The Times
Jay Rayner dropped into one of the half-dozen handroll bars that have opened within a couple of hundred metres of Piccadilly Circus in recent months, where he enjoyed “one of those dinners which makes you feel like you’ve stumbled upon a gem”.
Founder Eliott Grabli is “a Frenchman who worked in finance, finding backing for restaurants until he realised he wanted to swap sides and run one of his own”. You sit at the counter watching the chef as he carefully fashions your chosen roll, which he then passes directly to your hand – a ritual that “feels especially intense” to Jay.
“The nori has a satisfying crack that gives way to the soft, slightly warm cushion of rice upon which everything else is heaped.” Other dishes include a scallop “the size of a baby’s fist”, sliced thin, squeezed in a tortilla press, then dressed with chilli paste, toasted garlic and sesame oil. “The dish is so good we order it twice.”
Jay Rayner - 2026-10-18
