ANEW sushi bar – the only one in Southend town centre – has opened.

Kyoto Bloom, in a former florist on the corner of Clarence Street and Clarence Road, has proved popular with office workers and passers-by, its owner Norbert Nemes said.

The restaurant and takeaway is the only sushi bar in the centre since Ko Sushi, at Southend Victoria train station, closed.

Kyoto Bloom serves a selection of sushi rolls and nigiri (raw fish on a bed of rice).

Hungarian Mr Nemes, 33, said he wanted to recreate the street-food nature of sushi in its native Japan with a small bar featuring two tables – and said it had proved popular so far.

He said: “We did a ‘soft’ opening on Wednesday, because the menu isn’t quite finalised, but we have about 15 types of rolls and also different types of nigiri.

“We don’t have any hot food on yet, but we’re hoping to add soups soon and expand into deliveries.

“Before we opened, I visited all the nearby offices and they seem happy they have another option available at lunch. But we also get a lot of passing trade from the train station and the car park across the road, which is good.”

Mr Nemes, who previously worked in financial services, trained with Japanese sushi chefs in London after developing a passion for oriental cuisine, practising his creations at home.

He said: “Their advice was invaluable for knowing how to properly set things up and knowing how to order, because the freshness of the fish is really important, and we prepare everything on the day it’s sold.

“I’ve also hired a sushi chef who has several years’ experience working in a Japanese restaurant, as well as a girl on the till who is great with customers because, although we’re the only sushi bar in the area, we think the way you serve customers is really important.”

Kyoto Bloom