A NEW city sushi restaurant has promised to bounce back after hygiene inspectors raised concerns its salmon, sea bass and tuna might not be safe.

Sushimania, in Park End Street, was given a two-star rating by inspectors, who also discovered 'sticky and dirty' drawers and raw meat stored close to ice cream.

The restaurant chain said said it was 'disappointed' not all the appropriate procedures were being followed and said that chefs and management had undergone 'in-depth' coaching as a result.

The sushi restaurant, where Las Iguanas once was, opened in October last year and was criticised by city council officers on their visit to the new eatery in February.

They said: "There was no paperwork or clear process in place to demonstrate that the salmon, sea bass and tuna used for the sushi and sashimi dishes were safe and had undergone suitable freezing or was from an approved source.

"The manager had no understanding of what I was asking and kept stating that staff would never freeze the fish as it comes in fresh and then it's prepared."

They reminded staff that evidence was needed to prove fish had been frozen on site, or off site by the supplier or that salmon came from approved Scottish waters.

Officers had a range of other concerns, including 'sticky and dirty' fridge drawers and light bulbs not working leaving the kitchen and wash up areas in the dark.

The report added: "The organisation of both the walk-in freezer and chiller was poor with raw meats being stored next to cooked and ready to eat foods - including ice cream as the ice cream freezer was broken.

The company said: "Unfortunately on the day that the Council's environmental health officer inspected, we were disappointed to find that not all these procedures were being followed.

"I can confirm however that all the fish for the sushi and sashimi was and is sourced from approved suppliers who are independently accredited as having high standards of food safety, we just did not have the paperwork available to prove this on the day."

It said that the chefs and management team had undergone 'in-depth' coaching and that its own environmental health consultants would be carrying out unannounced inspections to ensure high standards were being maintained.

It added: "We have since applied for another inspection from Oxford's environmental health officer who has agreed to revisit the branch.

"We have taken action to solve this matter and are confident of receiving a top score for the next inspection."