From Hell Ramen to Hellishly Good Sashimi at Maki & Ramen Nottingham
Even though January is typically a ‘meh’ month for most of us (apart from those who have their birthdays within it), there is always something to look forward to as many venues have cracking deals to take advantage of. The Man Bird and I were even more fortunate on this particular January day as we had been invited along (by the lovely Georgie) to try the dishes on offer at Japanese Sushi and Noodle restaurant, Maki and Ramen, in the centre of Nottingham.
Parking was no problem at the Trinity Street car park, but please, Nottingham City Council, for the love of God, get those lifts back in working order! They have literally been faulty for months – a huge turn-off for mobility restricted users and for parents with prams and/or young children; do better by your traders and visitors! Right, moan over (though justified, I think!), let’s return to the tale at the point where The Man and I had arrived at Maki and Ramen, joining the throng that were waiting for a table.
The Maki and Ramen team love to welcome casual walk-ins, but if you have booked a table then you can head straight to the host desk to be greeted and escorted over to your table, where the host will then hand you over to your designated server. As you leave the host desk, the Japanese drum (Taiko) is banged to welcome you to the venue – a nice touch, I thought. Our table was one of the central ones and gave us a great view of the open kitchen, smack-dab in front of it. Let’s just say that the kitchen team were cooking up a storm at peak service time, really emulating the buzz of a thriving Tokyo eaterie.
Before I dive into the food and drink offerings, I am going to mention the dazzling, huge (!) Dragon suspended from the ceiling, rainbow colours shining brightly from the lights within its body. If statement lighting is your bag, trust me, you’ll be thanking the illumination Gods – I was beside myself with glee! Either side of this spectacular centrepiece were wide garlands of pink and white flowers, reminiscent of the Cherry Blossom (Sakura) that is world-famous in Japan. Providing more focused lighting were fittings above each table; some were slim, matte black types, others were spherical, bronze-toned ones. Chopsticks are laid out ready, but you can request forks if you’re not quite at pro-level (like us!), and there is soy sauce and small dipping bowls on the tables, too.
There is a wide variety of drinks to choose from, both alcoholic and soft, and I opted for a glass of Sauv Blanc; His Nibs fancied the sound of one of the mocktails that had Yuzu’s refreshing tang to it. Whilst we waited for our drinks to arrive, it was time to give the menu some serious study; there were certainly plenty of options that were giving main character energy vibes! We could probably have gone for 90% of the menu in our imaginations, but in reality (and with the suggested guidelines from Georgie in mind) we plumped for the Seafood Hell Ramen, Chicken Laksa, Kimchi, Takoyaki, and Three Kind Sashimi to feast on. Vegetarians, Vegans and those requiring Halal preparation of their food are also well catered for at Maki and Ramen, and the staff are more than happy to advise further if needed.
Thanks to this [un]marvellous seasonal virus going around, His Nibs and I were both like dying flies in terms of our taste buds, so I thought it’d be the perfect time to ramp up the spice levels! I do like a bit of heat anyhow, sort of mid-tingle levels, so I thought Maki and Ramen’s Hell Sauce would be just the ticket to partner my Seafood morsel– turns out I was bang-on-the-money; it was delicious. Bathing in the chilli-pimped Tonkotsu-based broth were squillions of perfectly done Ramen noodles (that had that superb hint of bite to them), pearlescent rings of Squid, lots of plump, juicy Prawns and a fillet of grilled Salmon. Shreds of Spring Onion and Seaweed added a pop of colour and some crunch, and a halved, soy-marinade stained, soft-boiled Egg completed the ensemble. First-class ticket to taste central? Ker-ching!
His Nibs’ main course was Chicken Laksa, inspired by Malaysian flavours such as punchy Lemongrass, Galangal, and Garlic. If you like unabashed, confident flavours, then this holy trinity will set you up marvellously: Lemony, Peppery, Gingery, and clean sharpness are all evident on the palate. Mindful of the Chicken, Pak Choi and that glorious Ramen Egg, Chef tempers all this exuberance with the addition of creamy Coconut; not only does it cool things in the mouth, the Coconut adds a silkiness to the broth as well. One thing is for sure: Maki and Ramen certainly don’t skimp on the portion sizes of their dishes; our appetites were being quelled jolly nicely by the combination of protein and carbohydrates.
Completing the warm dishes was the Takoyaki: scrummy fried Octopus dough balls. We originally fell in love with this morsel at fellow Nottingham eaterie, Hong Kong Cafe, and were pleased to discover that the ones at Maki and Ramen were just as great. Crispy and golden on the outside, when you bite into them, you’re rewarded with a soft, creamy inner of shredded Octopus that floods the mouth with a blast of savoury, umami richness.
Partnering this warm side dish, was its cold cousin, Kimchi. I always think of this as a chilli-zhuzhed, Oriental Sauerkraut, and if you’ve never tried it before, this analogy will serve you well. Fermented Cabbage is at Kimchi’s heart, so expect plenty of crunch and that mildly zingy, lactic acid tang that partners the Chilli very nicely. This particular Kimchi was beautifully spicy; enough to impart a warmth at the back of the throat and over the palate, but not enough to cause any discomforting tingle.
Our choice of cold ‘main’ was the Three Kind Sashimi, and I was a little surprised that His Nibs agreed to try it, given his aversion of ‘fishy’ fish (and in particular raw ones). However, he had certainly been getting bolder and more adventurous of late so, after letting me be the ‘go first guinea pig’ (to see how ‘fishy’ each choice was!), he tried a nibble of each. I’ve had Tuna and Salmon Sashimi before so I was prepared for them, but I haven’t had Sea Bream before and was really intrigued as to what it would be like. Flipping gorgeous, that’s what! The crucial thing here, (as when also making Sushi) is that the fish must be super, super fresh: sashimi and/or sushi grade as they call it. My Nana used to succinctly put it this way: “You can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear” basically, if the ingredients used ain’t top-notch, you won’t be thrilled by eating it.
Chef had finely sliced the Sea Bream against the grain, revealing its delicate beauty and ghostly sheen; if flesh came in pearl form, this would be it. In the mouth, it had a clean taste edged with sweetness which was marvellous in its own right, but it was the texture that stole the show for me. Imagine the plushness of dense silk velvet and its curious duality of being firm yet impossibly soft – that’s what the Sea Bream Sashimi was like! Put simply: other-worldly…and utterly delicious.
His Nibs and I ventured to the Red Tuna next, and the slices were a dark red which is important to note, apparently, as this indicates it hadn’t been ‘gas treated’ to make it a bolder red - not that this affects the taste. The Tuna was an altogether ‘meatier’ tasting fish (actually not ‘fishy’ at all), and it was easy to see why it gets compared to the profile of Steak Tartare. Clean and fresh on the palate, the Red Tuna imparted a subtle sweetness in the mouth.
As expected, the Salmon proved a tad too much for The Man’s personal liking, so I indulged in the trio of slices! Thanks to its omega-3 content, Salmon is an oilier morsel and you can certainly discern this as it glides over the tongue and clings to the cheeks. I relished the buttery texture of it, and its sweetness; don’t worry, His Nibs wasn’t left twiddling his thumbs as I ate, we’d saved him the third piece of Sea Bream to enjoy.
From the moment we stepped over the threshold at Maki and Ramen, to the minute we left, we had wanted for nothing! The quality of the food was happily matched by the attentive service, in a spotlessly clean, socially bubbling environment – what’s not to love? Hot Wings very happily awarded to this amazing Nottingham Sushi and Noodle restaurant.
Maki and Ramen Nottingham is open Mon-Thurs for lunch Noon-3pm, and then opening again for evening service 5-10pm; Fri-Sun service is continuous Noon-10pm. You can reserve a table by calling 0115 784 6058, or visit www.makiramen.com and scroll through the ‘locations and bookings’ until you see Nottingham, then hit the ‘book a table’ tab. Enjoy!!
All Prices Correct At The Time Of Publishing
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