Eat My Words: We review Sushi and Salad in Stamford

The mention of sushi always gets mixed reactions. In my opinion you love it, hate it, or just haven’t tried it but are jumping on the bandwagon of ‘ew it’s raw fish’.

For me it’s the first but finding somewhere that serves a good California roll is no mean feat.

Previously I was forced to settle for a supermarket tray to get my sushi fix or tactically plan ahead to tie in a meal with a visit to a bigger town or city.

So when Sushi and Salad announced it would be opening a branch in Stamford High Street I was thrilled - and immediately hungry.

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Since it opened in 2022 I have visited a handful times and have always been left raving about the food.

Usually I’m reluctant to pick an eatery - my boyfriend, who has recently become a chef, has annoyingly high standards when it comes to food - but after a morning working up an appetite mooching around the shops, Sushi and Salad seemed an obvious choice.

Inside, the restaurant is beautifully decorated with nods to Japanese culture and calming colours.

Tucked away in a corner table we soaked in the relaxing atmosphere before facing the near impossible decision of what to order out of almost 100 dishes.

After a little debate, we opted for baby octopus from the kobachi menu and a katsu roll to share, the hakata took my boyfriend’s fancy and I chose the spicy crunch sushi.

To wash it down was a Coca Cola and Victorian lemonade, which came with ceramic Japanese mugs. These were a nice touch albeit on the warm side having just come from being washed.

As we waited for the food to arrive we practiced with our chopsticks, giving each other words of encouragement.

First to arrive was the baby octopus. They still very much resembled their original form - albeit battered - showing off tentacles with suckers.

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The golden brown batter was the perfect level of crispy and the octopuses a hearty bite-size mouthful.

As the bowl quickly emptied we paused in between bites to discuss how calamari has become overdone as a starter in recent times and that it’s nice to see some variety with the baby octopus.

All the dishes are handmade to order so are brought out when they are ready.

Next up were the two sushi dishes, both were a feast for the eyes.

If the enjoyment of food is as much about visual pleasure as it is taste, we were off to a very good start.

True to its name, the spicy crunch hit the right balance with the crispy ebi tempura and the softness of the rice finished with a hot mayo and crispy onions to give it that extra kick.

This was the best sushi I’ve eaten.

The second dish featured panko chicken, cucumber, carrots and spring onion as well as a katsu dipping sauce. It was time to put our chopstick practice to the test.

Sadly it had not paid off as many pieces ended up saturated in sauce after we lost grip of the slippery sushi.

As I manoeuvred the circles of sushi into my mouth - which are slightly too big for a mouthful but too delicate to bite - I felt relieved I was here with someone I have spent the last (almost) five years with rather than on a first date.

My boyfriend’s dish also went down a treat. He commented on the tenderness of the pork although noted the broth wasn't as flavourful as when he tried the dish before.

With satisfied tummies our plates were whisked away by one of the waiters.

The service was hit or miss, depending on which waiter we were engaging with. One was cheerful and bubbly while another made us feel like we were a bother being there.

These slightly awkward interactions were similar to my first time dining at Sushi and Salad, which almost made me feel uncomfortable enough to not visit again. But at the end of the day with sushi that good you will struggle to keep me away.

When it comes to the price, it is one of the more expensive lunches I’ve had, but if you have attempted to make sushi before it is evident that a fair amount of skill is needed.

Scores (out of five):

Food: The food was top notch as usual - both visually and to taste. The dishes we ordered were just the right amount of food.*****

Decor: The decor is perfect and gives the restaurant a serene vibe. *****

Staff: The attitude of one of the staff members was the only thing to let this place down, and having visited before this clearly was not a one off. ***

Price: It is a bit on the pricey side at £64.62 (including a 12.5% service charge). However, even though we went at lunchtime I would consider this as my main meal of the day and I felt sufficiently full for the rest of the day. ****

Have you had a great meal? Share your own Eat My Words reviews or tell us where to try by emailing: news@lincsonline.co.uk