Sticky Beak Visits Notingham's New Japanese grill restaurant, Kushi-ya
Published On Tuesday 2 Oct 2018 by Sticky Beak
See Recent News Articles
It’s always nice to get invited to the opening night of a new venue, so The Boy Wonder and I were jolly happy when the invitation came from the Kushi-Ya team in Nottingham. In keeping with the pared back aesthetic of the orient, a simple A-board indicated the way down an alley to the venue. A rectangular pale wooden plaque with the restaurant’s name was the only sign as to its location and some stairs led us up to the bijoux restaurant.
Kushi-Ya (translation: Skewer shop) is an open plan restaurant with perhaps seating for around 30 guests and 4 stools in front of the sleek bar. Matt black tiles are laid for flooring and pale wood, angular tables are laid out in a uniform fashion; a wraparound black banquette seat and light wood and black chairs make up the seating arrangement.
The tables are minimally set with black and gold plates; chopsticks and thick napkins are held in black ceramic holders. As you might expect, the decor is fairly minimalistic in nature: the skylight windows have black grid metal work on them, the wooden ceiling beams are kept in their natural state, and simple metal bowl-shaped lights provide the subtle illumination.
We were greeted warmly by one of the owners, Simon Carlin, as he looked out over his venue from the open kitchen – nice for diners to watch the theatre of a working kitchen as they eat. There was a selection of drinks on offer for the evening, and a Yuzu Margarita took my fancy – I love the tart edge of Yuzu - and His Nibs had Asahi super dry lager, as it isn’t often you come across it on draught.
Plates of Nori and Sesame crisps and assorted Pickles were laid out for people to graze on whilst the food was being prepared; His Nibs and I headed over to a table directly opposite the kitchen where we could really get a sense of the atmosphere.
It wasn’t long before other invited guests arrived and the atmosphere soon matched the upbeat music playing in the background. Soon after, the first dish came out of the kitchen, and it was a beautiful thing to behold: Hard-Boiled Egg with Flying Fish Roe where the yolk would be. The Roe was a delicate coral colour and glistened gorgeously in the light, really standing out against the bright white of the egg. This particular type of fish egg didn’t have a strong taste to it either fish- or salt-wise, it was more of a sweet note that came through to me. When you think about it though, the egg isn’t a strong flavour so it doesn’t need a pungent partner.
I decided to try the Sake on offer at Nottingham’s Kushi-Ya restaurant; Futsushu Sake, and it was nicely rounded in taste. His Nibs had another glass of Asahi. In the meantime, the team were circulating and handing out other nibbles including Prawn and Shiso spring rolls, Aubergine Skewers with Barley Miso, and Beef Skewers with Black Garlic Mustard. All were very nice and full of flavour and texture.
Tempranillo was one of the wines on offer, so I availed myself of a glass to go with the desserts that had started to be handed out. The Chocolate Ice Cream Mochi balls were gorgeous, really rich and satisfying, and both of us loved the Kinako fried waffle topped with Matcha Mousse.
If the quality of these dishes is anything to go by, diners can expect vibrant, adventurous cuisine coming from Simon Carlin and Tom Clay’s kitchen. Drop by and pay them a visit; they officially open this Thursday (4th October 2018) and you can book online or give them a call to reserve your table. They do a lunchtime offer for a tenner, as well as opening in the evenings for Dinner, based around the Tapas/ Small Plate/ Skewer concept.
| Soaring demand drives Panenka's expansion plan ahead of 2nd birthday One of Sheffield's most successful leisure destinations is marking the countdown to its second anniversary with a major new investment. Read The Article | |
| New opening in Sheffield: The Tavern Collective to launch its first UK venue Canadian brand will open Sheffield bar and restaurant with laidback steampunk vibes on 22nd September An exciting first is coming to Sheffield, with the opening Read The Article | |
| Will You Marry Me? in Icing - The Bakewell Tart Becomes the New Engagement Season Ritual More couples are choosing personal, creative proposals - and a 100-year-old Derbyshire bakery is at the heart of the trend. As the UK Read The Article | |
| Croots Farm Shop wins four accolades at this years Great Taste Awards Popular Derbyshire farm shop Croots has scooped four awards at the 2025 Great Taste Awards. The farm shop near Duffield won accolades Read The Article | |
| Denby Teams Up with Universal for Downton Abbey Finale Giveaway - Win a Luxury London Trip Denby is delighted to celebrate the cinematic release of DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE during the year the pottery celebrates Read The Article | |
| Culinary Favourite Announces New Name, Refurbishment and Relaunch Event Giorgio’s, a much-loved Chesterfield restaurant, is stepping into a new chapter with a refreshed look, rebrand, and relaunch celebration as il Forno. Read The Article | |
| The Countdown to a Culinary Extravaganza at Thoresby Park this September With less than four weeks to go before Thoresby Park opens its gates for another helping of the Festival of Food and Drink, it's time to grab your tickets Read The Article | |
| Pride Park restaurant named naan-stop busiest matchday spot for Rams fans A Pride Park restaurant has been crowned one of the busiest pre-match hotspots for Derby County fans, thanks to its prime location, outdoor space Read The Article | |
| Longbow Venues Will March 29km Across The Peak District To Raise Thousands For Children's Hospital On Tuesday 2 September, a dedicated team of 27 staff from Longbow Venues will set off on a 29-kilometre charity walk across Read The Article | |
| Farm-to-Fork Excellence Derbyshire's Walton Lodge Farm Achieves Red Tractor Certification Walton Lodge Farm Estate, the 360-acre working farm and historic 18th century family home of Casa Hotel and Peak Edge Hotel owner Read The Article | |