Kyoto Sushi & Grill is a relatively new restaurant in the Arcadian Centre in Birmingham. It brings an ‘all you can eat’ sushi concept, now I liked the sound of that, but is it quantity over quality?
The way it works: You get a two hour time slot, and order your food in ’rounds’. In each round you can order 5 things per person. You can then keep going until you’re full.
The catch: they have a ‘waste’ policy, so don’t let it be a case of you eyes being bigger than your stomach, as you will literally ‘pay’ a penalty! For two hungry food bloggers who most likely suffer just this ailment, this was a little worrying – we wanted to try everything!
The decor isn’t really to my tastes – harsh red and blacks, but its functional. Our waiter was great and fully explained the ordering system to us before we started, it could have been a bit complex if not!
Over the course of the next 2 hours we tried a selection of the sushi:
- Salmon, Tuna, Seabass and Bean Curd Nigiri
- Calafornia, Tuna & Salmon Rolls
- Salmon and Tuna Handrolls
And some things from the hot section & grill:
- Pork Gyoza
- Sweet Chilli Prawns
- Tempura Shrimp & Crab Sticks
- Beef Rolls
- Beef Udon Soup
- Miso Soup
- Chicken Yakatori
- Fried Rice
Overall I probably preferred the sushi selection to the hot food. It wasn’t the best sushi I’ve had but it seemed very fresh and was made well. I really didn’t like my udon soup very much – the beef was chewy and bland and the broth was greasy and also bland. The chicken skewers were very nice – tender well cooked meat and a tangy sauce. The tempura batter was light and crispy on the shrimp and crab. I enjoyed the flavor and filling of the gyoza but also found them a tad greasy. The fried rice was tasty and well made. I found all the hot food under seasoned but then I guess thats what all the little dishes of soy are for!
I would go back to Kyoto – particularly to eat the sushi. The price point of between £19-21 a head in the evening depending on the day is reasonable and for the amount you could order, you could make it excellent value. I didn’t like as much as Sushi Passion, in the Great Western Arcade, but a half decent addition to the dining scene in Brum.
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Disclosure: We paid in full for our meal
