Hi Sushi Salsa
our review
Past attempts at fusion cuisine have seen even the most accomplished chefs misfiring on all gas hob cylinders. So how does the sleek new Camden restaurant bar Hi Sushi Salsa fair with its take on merging Japanese and Latin American food?
While it is unlikely to score points for finesse with London’s more well-seasoned gastronomes, fine dining isn’t really what this place is about. Combining the informal and fun dining experience perfected in Hi Sushi’s traditional London outlets with the relaxed vibe of a Latin American cocktail bar (complete with in house DJ), it clearly has a younger pre-clubbing Camden crowd firmly in its sights, in search of a bit of sustenance with their Mojitos. And, bar the odd clumsy fusion attempt too far, they are unlikely to go away disappointed.
Wisely, despite the official billing, the menu keeps the number of experimental dishes to a minimum, with plenty of traditional Japanese fare on offer to satisfy its more cautious customers. Tender squid sashimi came with a light dusting of salmon roe, with a side of perfectly serviceable avocado sushi rolls. By contrast, a main of teriyaki beef tenderloin stood out from the crowd, combining tender pink slices of beef in a tasty teriyaki sauce with crunchy garlic crisps and leeks.
As for the fusion dishes themselves, Salsa Vegetable Tempura was an unusual combination of lotus roots, pumpkin and avocado, deep fried in a crispy batter and accompanied by a light soy dip. Salsa Style Rock Shrimps, the restaurant’s signature dish, boasted succulent, juicy shell fish but was let down by a slightly cloying cream sauce - its ‘salsa’ element remained something of a mystery.
On more familiar culinary territory, a disturbingly grey coloured but surprisingly delicious sesame seed ice cream rounded the meal off nicely. Everything was washed down by a refreshing Mojito cocktail instead of the usual sake.
The restaurant’s young and funky feel is reflected in the venue’s modern and minimalist design. The 3,000 feet of floor space is attractively done out in dark wood and bamboo to resemble a Japanese Zen garden, and comes complete with its own sunken sushi bar. Floor-level tatami seating gives the illusion of sitting cross-legged, although the clamber down is unlikely to prove popular with the restaurant’s more distinguished (and less flexible) clientele.
On the audio front, music is provided by regular and weekly guest DJs, with a more lively mix of Latino salsa, funk and disco available at weekends to get you in the party mood. A fun pre-club or pub pit stop.
M.D. - September 2007
your comments review this restaurant and win a bottle of champagne
My husband and I dined tonight at this restaurant and we picked it by just an impulse. We quite liked the look and decoration. The seats were nice and comfortable, one can sit on a cushion, and the service was very good. The staff were polite and attentive, although it missed the atmosphere one would expect in a Japanese restaurant.
The food was not as good as it looked and it was too expensive for what was offered. The fish was not fresh and the food did not taste like really good Japanese food, while the most important factor about sushi is the freshness of the fish. I wondered whether this is the impact of fusion.
Comment on this reader review
Mahtab
Overall rating 
Food 4 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 4
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Quite an unusual setting i must say...I have to admit that the reviews i read were misleading and that I shall depend solely on my instincts ...as I'm used to.Have you ever been to these restaurants where for a moment you are very much impressed with the fancy names on the menu , only to find that the actual food does not meet your expectations ? Well hello Hi Sushi Salsa!
Ladies and gentlemen, let the hunt for the so called Japanese and Latin fusion cuisine resume :)
Sushi hiroba in Holborn is much better option. Been there with my fellow interns this summer and we alllll loved it.
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Deena
Overall rating 
Food 3 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 2
Saturday, August 18, 2007
A miserable experience. The tables are sunken into the floor, making it difficult both to sit and rise from them, and also making it comically hard to take orders or serve food. What a stupid gimmick. My partner and I were seated on a wide table in a tightly spaced row... the result was that I was near the diners on either side of me than I was my partner. Doubly annoying given that the restaurant remained 2/3rds empty all night. The talking situation wasn't helped by oppressively loud music.
A full sake list is advertised in the menu as being available on request. It isn't. In fact, it hasn't even been heard of. The food was middling or poor, and the Hi Sushi selection was a massive disappointment. The 'selection of rolls' meant the simplest two on the menu: one cucumber and one salmon. The whole thing was hugely overpriced.
As if all of this wasn't enough, we were then overcharged on our bill. Go to the Bento Cafe by Camden Town tube; it's a million times better than this place.
Comment on this reader review
B
Overall rating 
Food 3 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Thursday, June 28, 2007
