REVIEW | Doring Sushi Bar, Chorlton

THERE’s something about sushi which means every time a new Japanese place opens someone feels compelled to tell you ‘it’s the best sushi I ever had’ with a messianic look in his or her eye. Normally that’s a load of hooey. Perhaps one of the reasons is that many people (and I include myself in this) lack true sushi experience in this country.

The prices at Doring are seriously reasonable. But cheap is only good value if the food matches up...

Until recently, all fish intended to be used raw had to be flash frozen, undermining the subtle texture that is really the whole point (the freezing rule still applies to most kinds of fish, but nowadays farmed salmon and a couple of others are exempt). And pretty much anything - I’m including old bits of cardboard and Skips down the back of the sofa - is better than the weird sticky lozenges of rice and red pepper Boots attempts to push on unsuspecting office lunchers who really just want a giant all-day breakfast wrap but are worrying about calories for January. Please don’t even mention spicy mayonnaise.

But Japanese food is about much more than sushi of course, and even though Doring, a newish addition to Chorlton’s plethora of restaurants, bills itself as a sushi bar, it is about much more than vinegared rice. I’d heard good things from more than one source and decided to take a pregnant friend of mine for lunch, so she could watch me eat raw fish and contemplate the selfishness of human nature.

Doring is situated on the parade of restaurants on Barlow Moor Road opposite the bus station. This little strip is becoming quite the United Nations of food. Doring has replaced the Wendy’s that used to be there, though fans should be comforted by the fact they decided not to change the décor in anyway, except for the sign outside. As a result it is looking a wee bit scruffy, which I kind of like in a restaurant, but might not be for everyone.

Doring, Barlow Moor Road

The approach to organization was similarly haphazard, as the owner was just in the process of opening up shop when we arrived, a full 50 minutes after the advertised opening time. Again this is the kind of thing that might be less than charming if you are an uptight, type-A kind of character. Or just ravenously hungry. Still the service was so friendly and welcoming it became easy to overlook. Especially as a glance at the menu confirmed that while the ‘best ever’ tag was still up for contention, ‘best value’ was looking likely. The prices at Doring are seriously reasonable. But cheap is only good value if the food matches up, so we got ordering.

First up was the mixed tempura (£3.90), a plateful of deep-fried veg and prawns. Does anyone know why this cooking technique is considered deeply unhealthy in any other cuisine but ok with Japanese? Whatever the fat issue, the vegetables were fabulous. I’ve never felt so positively enamoured of a green bean in my life. The prawn itself was good but somehow its little batter outfit was not as crisp and airy, but a bit damp. It still disappeared in record time though.

Mixed tempura

Veg gyoza

The vegetable gyoza (£2.90) arrived looking like a tiny flotilla of buoyant, if slightly greasy, ships of umami goodness.  Dumpling fever struck and we immediately ordered a plate of the chicken version which came swiftly after. I’m informed they were also very good.

The yakitori (£3.20) was made with chicken thigh meat for a dark, rich, flavoursome skewer. Agedashi tofu (£2.10), blocks of soft tofu coated in a thin layer of starch before being lightly fried, was one of my favourites. The fried tofu floats in a dashi broth made from kelp and what is probably best described as ‘fish bits’. It’s delicious. The batter simultaneously soaks up and melts into the stock, absorbing those rich, savoury flavours and tempering the salty stock/soup with a little oiliness. The tofu itself is all about texture rather than taste, its satiny blandness setting off the interplay of the other elements of the dish.

Yakitori

Sushi and salmon sashimi

I’d ordered rather sparingly of the sushi itself, three sets of nigiri (eel, sea bass and tuna, £1.20 each for two pieces. Yes £1.20!) with some salmon sashimi (£3.50) on the side. It arrived last, handsomely presented on a slate, looking very tempting indeed. The eel was a knockout, fabulously flavoursome, the tuna substantial and the sea bass ordinary but certainly edible. The only real disappointment was the salmon sashimi, which was beautifully textured and cut but lacking in flavour.

Some edamame (£2) and a green tea later, I’d had a very satisfying and excellent value meal. The sum total was £26 for two, or one plus one eating for two, sans alcohol (I’m not totally cruel) and we were stuffed, though there is plenty left to explore on the next visit. Is it the best sushi ever? Heck it’s not even the best thing on the menu, though it is perfectly creditable and I encourage sushi fans to get over to BMR (as I’ve decided to acronymise it) to give it a try. Otherwise, Chorltonites are fortunate to have Doring on their doorstep, even the pregnant ones.

Doring Sushi Bar, 358 Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy M32 8AZ

Rating: 14/20

Food: 7/10 (sushi 7, tofu 8, tempura 7, gyoza 7, yakitori 7, sashimi 5)

Ambience: 3/5 Strangely endearing if you like Take That hits played at volume

Service: 4/5 Delightful