Irasshaimase!
Contemporary Japanese restaurant Sushi Revolution has opened its second site on Curtain Road, Shoreditch this month, following the success of the original site which has been serving up sushi in Brixton since May 2021.
Founded by friends and colleagues Tom Blackshaw and Aidan Bryan, who have a collective 40 years in the industry, Sushi Revolution is a modern interpretation of a traditional Japanese Izakaya.
Given the chance to rebel against the establishment and join the sushi revolution, local diners have embraced the concept and return regularly for the delicious food, great cocktails and warm inviting atmosphere.
The Shoreditch site takes up a ground floor space at the new Stage Plaza development. The restaurant overlooks the entrance to the upcoming Museum of Shakespeare which is being conceptualised by Bompas and Parr and due to open in 2025.
The restaurant features traditional Japanese building techniques, including shou sugi ban style burned wooden walls, hand-crafted kintsugi porcelain tables and a beautiful sushi bar carved from reclaimed wood. Modern pendants provide warm hospitable lighting with noren curtains and colourful sake barrels completing the sophisticated look.
34 covers make up the main dining space, with additional window seating available. Benches, outdoor seats and Japanese trees and plants will overlook the Stage Plaza during dry summer months.
Meet The Sushi Revolution Team
Tom (the chef) has been making sushi at the highest level for 15 years and has worked in some of the best and top-rated sushi restaurants in London and Europe including Aqua Kyoto, Chotto-Matte and most recently Sticks n Sushi. Tom describes his style of cooking as having traditional techniques but with modern flavours, like his soft-shell crab roll with kimchee hummus.
Aidan (the waiter) has been working in hospitality for 25 years and is well-versed in managing bars, restaurants and hotels. He oversees the front-of-house and drinks menu. A former bar manager at Claridge’s Hotel and Gordon Ramsay’s Maze Grill, his last position was as restaurant manager at Sticks n Sushi’s flagship in Covent Garden where he met Tom and the revolution concept was born.
Sushi Revolution Menu
The menu has been designed to be quick, easy, versatile, and creative. Each dish is served simply with carefully fused flavours and presented with design in mind.
Begin with snacks including Spicy Edamame with chipotle miso, or the signature Revolution Miso Soup with sancho pepper and truffle oil.
Starter-style dishes are broken down into two sections. ‘Sushi’ for classic serves and ‘The Revolution’ for hot fried dishes. Throughout the menu, displaying a break from tradition, you’ll notice delicious modern twists on classic izakaya dishes from Tom’s own imaginative flair.
Tuna Tartare is served with goat’s cheese and truffle onion soy, and fresh Nikkei Yellowtail Tiradito comes with cherry tomatoes, red onion & yuzu truffle soy.
Classic Chicken Karaage Nanban is deep fried and crispy, served with yuzu kosho mayo, red onion, spring onion, sesame and tonkatsu (a type of fruity Japanese BBQ sauce)
Vegans will never go hungry here! All non-meat/fish dishes are vegan with the stand-out favourite being the Fried Japanese Aubergine with beetroot den miso, crispy onions, sesame and coriander cress. A beautifully presented Cucumber Tataki with vibrant red pepper ponzu sauce is light and delicious. Care and attention were taken to prepare amazing vegan options which stand alone on the menu rather than as boring alternatives.
Sashimi and Nigiri dishes are fresh and simply presented using fish from London’s top seafood suppliers. Maki Rolls come in four kinds: House Rolls, Futomaki, Uramaki and Kuburimaki. There are plenty of delicious options-mix and match as you wish or select a sharing platter when dining with friends. The Dragon Maki Platter is a colourful and flavourful mix of the ebi dragon, tuna revolution, salmon picante and ceviche rolls (16 pieces) while the Sushi For Two comes with twelve pieces of nigiri and a Mini Maki Platter (16 pieces)
Make sure you finish with something sweet, choosing from a selection of Mochi or the homemade (very decadent) Revolution Miso Brownie Bites.
The menu has been created with delivery and takeaway in mind- all the packaging is recyclable and dishes have been designed to be able to travel and arrive at home at almost the same quality as served at the restaurant.
Sushi Revolution Drinks
To go with your sushi, there’s Traunstein Helles Lager, Asahi, Brixton Brewery IPA and APA, plus a choice of red, white and sparkling wine starting at just £26 a bottle.
Sake ranges from the Sushi Revolution House Serve – a carafe of classic sake for just £8 or Yuzu House Sake for £10 – ranging up to the high-end Tosatsuru ‘Azure’ Ginjo, recommended for special-occasion toasting (£95 a bottle).
A succinct list of quick-to-serve cocktails has been created using the Dalston’s Soda range. Try the Hanami Highball (rum, sweet vermouth, citrus and Dalston’s cherry) or the Ichiban Iced Tea (vodka, gin, rum, tequila, melonade, green tea and Dalston’s lemon).
Drinks are designed to be quick, easy and to complement the whole menu.
The Future
Tom and Aidan have ambitions to open more sites in London but in the meantime will concentrate on Sushi Revolution’s main goal – making their guests happy.
‘We aim to serve great food and drinks, quickly, in a great venue, with great service at a great price! Not always easy but hopefully, if we can do that our guests will keep coming back’ – Tom Blackshaw.
Rebel against the establishment & join the Sushi Revolution!
