Feeling somewhat guilty after over-indulging during the festive period and looking to kick start the new year on a more healthy note I headed to South Kensington for lunch to sample Tombo, a new Japanese café and delicatessan which has recently opened in the heart of the popular museum area.
The blurb on the website claims that Tombo, Japanese for dragonfly, is London's first authentic Japanese café and deli and offers a new experience in modern food and the art of tea from that country. It also seemed the perfect type of place as a starting point for getting back in shape for January, with a menu packed with healthy ingredients (seaweed, miso, tofu, healthy rice, seasame seeds and green tea/macha products are their healthy six) including sushi, miso soup, gyoza dumplings and Umami rice dishes.
With plenty of competition in this area which is popular for both locals and tourists you have got to serve up something pretty good to succeed and that is just what this family run restaurant is aiming to do, offering a truly contemporary Japanese experience.
The light and airy frontage is welcoming from the pavement and once inside there is plenty going on and a good buzz about the fairly compact café. You can sit in the large front window and watch the world go by and take in the tasty delights of the deli counter where you can create your own healthy meals, or there is a more relaxed eating area at the rear of the cafe.
A comfortable banquette runs down one side with an original fireplace on the other and warming colours of plum, grey and racing green on the walls all blend in well with some interesting Japanese art. Having battled round the creaking District Line to finally reach our destination we were in need of refreshment and something stronger than tea on this occasion, so enjoyed a couple of Asahi Japanese lagers.
Ready to eat we both started with a small Miso soup (£2.30) which really hit the spot with its light fragrance and delicate flavours sitting comfortably on the palette and leaving a warm refreshing glow in the mouth.
With a cold winter chill blowing outside I went for a katsu curry rice bowl (£9.90) which fitted the bill perfectly. Strips of chunky well cooked flavoursome pork sat perfectly in the bowl with rice and pickles and a mild Japanese curry sauce, which had hints of peanut and plenty of flavour to enhance the meat.
Fiona went for the 'really' healthy option and started with a plate of of the sashimi of the day (salmon and tuna) which was vibrant and particularly fresh tasting. Sushi of chicken katsu with French beans (£3.20 for three pieces) and a Temaki sushi wrap of salmon/avocado (£4.15) also delivered on freshness and flavour and were the perfect lunch for the healthy conscious but also extremely appetising at the same time.
We contemplated lingering around long enough after our lunch to try desserts with exotic names like daifuku, mochi ice cream and dorayaki pan cakes or ake afternoon tea, of which Tombo has a unique take with a spread of sushi, sake, macaroons and more, but with the clamber for tables increasing felt perhaps it was time to move on. And on the subject of tea, all of those served are packed with health benefits containing up to 15 times more antioxidants than green tea, and I am reliably informed they leave you feeling refreshed and revitalised – perhaps I should swapped that beer for tea after all.
It's early days but Tombo certainly has the feel of a vibrant cafe which has a future serving the ever increasing demand from punters for fresh authentic Japanese food in this busy area of South Kensington. With its friendly staff and a menu for brunch, lunch tea, dinner and takeaway seven days a week there is something for everyone – and the perfect way to kick start a healthy eating regime for the new year.
