Review: Tombo, Kensington, London

The clean and contemporary interior of Tombo is a refreshing contrast to the smoggy, grimy London streets outside. Everything about the decor and the food is traquil and ordered from the emaculate maki to the wooden hour glasses to tell you when your tea is brewed to perfection. It's a great place to grab a cup of tea or a bite to eat.

We arrived a little before 6pm when they were relatively quiet and started with some delicate Flowering Osmanthus tea (£3.10) which, when steeped, turned a pretty rose petal pink and tasted mildly of Ribena. Delish! Food came in the form of a fantastically savoury black seaweed salad (£3.30) with chickpeas, french and edamame beans dressed in soy. A feast for the eyes and taste buds though a frustration for the chopsticks. The Tombo Combo No 1 (£7.50) provided an elegant centrepiece for our table for approximately two minutes - time enough for it to be duly admired before it was devoured. Each roll was embellished with fresh soft herbs pressed into the rice. We finished with a fragrant pot of blossoming jasmine tea (£3.10) which had a fantastically floral flavour that (plesantly) surprised us all.

The service was prompt and friendly and the café itself was perfectly turned out. It's mere minutes from the crossroad of Exhibition Road and Cromwell Road so it's ideally placed for a lunch when you're visiting the London museums.
Tombo can be found at 29 Thurloe Place, South Kensington, London SW7 2HQ. Tel: 0207 589 0018 Food can be enjoyed in or taken away.