Restaurant review: Kuko Sushi, Kirkcaldy

That was in 1985 when Chinese takeaways in Fife were still a novelty and everybody was still chanting ‘wax-on wax-off’ after watching the original Karate Kid the year before.

However, it wasn’t until Yo! Sushi hit Edinburgh’s Rose Street in the ‘90s complete with plates on a conveyor belt (a la Sale of the Century) and a robot waiter, that I actually managed to taste the stuff.

Sushi was brilliant - and I’ve never stopped eating the ruddy little rolls since, so, when I saw the old SNP office transform overnight into Koku Sushi recently I was delighted.

I’ve never heard the name before but I’ve since learned the franchise is Polish - with eateries in Krakow, Gdansk and Legnica among others - and this appears to be its first foray into the UK market.

The decor is a minimalist mix of black and green and the bar is open which gives a few sitters a chance to watch the chefs work at close range - always a pleasure to see.

The vast majority of covers, however, are situated on the floor and with just seven tables the restaurant is cosy and can fill up quite quickly.

As for the menu - strewth! - it’s massive.

For starters you can take your pick from the usual suspects, such as miso soups and kushikatsu.

But the choice of next course can be bewildering due to the sheer number of ‘family sets’, set lunches and mixed plates.

My dining companion - who happens to be a sushi virgin - and I were momentarily stumped but opted to share the ‘Koku 11’ (pictured) which featured nigiri with prawn in tempura, futomaki with salmon in tempura, uramaki with tuna in tempura.

Before it came to the table I suspected the price (£18) was a little tasty, but then I saw the portions.

Wow! Get a bigger boat...

This restaurant serves up the chunkiest sushi I’ve ever seen, which is odd given each piece is meant to be eaten in one bite but, hey, who am I to complain?

Be warned though - even seasoned chopstick users might find their skills tested beyond their limits.

I was also surprised by cream cheese in the salmon futomaki - a westernised recipe apparently - but we both agreed the whole plate was delicious (as was the lemon sorbet dessert) and I’ve never walked away from a sushi meal so full before.

Service too was friendly and welcoming and there were some nice touches - the bill, for example, was presented in a little ribboned box.

At the moment Koku Sushi doesn’t have an alcohol license and doesn’t accept card payments but that isn’t putting the punters off - the restaurant looks busy every lunchtime.

Which is great - because I want to go back.