Tombo
Japanese 28 D'Arblay St Soho, W1F 8EW £
Tombo is a small, sweet cafe located in the heart of Soho. With Poké revolutionising the way we eat sushi, Tombo allows you to customise and create your very own sushi bowl - complete with fish, rice, avocado and seaweed. It also offers a range of Matcha (ground green tea) products - from lattes to ice creams to macaroons and cakes.
A Matcha Latte will set you back around £4 and a Poké bowl between £8-£14. For the quality and freshness of the food and drink it is more than worth it. The Poké came in huge bowls and was more than enough to fill us up (Tom had the Teriyaki Chicken and I had the Kaisen Poké). The chicken was a tad on the salty side but apart from this was delicious, the Kaisen Poké - complete with Tuna and Salmon Sashimi was gorgeous. I was unconvinced by the initial idea of a green tea latte but it was quite delicious despite the powdery texture.
The location itself is an ideal place to stop off mid-shop or post-exhibition as it's just off Oxford Street. Despite being small and going on the weekend we were still able to get a seat downstairs which was cosy and comfortable. The café had quite a few Japanese diners when we went (a good sign) and despite being in the middle of Soho felt relaxed and spacious, even though it every table was occupied.
The only downside to the café is that it does not offer the full menu of it's bigger sister - the Tombo in South Kensington. When I originally went I was expecting the full works, including sushi, bento and hot dishes. However, whilst at first disappointed, it forced me to try something new and I was more than satisfied with the Poké bowl - I think I now even prefer it to Sushi.
A very pleasant experience with friendly staff, a nice atmosphere and nutritious yet delicious food.
OVERALL RATING: ****
http://tombocafe.com/
