Himi
Himi is neutral in design, but far from it in flavour. This tiny Japanese izakaya off Carnaby Street has the kind of warm energy you find in quiet family-run restaurants—probably thanks to the husband and wife chef team Tamas and Tomoko behind the counter. The narrow front of the restaurant is all high stool seats, where you’ll experience a lot of “oh, sorry” as people squeeze past you to head to the toilet downstairs. While you’ll get a view of the kitchen, it’s pretty cramped and uncomfortable, so opt for the lower table seating.
photo credit: Himi
photo credit: Rianne Shlebak
photo credit: Himi
photo credit: Himi
It’s there that you’ll really get to enjoy the flawless, umami-rich dishes: light tempura scallop, tender, juicy charcoal-grilled red shrimp, and thick noodles in a hearty broth. There’s nothing that Himi can’t do. And that’s highlighted when it comes to the sushi. The nigiri is top-tier—which is to be expected from the same team behind one of our favourite omakase spots, Roji. The rice is vinegared and warm, and seasoned with the perfect amount of soy sauce and wasabi before being topped with a melting cut of squid, tuna, or yellowtail.
photo credit: Rianne Shlebak
A refreshing spinach and Chinese chive salad, this is nice and creamy thanks to the egg yolk that’s mixed into it. And it’s a great order, whether you eat meat or not.
photo credit: Rianne Shlebak
This is only a two-biter, but it’s two bites you don’t want to miss. A meaty, melting scallop is wrapped lightly in seaweed and fried in a thin tempura batter. We’ve never had anything like this, and it’s absolutely worth getting.
photo credit: Rianne Shlebak
These red Spanish prawns are nicely charred from the robata, but are some of the most tender we’ve ever had. The heads are fried separately and served alongside it, and the creamy, peppery sauce is so good you’ll want to lick the plate clean.
photo credit: Rianne Shlebak
This rice ball in a umami dashi is savoury and warming, and it’s a good choice for when you want to fill up without spending hundreds of pounds on nigiri.
This udon dish usually comes with duck, but we tried a vegetarian version that was still satisfying and rich. The broth is heavy in umami while still being light. And the two types of noodles, thin inaniwa udon and a single thick, long noodle, are both excellent, and together, even better.
photo credit: Rianne Shlebak
You can’t come to Himi without trying the nigiri, and the five-piece omakase is great value. The fish, whether it’s fatty tuna or sweet squid, is some of the best you’ll find in London, and the rice is vinegared and pre-seasoned perfectly with soy sauce and wasabi.
photo credit: Rianne Shlebak
Thick-cut, deep-red pieces of bluefin tuna are served on a sharp mustardy sauce, with crispy seaweed on top. If you like sashimi, you’ll love this.
