Sushi
Sticks ‘n’ Sushi is one of those small chain restaurants where the quality hasn’t dropped since expanding. I’ve been to all of them now, from Copenhagen to Covent Garden, and for decent sushi, friendly service and a gorgeous room, you can’t beat it. Their newest opening is in Chelsea. It’s their biggest yet, sprawled over three floors. In the basement there’s a private dining room, … Continue reading Sticks ‘n’ Sushi, Chelsea
Whenever I walk past the original ROKA in Charlotte Street it’s totally heaving. On our Saturday early lunchtime visit it’s no different – after 10 minutes of the doors being flung open the place is packed. We’re seated at the wooden counter overlooking the open kitchen with robata grill – the chefs are non stop. Definitely sit at the counter if you can. Service is … Continue reading ROKA, Charlotte Street
Getting a seat at Sushi Tetsu is pretty much impossible – seriously. I’ve been trying for yonks now and as soon as they open for bookings (on the first and third Monday of each month for the following month) they’re engaged and then gone. The fact Sushi Tetsu has just 7 seats doesn’t help. The fact it’s bloody brilliant, doesn’t much help either. But luckily, … Continue reading Sushi Tetsu, Clerkenwell
Umu is a Michelin starred Japanese restaurant that has been around for over ten years now. It’s owned by the same group who run The Greenhouse and Morton’s members club. It was a slightly stern welcome from a chap who could have easily been a headmaster as opposed to a maitre d’; certainly not rude but not forthcoming with the lovin’ either. The room was … Continue reading Umu, Mayfair
Kouzu is a swanky Japanese restaurant in Victoria which is housed in a grade-ll listed mansion from the 1850’s. As you might expect from such a restaurant in such a location, it ain’t a cheap affair, but the food was really rather good. We started with the beef fillet tataki (£17.50) which was thin strips of lightly seared beef, delicately flavoured with a light soy … Continue reading Kouzu, Victoria
Kurobuta, which is the creation of chef and owner Scott Hallsworth, has become so popular that he’s moved his Chelsea outpost down the King’s Road to an even bigger site (he’s turning the old one into Joe’s Oriental Diner). We rocked up on a Wednesday evening, having not booked and the place was rammed to the rafters. All they could offer us was to perch on the … Continue reading Kurobuta, Chelsea
Getting the lift up to SUSHISAMBA is pretty impressive; as you hurtle up to the 38th floor in an elevator that’s placed on the outside of the Heron Tower, the views are nothing short of magnificent. The excitement doesn’t end there, or at least it didn’t for us, as before you get to the restaurant there’s an outside bar – which is amazing considering how … Continue reading SUSHISAMBA, Heron Tower
After the success of their first UK restaurant in Wimbledon, they’ve opened another Sticks n Sushi in Covent Garden. It originates from Denmark (where they have quite a few in Copenhagen) and if all goes well, I imagine that’s the plan for over here. As it recently opened, I was kindly invited down to try it out. It was a deceptively large space; the restaurant … Continue reading Sticks n Sushi, Covent Garden
