It is thanks to my friend Alex (aka Blumenthal's biatch), a former chef, that I was introduced to this little gem of a restaurant. The fact that he is a former chef is important because it means I value his opinion on food. So when he told me that this tiny shop front:
... which is on one of the most unpleasant stretches of road in Finsbury Park:
(second only to Fonthill Rd, where the reflection of neon shop lights on patent leather is so bright you have to put your sunglasses on to go inside) was one of his favourite restaurants, rather than just nodding politely and never thinking of it again, I found myself requesting further information.
Dotori serves an interesting mix of Japanese and Korean food. I say interesting because it initially seemed strange to me that the restaurant should serve two such distinct cuisines under one roof. My first thought was that there might be some historical connection, that perhaps Korean food had been influenced by the Japanese occupation of Korea between world wars I and II, but Wikipedia soon quelled that theory:
Meals during the Japanese occupation were monotonous ... Fulfilment rather than quality was most important in meals. Those in the lower economic levels were likely to enjoy only a single bowl of white rice each year, while the remainder of the year was filled with meals of cheaper grains such as millet or barley.
So I asked one of the waitresses whether there was a reason and, as it turned out, she was just the right person to ask:
“I am one of the family here, we are Korean. When we opened this restaurant 2 years ago people in Finsbury Park did not know Korean food. Everyone knows Japanese food, so we thought maybe they would come here because of this.”
Good plan, they certainly aren’t short on customers. And I was interested to see when I looked around the restaurant that many of the patrons were eating off the Korean menu. I am embarrassed to admit that I am one of the uncultured plebs who has been enticed in by the sushi and so have only tried 2 of the Korean dishes. In my defence though, the sushi and tempura came highly recommended by BB, so I was just following the chef’s orders, "Yes, Chef!"
Of those two dishes, the more memorable was the samgyeopsal (£6.50), which is strips of grilled pork belly served with red bean paste and salted sesame oil for dipping and lettuce for wrapping the meat. The pork was not as tender as it could have been, but the condiments were great, in particular the sesame oil which I would not have thought to use in this way (they also get a big tick from me for salting the sesame oil, which as it turns out is so commonplace in Korea that they have a name for it, gireumjang).
Just for the record, the sushi on the table mats is not the actual menu
On the Japanese menu I have 2 favourites without which a trip to Dotori would be incomplete. The first are the tempura prawns (£7.00), so light and crisp that they flake and crumble all over your plate when you take a bite. Tempura is a notoriously difficult dish to get right, so often too heavy or too oily, but get it right they do and consistently so. My dad is something of a tempura aficionado, tempura oysters having long been a popular feature of his party repertoire, a specialty he prides himself on. Imagine my surprise when he not only conceded that Dotori’s tempura was better than his own, but declared it the best he’d ever had! High praise indeed.
The second favourite is the spider roll (£8.00), a futomaki roll filled with soft shell crab which has been freshly fried (it is still warm), cucumber and chive and served with the usual condiments: soy, pickled ginger and wasabi. The California roll (£6.00), an uramaki roll, is also very good and comes laced with flying fish roe and green tea mayonnaise. I can also recommend the sashimi (£4.50-6.50) which is just as it ought to be: extremely fresh, high quality fish, the texture so soft and silky that you barely need to chew before it is sliding down your throat.
If you are in a group, you may prefer to go with the a few of the set sushi menus (£9.00-25.00), which should have something for everyone and so avoid the polite back and forth that inevitably comes with trying to make decisions in numbers. They also do bento boxes, which is a great choice if you are on your own.
There is not really a wine list to speak of (two choices, red or white) so I stick to beer. This is probably just as well, since there is little time for lingering; they are well frequented and usually need the table back within an hour. For this reason, booking is advisable, especially on weekends.
The bill is usually about £20 per head, including a few beers each, which is great value in my book. Service can be a little brisk, but always comes with a smile. They are also happy to answer any questions, although in some cases the language barrier leaves you more confused than before you asked.
So Blumenthal's biatch ain't just a pretty face, his unlikely recommendation came good and I am ever so thankful that I listened beyond the where to find out the what and the why. That old adage ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ springs to mind.
Dotori: 3 Stroud Green Road, N4 2DQ; 020 7263 3562
Tues-Sun: Lunch 12-3pm, Dinner 5-11pm
Mains £6.50-£32, Set lunch £6.50-£7 for 2 courses, Set meals £9-£25