Abajo by Humo

Italian x Japanese counter affair

Squid, courgette, amalfi lemon

I have been writing on this food blog for over 10 years, and lately, I have slowed down catching on trying to visit as many new openings as possible. Instead, I keep going back to places I enjoy and I got to the point that, having eaten around London, I kind of got an idea of what type of food I seek. That is until I encountered Abjano by Humo. I am always a bit funny about fusion cooking, but when I discovered a hidden counter dining fusion restaurant overseen by a sushi master Endo Kazutoshi, I couldn't ignore it, and it turned out I enjoyed it so much I went back again a few months later...

Fatty tuna focaccia and tomato salad

Lean tuna tartare, nori pesto and tomato

Sicilian aubergine and burrata cappelletti

Double cooked aubergine, capers and bonito

On my second visit, the menu completely changed and this time around it focused a lot on Italian and Japanese fusion cuisine. The concept is still the same with 5 stages of course, with each focus on a seasonal ingredient. A bluefin tuna tartar starter was accompanied with nori pesto with stunning effect, the umami and nutty note, combined with the fruitiness of the tomato and meaty texture of the raw tuna worked in harmony together, very bold yet refreshing at the same time. The main event of Ayshire Angus beef fillet was some of the finest beef dishes I have encountered in the UK. It was wrapped in aged wagyu beef fat before being poached in a celeriac broth, the beef was very tender and I really enjoyed the soft sweet earthy taste that came from the celeriac.

Carnaroli stuffed squid, sansho pepper and onions

Ayrshire Angus beef fillet poached in celeriac

Grilled monkfish and beef tongue

Green tea and blackberries pana cotta

Abajo provided a meal that was as good as my first visit. Despite it opened less than 6 months, it feels like it is such a well-drilled operation. The chef team really understands flavour combinations and executes dishes with great technical skills. All too often fusion cuisine is just 2 kinds of cuisine smashed up together and hope for the best. This is not the case with Abajo, I could see everything was well thought out, and plenty of research and testing was done for each dish. I would love to come back again with its next menu update.

Food 4/5


Average cost without drinks and services:
£130


12 St George St, London W1S 2FB

https://humolondon.com/