From the owners of Tsunami in Clapham, Yama Momo has “injected a touch of real glamour into the East Dulwich scene” – according to one fan who reckons it “stands shoulder to shoulder with some of the best in the West End”. Like its sibling, this place offers a modern take on Japanese cuisine, with “amazing sushi” and “delicious, delicate flavours” across the board.
The interior is stylish yet welcoming, with warm lighting, scrubbed wooden tables and an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs hard at work. A range of seating allows for tables of two, larger groups and individuals to dine, though the best seats in the house are in the dining area down some steps at the back.
Recent standouts on Yama Momo’s substantial menu have included grilled sea bass in a shiso sauce with pickles, truffled rib-eye steak, and black cod tempura, but the menu also takes in everything from chicken gyoza to chef’s special sushi rolls, nigiri, sashimi, lamb cutlets dressed with Korean kimchi and various sizzling teriyaki specials.
There’s plenty for vegetarians too, such as grilled aubergine with sesame paste, wakame seaweed and samphire salad, vegetable tempura and tofu dishes, and a good selection of fish and seafood-based sushi. A “proper bar”, which serves up everything from cocktails to wine and Champagne, saké, beers and softs, keeps the drinkers happy.
Prices fit the location, which is to say they provide good value compared with a central London Japanese restaurant, though the weekend all-you-can-eat brunch strikes us as a tad pricey. Granted, you do get to eat as much as you like for £25, but dishes are limited to two at a time and the sitting is only 90 minutes. That said, it’s just £10 for under-eights, so if you have children with particularly sophisticated palates, Yama Momo is the place to take them.