There’s an element of curiosity and excitement with fusion food as you anticipate dishes cooked in a non-traditional way. So I was keen to try out Mommi, an established venue on Clapham High Street, famed for its bottomless brunches.
The concept here is the mix of Japanese and Peruvian cuisines, known as Nikkei - a gastronomy new to me, but makes total sense when you consider that central to both ceviche and sushi dishes is the use of fresh raw fish. My taste buds were beginning to tingle.
The Setting
We booked for a Tuesday evening, not the busiest night for any restaurant, and were steered through the impressive large space with DJ set and bar at front of house. From the deepest enclave came a buzz of friendly chatter from tables filled with adults of all ages and the sound of upbeat music. The shimmer from the bar lights and colourful walls softened the bare tables. The relaxed vibe was just right.
Menu
Mommi recently launched its Set dining options comprising one starter, one main plus any house bottled beer or glass of house wine for £25, though there are a few dishes that have a supplementary charge so an additional £8 could be added to your food cost.
Along with the menu we were given a small glossary card that explained some of the ingredients. Not everything is clear though and we asked our waiter to explain some of the dishes. Worryingly, he didn’t have an answer. Nor did he go to find out. Surely a fundamental in waiter services?
Like excited school kids we inspected the menu for ourselves and chose the gyoza and soft-shell vegan tacos for starters. Five nicely crisp gyoza were served on a bed of sweet potato purée, with crunchy vegetables and smokey mushrooms tumbled over and aji amarillo sauciness all over that.
Packed with colour, contrasting flavours and textures it made for a satisfying take on dumplings. My partner chose from the plant-based menu and this small plate looked equally good - topped with crispy onions, pea shoots and vegan mayo for added panache.
The soft-shell tacos weren’t so soft as suggested and didn’t quite hold the slightly plain quinoa filling together but were enjoyed all the same.
The mains listed all sorts of wonderful ingredients making the selection quite difficult. The cauliflower steak was served surrounded by a silky purée of cauli and fennel, chunks of scarlet beetroot, asparagus and tenderstem broccoli.
The lovely colours were a beauty to behold. It tasted delicious too - the cauliflower was beautifully cooked and firm - but the purée lacked any flavour of fennel.
There was a scent of smokiness in the air when the Peruvian paella with chicken and seafood arrived. The dish had plenty of smoky crispy-coated chicken pieces and sweet seafood sitting above a large amount of rice and I wondered if these had been cooked separately from the rice. It was made using sushi rice, yet wasn’t sticky or gloopy in any way.
A sigh of disappointment when we were told that the house fried cassava ‘bravas’ were not available that day, so we opted for the broccoli and ginger which came in a soy sauce and plenty of black sesame seeds - a nice addition of vegetables to the meal.
From the several puddings on offer, we chose the sticky toffee pudding with salted caramel ice cream and chocolate Leche sauce. Well, why not? This was a gluten-free, vegan option so we were curious about the ingredients and how they would compare.
My partner liked the more solid texture of the cake with visible chunks of date. The ice cream, made with soya, was not too sweet so balanced well with the thick chocolate and Leche sauce, served in a separate pot so you could spoon on as much or little as you wish.
The drinks lists were extensive and reasonable too. We enjoyed the house wine and the local Gypsy Hill pale ale was delicious.
It wasn’t until the end of the meal that we noticed the water that is offered on arrival is bottled water rather than tap water, each fill-up costing £4 a time (not listed on the menu). This appeared to be the case across all the tables. An annoying old trick no longer acceptable in modern dining.
Overall, the food was tasteful and cooked well, with bursts of exciting flavours in some of the dishes. The venue has appeal for all sorts of adult get-togethers and is ideal for larger groups as it offers plenty of interesting choices and the relaxed vibes give you reason to stay longer.
