Mommi

Japanese and Latin American

44-48 Clapham High Street SW4 7UR

££

If you google 'Mommi' you'll be greeted with the description: "Late-night drinking and dining spot where Japan meets Latin America in an urban, cool environment." I would say that this is fairly accurate - a mix of wine, beer and cocktails appear on the menu whilst the food is original and well put together. The idea behind Mommi is original and current - fusing two cuisines together to produce culinary wins.

Being located on the strip that is Clapham High Street, Mommi is surrounded by many late night drinking dens which may lead to why they have advertised themselves in this manner. I wouldn't go to Mommi for just a drink as the layout is vast and open, there are many better intimate bars literally next door to visit. No, the reason to visit Mommi is for it's food, in particular it's very reasonably priced tasting menu's. Coeliacs and health enthusiasts rejoice also - the whole menu is Gluten Free!

Of the tasting menu's I've tried two. The motivation to try it in the first place was the offer of 40% off for locals when you booked online through bookatable.com. 40% off anything is a pretty sweet deal, especially when the food looks this good! The first menu I tried was the cheapest, 'Machu Picchu', coming in at £21.50 per person - but obviously in this case, it was a mere £12.90 per person. This included: Grilled Miso Salmon, House Ceviche, Mixed Momi Chirashi Sushi, Chicken Teriyaki, Slow-Braised Belly Pork Bites and some Greens. This was very tasty, the dishes were upscale yet unpretentious, adventurous yet affordable. Beware of thinking that they are too small - we made this mistake so ordered some extra sweet potato fries, by the time we'd finished the meal we were practically rolling out the door.

The second menu I tried, 'Andean', was the most expensive. Usually coming in at at £29.50 per person - considerably more expensive than the former, however, no where near the other options for tasting menu's in London (the cheapest I've seen among £50). Again, with the deal, this came in at only £17.70 per person. The dishes included here were Scallops with Chorizo, Salmon Sashimi, Octopus Ceviche, Marinated Flat Iron Steak, Chicken Pachamanca and Flame-Seared Courgette and Mushroom. These dishes were obviously more sophisticated than the cheaper menu and therefore I felt that the difference in price was enitrely justified, if not understated.

The highlights of both meals would have to be the Miso Salmon and Flat Iron Steak. The other dishes were tasty but none particularly stood out apart from these two. The Ceviche and Sashimi in both menus was covered in a slightly too tangy sauce which distracted from the taste of the fish, whilst the Chicken Pachama was a tad average. Irrespective of these minor flaws, the meal was a positive one and I left feeling satisfied on both occasions. I'm not sure I would pay the full whack for these menu's but at £12.90 and £17.70 there wasn't really any question about it.