No 1 Sushi

Looking back over the meticulously maintained records of Lunchquest, it turns out that I hadn’t been out for sushi since May, which seemed an awful long time ago. It does perhaps illustrate that sushi is one of those things which I tend to eat in “phases” rather than it being in my regular realm of choices.

Exterior

Whatever the case, it was time for another Japanese lunchtime treat, so I tootled up the road to No 1 Sushi, in Tollcross, where I was joined by Jenny, who has previously quested at Field, the Grain Store, and many other places.

Interestingly, Tollcross is soon to get another Japanese place, as the folks behind Harajuku are soon to open a restaurant, a little further up the road. I have that pegged for an early visit, so No 1 provided me with a useful comparison.

Maki set

We were warmly welcomed, with service throughout proving accurate and unfussy. The place is quite smart, but doesn’t seem to be wearing particularly well, so will be in need of a refresh before long.

Sushi places often bowl me over in terms of choice, so I generally go for one of their set selections, particularly at lunchtime. Today, I opted for their maki set, which came with salmon, tuna and cucumber maki, California rolls, and salmon sashimi, as well as miso soup. Jenny opted for the dragon rolls, and joined me in sampling the miso soup.

Dragon rolls

Miso appeared instantly, with our sushi selections appearing as they were prepared, well before we’d finished with our soups. The soup was good without being a particularly memorable rendition.

Jenny’s dragon rolls were rather good, with the avocado topping really quite neatly done. My items were quite impressive, too. The sashimi was good and fresh, and the California rolls were nicely balanced. I was pleased with things.

So overall, No 1 Sushi was a pretty good option for sushi. I’d say it was offering much the same experience as Oishii, which I also enjoyed when I visited. Tang’s and Kanpai offer much greater elegance and quality, but for a nice informal Japanese lunch, No 1 served us rather well.

Scores
Blythe scores No 1 Sushi
3.5/5 for food
3.5/5 for presentation
3.5/5 for service
3.5/5 for setting
giving an overall 14/20

Today’s questers were: Jenny, Blythe

We ate: dragon rolls, maki set, miso soup (2)

We drank: green tea, water

Total bill: £26.60