.
Finished eating 13:25/13.30.
Paid and left at 13:40.
Throughout our meal there was a real mix of customers in and out - a large group of students, pairs of tourists, locals breaking for lunch and people popping in and out for takeaway. There was one more demanding customer who had reserved a table (a specific table) by phone. She was immediately rather angry and aggressive to find out she had to sit at a different table, but she managed to get one away from the door which I think was her main concern. I suppose the restaurant was slightly on the cold side.
Miss Twin had Set Lunch B (£7.50) - miso, 2 gyoza, teriyaki salmon and steamed rice + tap water. Miss Twin: Oishii made for a nice little lunch. I went for the warmer of the two set meals, miso soup followed by a plate with two gyoza dumplings and a piece of salmon teriyaki. The fish, although very small in portion size was the taste highlight and the dumplings were pleasant enough. This was accompanied by a generous sized bowl of rice, which helped set me up for the afternoon. The glittery bar was fine to eat at, and although it’s a small restaurant it didn’t seem too cramped.
Mrs Fish had Set Lunch A (£7.50) - miso, 3 cucumber maki, 3 salmon maki and 5 nigiri + Asahi (£2.50?) Mrs Fish: Oishii seems small but has the look. Sitting at the bar in front of the happy-go-lucky chef was good - close enough to check out what was going on (in the mirror) but tucked in at lower height so weren't all up in his space. The service to begin with was super slick: quick to order, quick to receive. The food itself was good, clean and fresh, but somehow wasn't quite as good as the sushi I've had in Tang's or Sushiya. I'm not really sure why this was, perhaps I didn't put enough wasabi in my soy, but that's just how I felt. Bonus points for the selection of nigiri - tuna, salmon, prawn, sea bass and omelette.
Watching the food being prepared squeezy mayo featured highly, but I suspect it probably makes a good glue. The chef seemed very skilled and made rolling sushi look like a piece of piss. The only real problems we had to speak of, was our lack of foresight in sitting a lefty and a righty the wrong way round when using chopsticks (our own fault) and the trouble with the bill at the end. We finished before said large group of students but we arrived at the till simultaneously and although there was only two of us and ten of them we were asked to wait (a minute) whilst each of them paid separately and by card (10 minutes). Stood at the till squashed awkwardly into the tiny space was not really a highlight. To be fair the waitress probably didn't know they would all pay separately, but after ten minutes of waiting it took us ten seconds to pay together and pay cash and it was a bit of a crap end to an otherwise speedy and tasty service.
Entered restaurant at 13:05 and ordered food and drinks.
Drinks arrived straight away and food at 13:10.
Finished eating 13:25/13.30.
Paid and left at 13:40.
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