Sushi Cafe Maco

Update, 10 Jan 2010: I'm very sorry to announce the Maco is now closed.  We last went in November and had a lovely meal there, with beautiful fish.  I'm very sad to see it go.  I understand yet another Japanese restaurant will be opening on the site (the third that I'm aware of), I hope it's of the same standard.  I fear it won't be.

If you know what Maco is up to next, I'd love to know.

I'm regularly asked which is my favourite restaurant, and the inevitable follow-up, do I know of any secret places - off the beaten path, a hidden gem. 

I wish I did, but two dynamics mean that hidden gems are unlikely to stay hidden for long.  First, this blogging malarkey means that a hidden gem soon becomes a queing-round-the-corner restaurant viz Tayyabs.  Second, as I've said before, in this economic environment we need to ensure that the places we love stay in business, which means spending money there, which means we should really beat the drum.  So, in order to continue to eat in this gem, it's time to tell the world and pray that as the hoards descend, it stays a gem, if not a hidden one, and they always have a table for you viz Tayyabs again.

North London suffers from a dearth of excellent restaurants and so the gems - hidden or otherwise - are few and far between.  There are lots of rather good bistros, including some very good sushi places like Sushi Say, but we seem to lack some of the dining highlights that those in the West of this city seem to enjoy.  I'm thinking of places like Tsunami in Clapham and Chez Bruce in Wandsworth.

And so onto Sushi Cafe Maco.  It is on the site of another Japanese restaurant Matsu. Silverbrowess and I always enjoyed it, because the sushi was okay for a local and it was dead quiet so we got a table whenever we rocked up.

However that lack of business foretold the future and the owners sold out to Macoto and Nemi Yoshida.  Who they you ask?  Or at least I did, and it turns out that Maco was formerly one of the sushi chefs at Atari-Ya's Temple Fortune branch.  This got me very excited because Atari-Ya is a small chain of sushi-bars and Japanese grocery stores that consistently has excellent fish.

And so it seems does Cafe Maco so I can sum up this review very quickly: the fish is stunning, meltingly, meatily stunning.  Furthermore, so is the rice.  In the UK, we too rarely remember the importance of great rice in great sushi.  They don't at Cafe Maco.  It is so beautifully cooked I took great pleasure in eating the gently vinegared carb by itself - having already revelled in salmon of such glistening fatty goodness, that I was immediately transported back to Sushi Yasuda and Kuruma Zushi.

So it went on: otoro that could have been steak; roasted black cod and cucumber inside out roll that was a roiling hit of umami in one mouthful; a salad of crispy salmon skin with cress, radish and ponzu sauce that was crispy, sweet, sharp and deeply satisfying.

All of it was a masterpiece and a revelation.  Seriously, seriously good stuff. 

There were a couple of duff notes, at the beginning and end of the meal.  the amuse of marinated salmon was fine - a bit meh - and in no way indicative of what was to come.  The green tea ice-cream was actively nasty, way too bitter and crunchy with ice crystals.  As Silverbrowess said: "I don't think I've ever not eaten ice-cream served to me."  She didn't get further than the first mouthful.  Although the daifuku served with it was pretty moreish.

We didn't eat any of the hot dishes so I can't attest to the kitchen's prowess there.  I did overhear the table next to us have some sort of argument with the waitress over their chicken teriyaki, but further than that I've no idea what the complaint was.

Frankly, whatever it was the sushi is excellent, truly excellent.  Yes, I have only been once and it could be luck.  But the obvious quality of the fish and the rice, indicates it is much more than luck.

So I'm not going to hold back and keep this gem hidden.  Rush there and hand over your hard earned cash.  As an incentive to do so there is a 10% discount until the end of March, bringing our bill for a stomach stretching six dishes to just under £30.

Google Maps

Sushi Cafe Maco, 50 Topsfield Parade, Crouch End, London, N8 8PT UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 8340 7773 (assuming it's the same as Matsu's, I do need to check this)

What others think

As far as I can tell, no-one has written about it.

Comments

[Andrew Webb]

>>North London suffers from a dearth of excellent restaurants and so the gems - hidden or otherwise - are few and far between. There are lots of rather good bistros, including some very good sushi places like Sushi Say, but we seem to lack some of the dining highlights that those in the West of this city seem to enjoy. I'm thinking of places like Tsunami in Clapham and Chez Bruce in Wandsworth.

My dear Anthony, Having recently moved north of the river for the first time since coming to London in 1994 I can safely say that South of Old Father Thames is a desolate Hinterland in comparison to the North. Also the two places you mention are south not west as I'm sure you know.

If you're up for really going south, try Jonanna's in Crystal Palace, for a good bistro experience.

[Anthony Silverbrow]

Andrew

Technically you are of course correct on both points: there are great restuarants in North London i.e. the entire West End and both those I referenced are in South London.

But, you are a mere incomer to this fine Northern land and you'll soon realise I was talking metaphysically. Wandsworth feels like West London as does Clapham. They might as well be West London (in just the same way that West London might as well be South London).

By north London I don't mean simply north of the river, I mean North of Regents Park, to the east of Ladbroke Grove, to the West of the City and the South of the M1. And so my argument holds - but then again, so does yours ;)

[Oonth]

Hi. First time posting a comment on your blog, I used to be a regular Chowhound poster especially w/r/t Japanese food.

This one sounds like a great find, I am definitely going to check it out and soon - N8 ain't so far away from my abode in NW3. Any idea whether they open at lunchtimes? I guess that I should just give them a buzz to get precise opening hours.

And yes I agree that the Atari-Ya connection ought to be a guarantee of good quality. Not sure if you're aware (as it's been little publicised) but, as of last autumn, there is now a proper sit-in Atari Ya Sushi Cafe on Vivian Avenue in Hendon and it's very good although thus far I haven't sampled any of their cooked items, many of which are only available in the evenings.

http://www.atariya.co.uk/shops/hendon.html

As for the debate above about the quality of North London restaurants, I'm a long time NW3 and NW6 resident and I think it's eminently fair to say that, considering the levels of affluence in many North London hoods, dining options are relatively feeble although perhaps it could be argued at the same time that there have been some signs of improving standards in recent years.

Thanks again for the tip, I will report back.

[Karlie]

I've eaten at Sushi Cafe Maco a few times a week since discovering it (my husband travels a lot). It is the closest I've come to real Japanese home cooking - the favours, textures and smells transport me right back to my school exchange, where I was lucky enough to live with four Japanese families over the course of a year. I have tried a number of their cooked dished and can attest to their deliciousness. Favourite so far is the beef sukiyaki - a more generous portion you won't fine elsewhere. The shabu shabu salad is also fantastic - again, very generous with four giant prawns as well as thinly sliced beef bedded on the kind of finely pruned greenery that the Japanese are famous for, and topped off with a spicy, sesame dressing.

[Anthony Silverbrow]

@Oonth thanks for the comment, new commenters always welcomed. I'd spotted that link on the Atari Ya website about the restaurant in Hendon and had meant to follow it up. I look forward to the report. As for the improvement in quality of North London food, I await with interest your update!

@Karlie pleased to hear I'm not the only one who's had a great meal there.

[Yoav]

I've been going to Maco regularly in the last few months and must say it's one of the best sushi places I've been to in London. One of the best things about it is that it is so consistently good. Never fails. The quality of the fish simply amazes me every time. My personal favourites include the rainbow roll (truly stunning, imaginative and delicious), white tona, toro or salmon nigiris, the sashimi sets, yellow tail and spring onion or seabass and lemon inside out rolls, and the california rolls deserve a mention too. From the very few cooked dishes I tried, the black cod in miso sauce is stunning. Melts in your mouth. The staff is also so friendly and gentle.

[Anthony Silverbrow]

I'm pleased you also enjoy it Yoav. I was there earlier last week and reminded just how good it is.

[Yoav]

Hi Anthony, thanks for your reply and nice to hear you went there again and still enjoyed it. Could you please remove my email address from your post though? Thanks.

Yoav

[Ben]

Hello Anthony,

We too were extremely distraught to see the end of Maco. In fact it nearly ruined our NYE as we walked by.

We contemplated putting up 'Lost' posters around Crouch End to see if anyone knew where Maco had gone...

Instead, recent enquiries have revealed that the restaurant building is owned by a chef by the name of Matsu, who then let it to Maco. Matsu has recently moved back in, and we were strongly recommended to try out his food (before he gets others in), apparently he is good when not stressed (i.e. mid week).

We're going to try it out, partly to see if this is true, but mainly to find out the fate of Maco - does it plan to re-open elsewhere? We sincerely hope so. I'll post any updates.

[Anthony Silverbrow]

@Ben, Matsu was there before Maco as you say. It was pretty good, we liked it there, but unfortunately not the same as Maco. I wonder if he'll go back to Atari-ya?

I'll let you know if I found out - appreciate you doing the same.

[Yoav]

Very sad news indeed. I went on holiday and was really looking forward to going there as soon as I returned. Only to find out a different restaurant in its place. I had to try it (and initially thought it's just a little re-branding). Unfortunately it doesn't come even remotely close to Maco's standards. Hope it re-opens somewhere again very soon.

[Anthony Silverbrow]

@Yoav, I know it is a shame.  It's gone back to Matsu I think which was fine, but it's no Maco.