Tombo Japanese Cafe, Deli & Restaurant Review
Japanese food is definitely in my top three favourite cuisines, so when this opportunity came up I jumped at it. Tombo, an authentic family owned Japanese restaurant located a stones throw from South Kensington Station offers a new experience in modern Japanese food.
Travelling into central London during rush hour admittedly filled me with dread, however once I emerged from the rather organised and somewhat serene South Kensington Station my hysteria turned to tranquility. Tombo is located in the museum district of South Kensington and surrounded by other independently owned eateries. Tombo definitely stands out from the crowd with its distinct dragonfly red logo; a symbol of renewal and positive force. The recently refurbished restaurant boasts clean lines and a minimalist approach to interior design while beckoning you with welcoming warmth.
Although being a favourite of mine I am by no means an expert in Japanese cuisine so having such skilled staff at hand with exemplar knowledge and expertise was definitely reassuring. I was anxious to try some of the less mainstream selections on the menu so relied quite heavily on my waitress for the evening. Eventually I went for that’s day dumpling soup (prawn) to start with the Miso Salmon Bento Box; a healthy choice served with Multigrain rice and a selection of Japanese vegetables. My guest (a fourteen year old teenager) opted for the Salmon Teriyaki Maki Sushi Roll to start and the Chicken Katsu Curry Rice Bowl as a main.
The portions were immense!!! Initially we both thought we would never get through it all but alas we conquered to Food Mountain with skill and finesse haha. The food was surprisingly light and undeniably satisfying leaving plenty of space for the delectable selection of Tombo Desserts. After a moment of silence we chose the Matcha Soft Serve ice-cream (can you say Matcha Mania) with a Raspberry Macaroon and a slice of the Azuki and White Chocolate Cake. All I can say is gone in 60 seconds. Awesome!! Just the right balance of sweet and savoury.
Tombo has an amazing and unique selection of Japanese, Matcha and Tombo Teas sourced from the foot hills of Mt. Fuji in Shizuoka, Japan. I chose the Haiku (hoji cha with ginger) as I love ginger; definitely the right choice.
As I am (supposedly) training for an upcoming Miami Pro competition, Tombo is definitely on my list of safe places to eat serving up gluten-free, low fat and macro-nutrient balanced selections. The huge selection of Matcha Teas is definitely the piece de resistance; fellow clean eaters please add Tombo to your list. My fourteen year old guest gave it her seal of approval by suggesting it as a place that she and the girls could visit, so congratulations Tombo, forget Michelin, this is probably the biggest accolade a restaurant could receive!!!
On the subject of prices given the quality and the quantity of food served up the prices are more than reasonable, you can quite easily get a 3 course meal in for around £20 per person. Can I get a woop woop.
Written by Monica Imbert | www.FuzzyMonzStar.com | @FuzzyMonzStar | www.facebook.com/FuzzyMonzStar
Website: www.tombodeliandcafe.com
Twitter: @tombo_london
Tombo
29 Thurloe Place, South Kensington, London SW7 2HQ
Telephone: 020 7589 0018
