If you like whacky presentation when it comes to your food then StreetXO is the most fun to be had in a London restaurant right now. But it’s not all gimmicks, the food is also ruddy delicious. You can read my write up of the full StreetXO a la carte menu here.

Our visit today however is for the weekday set lunch menu (£30 per person) which isn’t bad value for Mayfair.

The main event is a bowl of foie gras and BBQ guinea fowl ramen. It’s rich and unctuous – the sort of thing you’d expect from a bowl of hot soup. But it’s the slow cooked egg which is so splendid. Once burst the whole thing melts away and acts as an eggy thickener. And the foie gras takes things up a gear.

Smaller dishes like ‘dumpling salmon niguiri’ are just as tasty; the accompanying Balinese satay is seriously moreish. ‘Upside down mackerel’ with umeboshi and lime yuzu is a sharp and citrusy explosion. It acts as a palate cleanser for all the richness.

 

‘Japanese Caprese salad’ has all the flavour of mozzarella and tomato yet it’s tofu and tomato. And there’s thinly sliced raw mushroom in there too. The white blob dish it comes in is fun.

We wash all this down with a bizarre cocktail, ‘Drinking Peking Duck!!!’, served in a Chinese takeaway box (£16). There’s hoisin syrup, mezcal dressed with Shaoxing wine, lime juice, cucumber soda and duck condiment. It tastes like Peking duck – which says it all really.

The set lunch is a more affordable way of getting the Street XO experience (some of the main course dishes can be a little pricey). The dishes are more simple but big, exciting flavours seem to be the most important thing. Sit at the counter and watch the chefs do their thing – definitely the best seats in the house.

Would we go back? Yes

StreetXO.com
We dined as guests of the restaurant