IMA
Ima (in my) opinion, you might turn vegetarian after this!
Along the corporate streets of Farringdon, there is a fun little square that is Exmouth Market, where you can find pubs, restaurants, and little independent shops that sell all sorts of trinkets.
We didn’t know of this place or have anywhere in mind to have our late lunch; we were just enjoying the final days of the summer heat. We happened to chance Exmouth Market during our walking yap (chat) session.
We saw how lively it was, beckoning us to walk in. The very first place we stopped by was IMA, a vegetarian sushi place.
At this point, hunger started to creep in, so we decided to have lunch here.
I must admit that we were sceptical at first because vegetarian food always sounds so bland, all those vegetables lacking the flavours that you can only get from animal fat.
However, I should have known better, significantly growing up with grandparents who are vegetarian, who only showed me vegetarian food is more than just vegetables. Despite being vegetarian, sushi is always a good idea for a light lunch, so we were sat by the lovely staff.
The menu looked really interesting, and the names of the dishes were very creative, especially the cocktails, which were named after Studio Ghibli’s movies.
IMA’s specialty is sushi rolls, so I suggest having those rather than the normal rice and side dish, such as the curry with rice.
We ordered the IMA Sushi Omakase and the recommended Gochujang Parsnip Crab Tempura roll.
The drink arrived first; we ordered the Castle in the Sky cocktail, and it was Umeshu Plum Wine with tonic.
What I noticed on the drinks menu is that most of the drinks originated in Japan, which is rare in European countries. So, if you haven’t tasted Japanese drinks, this would be a good place to do so.
The cocktail was pretty little, with what I assumed to be edible flowers floating in it. It is not too extravagant or crazy, keeping to the natural flavours of the plum wine.
It took a while for our sushi rolls to come out, as there were a lot of people eating in, and the chefs took care when making them.
The Sushi Omakase came first. This omakase is not the traditional type, where you watch the chef prepare your food, but it takes the literal meaning of the word “omakase,” which means “I leave the details up to you.”
It leaves room for the chef to have different rolls each time you come, but of course, some rolls will be the same (refer to the menu picture).
When I first bit into one of the rolls, little fireworks went up in my head. It was packed with so much flavour and so fresh.
I felt like I could devour the whole platter myself, but luckily, we had another platter to consider.
My favourite in the omakase is the mango and strawberry sushi, a unique twist on traditional sushi that is just as fresh and tasty as salmon.
Our second roll came out, and it was bigger than expected. Being vegetarian, there weren’t any crabs in it, but it had shredded green mangoes ( I think) with parsnips and was fried on the outside, giving it a crispy touch.
Tucking in, the umami flavours just danced on our tastebuds, and it was truly a delight. I think it was a perfect pair to the sweet-tasting sushi we had before.
Our lunch encapsulated what summer would taste like, in my opinion, and it left a good impression on us that vegetarian food is just as delicious as any other. It was a light and flavourous lunch, the perfect way to end summer. If it is sunny outside, I suggest you sit outside to take in the summer air before we turn a leaf to autumn.
Location:
16 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QE
Written by Althea Scully