Dinner / £££ / 10/10

Having been booked for months we were fizzing with excitement about returning to Kushi Ya. We have been regulars since lockdown but after the attention of The Guardian review it turned from ‘Let’s go to Kushi Ya on Friday’ to “Tried to book but they only have a 18.00 or 21.30 table……”. It deserves all the plaudits but I selfishly miss the casual approach to booking that we used to enjoy.

Knowing this would be the first time I reviewed it I decided to stick to our favourites (in all honesty I couldn’t walk out of there without ordering the pork shoulder and prawn toasts, they should be mandatory) and throw in a few new dishes.

The approach and dining room are unspectacular, so if you are expecting grand you will be disappointed. Hidden down an alley off Long Row, finding the restaurant is half the battle. When we arrived every table (except ours) was full. The table next to us immediately started singing the praises of the pork shoulder telling us it was their first visit – I felt a sense of de ja vu as I had done exactly the same. Sharing praise about certain dishes with the table next to us/anyone that will listen. I scanned the specials board and one of my favourites had a line through it – I mourned a little for the Japanese sausage I haven’t had the chance to try in a couple of years (due to it being off the specials/sold out) RIP delicious hotdog skewers.

Wake over, we started with Furikake Prawn Toast, Shrimp Crackers and Grilled Edemame. I could write a whole paragraph about the prawn toasts, they are the most delicious snack. Large whole prawns wrapped in crispy fried bread, striped with a mellow mayo and scattered with an addictive mix of popped rice and nori. A kind of chinese stlye bombay mix that adds texture and flavour. The edemame are compelling too – seared and caramelised with chilli and salt, The Northerner cannot leave them alone once they are delivered. As we made our way through the starters I watched as more people ascended the stairs looking for a spare table or patiently waiting for their table to become vacant. When Kushi Ya tell you they need a table back by a certain time they are not playing, people were still arriving after 21.00.

For mains we ordered the soy braised pork shoulder, grilled lamb chop, prawn katsu sando and spring onion tempura. The pork shoulder bypasses any scoring system. It is both mine, and The Northerners favourite. It tends to come out the kitchen before the other mains (so you can enjoy it as a ‘middle course’, like aromatic duck at a cantonese) and has the theatre of being a dish you build yourself, with tempura scraps, pickles and sauce in a tiny ketchup bottle. For normal people this probably means they can build to their preferences, a bit less of something they don’t like, a bit more of something they do. For me and The Northerner it is more an exercise in how much we can get in the leaf before making a mess of ourselves and the immediate vicinity. We pulled apart the tender pork and waved goodbye to our table manners.

The Lamb chop deserves a special mention, not to The Northerners taste but I loved the really subtle coolness of the yoghurt against the richness of the meat and fat on the chop. We agreed to disagree. The Prawn Katsu Sando was so soft, with thin batter and gently seasoned shrimp, a joy to eat. It has evolved from the dish I had a year or so ago to make it a lot easier to eat with less lettuce which was welcome given the joy of Kushi Ya is getting to try so many things.

The Spring onion tempura was the final dish and tasted like sour cream and chives – the light batter adding texture without too much oiliness. We enjoyed it……. but not as much as the sweetcorn fritters we have had before.

We finished with a pudding, a new addition to my standard Kushi Ya order after not really liking their Tira Miso years ago and making the mistake of not trying the other options. I ordered Black Sugar Parfait on recommendation from the server and did not regret it. Dense with sweet creaminess the parfait melted slowly and had a heft in the mouth that is usually lost with frozen desserts. It is eye wateringly sweet but as that is my love language I finished it all happily.

A lot has been written about Kushi Ya so it is difficult to say something new but after all these years their consistancy inspires awe. 5+ years is a long time in Nottingham for a restaurant to remain popular and speaks to the cleverly curated menu and specials, unassuming location and great service.

I always worried this review would turn into a praise dump/love letter but I am just accepting and embracing it. I love you Kushi Ya, don’t ever change XX