Kampai Kensington
Rianne Shlebak scored the nigiri 7.9 and said the sushi section is what she would get on a bus for.1
Why go
It is a plain-fronted room on the Hammersmith Road that, in Shlebak's words, blends in with the surrounding cafes and takeaway shops
, with the work happening at the bar where the sushi chef cuts to order.1 The card runs wide, through small plates, donburi and pages and pages of sushi
, and her steer is to spend the order on the nigiri list.1 The rest of it, salmon teriyaki bento and a halal chicken katsu among them, means a table where one person does not eat raw fish still works.1
Order this / avoid
- Order: the nigiri, and specifically the chu-toro and the sake nigiri, which are the two Shlebak names.1
- Order: the horenso salad.
Exhibit A: the deep-fried rock shrimp covered in a spicy mayo dressing that you'll find on this baby spinach salad. The only right way to start your meal.
1 - Avoid: Monday, when it is shut.1
What locals & experts say
- Rianne Shlebak, The Infatuation, July 2022, scored 7.9:
The focus is very much on what's happening in the kitchen and specifically behind the bar, where the sushi chef is slicing away, prepping order after order of crunchy dragon rolls, tender chu-toro, and excellent sake nigiri.
1 - Shlebak, on the room and who it suits:
The dining room is compact but comfortable, with wooden bamboo walls, black ceilings, and enough space between each table... it's a solid spot to bring just about anyone who's interested in eating quality raw fish.
1
Good to know
- Timing: open every day except Monday. No further hours are published in anything reachable here.1
- Booking: The Infatuation tags it for walk-ins, and the counter is where you want to be.1
- Halal: tagged Halal by the outlet, and the review names a halal chicken katsu.1
- The venue's own site does not render for us, so there are no prices or menus here.
Verdict
could-visit — The nigiri is the reason and The Infatuation's Rianne Shlebak says so without hedging: 'the sushi section is what we'd get on a bus to travel here for', which is a specific instruction rather than a compliment. She scored it 7.9 and describes the chef working the bar through dragon rolls, chu-toro and sake nigiri, in a plain-fronted room between Hammersmith and Kensington that gives away nothing from the street. It also feeds people who are not eating raw fish, with bento and a halal chicken katsu, which is why the outlet tags it Halal and why it works for a mixed table. Against that, one review from July 2022 is the whole published record, the venue's site does not render for us, and nobody has published hours or a price band. Take a counter seat, order nigiri, and do not go on a Monday.