Moshi Moshi
I consider myself to be a proper East Londoner, a know it all of the streets of London, lived here all of my 41 years and worked in and around the capital for over 25 of those years. So, shockingly and embarrassingly I confess that I had never been to Moshi Moshi, in Liverpool Street station, even though it’s been there for 18 years. Yes, yes, stop the sniggering and jibes in the back there please.
Caroline Bennett and her Moshi Moshi concept was the first Kaiten conveyor belt Sushi in the UK before Yo Sushi! was even a fleeting thought. They are prominent figure heads of sustainability in the UK.. if it’s not sustainable then you wont find it at Moshi Moshi. And before you think, Liverpool Street station, seriously..? Being there made me think of what it must be like in your own private carriage on the Orient Express – cosy, spoilt and very exclusive. A hidden little secret. Hang on, come to think of it, do I really want to tell you all about it….?
I started with the sashimi of grey mullet, red mullet, yellow fin tuna, mackerel, salmon and scallops. The selection of fish was so fresh I could almost hear the waves lapping behind me and the fishermen calls from Cornwall and the Isle of Mull where they’d been caught. Every morsel was thoughtfully prepared and presented. My favourite was the scallops. Buttery and soft I can still taste it now, delicate and sweet. They were so silky and smooth, a very ooooh moment. Think I’d better move on to the next course….phew!
Next up was a Bento box trio of treats, a cutesy little number full of flavours that were clever and in perfect tune with my Mediterranean palate. There was a liver and pork roll teriyaki thing going on, a light steamed dumpling and a selection of tofu and steamed veg with a very oh so cute little jug of tahini sauce to pour over (get the Turkish Mediterranean thing there).
Loch Duart Salmon nigiri followed and I felt somewhat smug and above my station whilst I enjoyed the delicious slivers knowing it was sustainably sourced! This was followed by the Temaki Handrolls of Cornish kabayaki and cucumber, a kind of dog fish and a very sustainable alternative to eel. They were savoury, finger licking, nail bitingly delicious parcels of goodness.
Seasonal Vegetable Tempura of courgettes, carrots and aubergines were crispy and as excellent tempura should be. Caroline pointed out that in Japan you don’t see many vegetables on the table so this is her British addition.
I was surprised and a little tentative when the Seasalt and Sansho pepper crispy fried Cornish catch of the day – delicately fried, crispy Haddock fish bone chips – were presented up. But then when my dining partners and I tucked in, we left not a single scrap on the plate. Sustainability at it’s core, no part of the fish is left unused and we left none of it uneaten!
Seasalt and Sansho
We had a cheeky little fried aubergine filled with miso paste, rich umami flavours for everyone to enjoy! It was soft, velvety and I made greedy noises when I ate.
Finally, we finished the savoury selection with some very desirable little salmon balls (pardon the pun) of thin slivers of salmon filled with salmon roe. A perfect little morsel that I gobbled down in a heartbeat then wondered if my other dining partners would notice if I ate the lot before they could get in there.
Now we know that generally, in Japan, there isn’t really dessert to speak of. However, I am a pudding lover (think Gregg Wallace but female!) and so Moshi Moshi have created a Japanese inspired selection of puddings that consisted of Matcha green tea flavours, bean paste and fruit flavours. My dining partners and I all shared a bit of each pudding but I’m sure I was eating more than anyone else…ahem! They were too good….
Japanese inspired desserts
Moshi Moshi may be in Liverpool street station but you’d never know it, maybe that’s it’s allure, the diamond in it’s crown, a hidden gem amongst the hustle and bustle of the city of London! You may come out of Liverpool Street and dash across the road to Spitalfields for a host of eateries but next time, don’t leave the station, take a turn, up the escalator and treat yourself to some of the best Sushi you’ll ever eat in London..and it’s sustainable too! You can even enjoy a Sushi dinner for two from as little as £20. Well, what are you waiting for…?
For more information about Caroline Bennett and the Moshi Moshi sustainability fish mission go to these links:
Moshi Moshi - Unit 24, Liverpool Street Station, London EC2M 7QH
