Sake bar opens at INE Hampstead serving donburi bowls

INÉ, which opened its doors in December, will serve up a premium selection of Japanese rice wine alongside exhibitions from emerging and established artists in their upstairs rooms.

Boasting curved seating and a restful neutral colour scheme, the light and airy first floor venue will host art and a cafe by day, and a sophisticated sake bar by night.

Upstairs at INE will host art exhibitions, sake masterclasses and serve flights of Japanese rice wine in the evening (Image: INE)

The restaurant - from the team behind Michelin-starred Taku in Mayfair - has tasked Group Sommelier Bowie Tsang and Head Sommelier of INÉ, Daniela Shelton with creating a sake menu of spirits by the bottle, or carafe in four flavours: fruity and expressive, light and delicate, umami and rice, and dessert.

In addition to serving curated flights of Sake, Upstairs at INÉ will also host sake masterclasses with the likes of The Sparkling Sake Brewery, Mai Sake, and Dassai - including small bites - on May 12th, June 9th and July 25th.

INÉ has already made its mark on Hampstead's culinary scene with its omakase menu where diners sit at a counter and enjoy 15 courses of whatever the chef chooses to serve.

INE is now also serving Donburi bowls at lunch time choose from salmon, wagyu beef or a sashimi rice bowl (Image: INE)

It also has an a la carte contemporary Japanese menu with French influences in dishes such as Lobster with cauliflower and sudachi jelly; Grilled Iberico pork; Wagyu beef katsu sando and Grilled Yuan chicken.

At lunchtime you can now drop by for one of three Donburi dishes.

The name just means a rice-bowl meal, and INÉ has elevated theirs to an indulgent luxury offering of three beautifully presented dishes; a miso soup with seaweed giving a delicate whiff of the sea; a dish of crunchy pickled veg; and a hearty bowl topped with either fish or wagyu beef.

Like the other two choices the salmon Donburi comes with a delicate miso soup and crunchy dish of pickled veg (Image: INE)

We opted to share a fish then a beef. Starting with the Chirashi where the rice is topped with an array of the freshest premium sashimi, a smear of pungent wasabi, cubes of omelette, and shavings of pickled radish and cucumber with a hint of lemon.

A pouring jug of soy is all you need to complete the flavour sensations as you scoop up scallop, sea bream, salmon, sea bass and tuna with mouthfuls of rice.

On the next bowl, the tenderest slices of beef, crisped on the outside, are seasoned with a katsu curry. The addition of an egg yolk which oozes over the meat and sticky rice, gives the dish a brunch-ey feel - but the joy here is that you will be sated but not too stuffed for any afternoon activities you might have planned.

We couldn't leave without ordering our favourite dessert, another delicate concoction of ice-crunchy light pear sorbet and creamy panna cotta with poached pear. It's appealingly served in a pretty little pot, and since our last visit, chef has added slivers of rhubarb and a salty-buttery crumb beneath the quivering milk dessert. Genius.

Upstairs at INÉ is now open at 16, Hampstead High Street and the Donburi menu is available Tuesday to Friday lunchtimes.