Where? 265 Hampstead Road, Camden NW1 7QX.
After the successful launch of Pan-Asian cuisine restaurant Inamo in Covent Garden and Soho, a new branch opened in Camden in 2016, directly across from Mornington Crescent tube station.
Walking into Inamo you are greeted with a cozy outdoor space with a giant robata charcoal grill and umbrellas, with plants surrounding the entrance to the indoor space. If it wasn’t late January and zero degrees when we visited, it would’ve been the perfect spot for an outdoor summer evening.
With a unique and modern touch in combining technology with your evening meal, Inamo introduces interactive tables with games such as Pong, a doodling mode (yes, you can even draw on your table) and my personal favourite, a setting that allows you to watch the chefs cook your food in the kitchen. Not that we really needed this setting, as my companion and I were seated next to the glass-window kitchen and had the pleasure of a first-hand view.
The idea of tablet ordering systems intrigued me. I was a little hesitant, thinking they could be quite confusing, but it was surprisingly efficient. The waiters provided top service, despite ordering your food and drinks via the tablet they made the effort to introduce themselves, explained how the tablet system worked and were there to offer additional help.
We ordered mojitos, porn star martinis and a bottle of Rosé to accompany our dishes. Each was equally impressive.
The menu offered a wide selection of dishes from Japan, China, Thailand and Korea. We ordered fresh seared salmon maki, vegtable spring rolls and a bowl of 10 Korean chicken wings with coconut to start with. Each dish came in a generous portion, with immaculate presentation and even better flavour.
Despite feeling almost full after our first three dishes, we couldn’t resist trying the pork chops with yakinku sauce and rice, duck with pancakes (of course) and hot stone fillet and rice. In all honesty they were the best Asian dishes I have ever tasted.
The pork was smothered in zingy nam jim sauce and looked as good as it tasted. The duck came on the leg and fell off the bone; cooked to perfection. The hot stone fillet came red and served on a sizzling stone, enabling you to heat your meat to your own personal preference.
After spending a fair amount of time in the restaurant, and by this point I couldn’t eat another mouthful, the manager kindly took us upstairs to visit Inamo’s roof terrace. From an outdoor cocktail bar to high stools, soft blankets to more umbrellas, the small space was beautifully designed and an ideal hotspot for cocktails in the summer.
Open Monday to Thursday 12-23.30, Friday and Saturday 12-12 and Sunday 12-22.30, PAUSE highly recommends visiting Inamo Camden. Book here.
