Sea Bass Ceviche
Koji

Koji

58 New Kings Road London, SW6 4LS, United Kingdom

Sushi • Asian • Japanese • Vegetarian


"It's no secret that I love Japanese food. And even less of a secret is my fondness for a good cocktail. So put the two together and I'm a very happy girl. Koji which ticks both these boxes in Parsons Green, seems to be a bit of a secret.... I'd never heard of it until researching sake cocktails for a piece I wrote for Time Out, but when they read my piece they invited me down to sample the cocktails and food in person. I went along with Lucy the night before heading to Tresco to do a weekend of pop ups, and we had the most delicious feast of delicate yet punchy Japanese food with punchy yet delicate cocktails!Koji have an ex Nobu chef in their kitchen and you can really tell there's someone who knows what they're doing there. Every dish was exquisite, and the whole experience heightened by being in such a gorgeous setting if you want to impress a date then head straight to Koji. We started with cocktails in the elegant bar area, which is lit by huge feather covered lights. When you go to Koji (which you really should if you're anything like me about good cocktails and Japanese food) order the lemongrass and chilli martini. The perfect balance of zesty and spicy it left our lips tingling in all the right ways. We didn't get round to trying it but the watermelon martini also sounds divine.The food at Koji is Japanese,with a modern twist. The menu's divided into snacks, hot and cold tapas, robata grill and various forms of sushi and sashimi. Being the good (greedy) reviewers that we are, we tried to sample something from each section. Starting with the most wonderful soft shell crab and asparagus summer roll. Light, fresh and expertly rolled it was a great start to what turned out to be a top notch meal."

Darcie May Green

Darcie May Green

Sheldon Square, London I-W2 6DS, United Kingdom

Vegan • Desserts • Australian • Vegetarian


"My boyfriend and I had an absolutely brilliant evening here for our anniversary last week (mid October). The staff were so friendly and welcoming, and the ambience was just delightful. We arrived an hour earlier than our booking and enjoy some drinks on the roof of the boat. As it wasn't busy, we were able to be seated 15 minutes earlier than our booking which made the night go more smoothly. The food was served quicker than expected (about 15 mins if that), and was all presented very nicely. We ordered several small plates to share. Everything was divine! I would just like to point out for other guests, in case they skim over the menu as we did; the sweet potato chips are HUGE. You only get about 4 or 5 and it looks like the entire sweet potato has been slices long ways with the skin. Yummy but we didn't even eat half so I wouldn't order if you're not absolutely starving. ALSO: the regular chips are cooked in duck fat. As a vegetarian I didn't order this, but I did pinch some of my boyfriend's chips, as every girlfriend does, only to realise a few moments later what I had consumed... again still yummy, but I wish I had known beforehand. Could not boast enough about how amazing all the food was!! The cocktails were delicious. I enjoyed a french martini and a rosemary rush, the latter had a particular kick I'm still mouth watering over even a few days later!! The dessert was impeccable. We got the chocolate ball as did everyone in the restaurant, and it did not disappoint! That was plenty between two people. It's also quite romantic to share too. But being us, we also ordered the yogurt meringue delicious!! As we had such a great conversation with the manager and mentioned it was our anniversary, he didn't charge for our desserts! We were so touched, we are hoping to take some friends back with us soon. Would definitely 1000% recommend this fun little find. Also it is only maybe 10 footsteps from Paddington Station! Definitely a date night to remember."

Robata

Robata

56 Old Compton St, London W1D 4UE, United Kingdom

Sushi • Grill • Asian • Japanese


"To manage one 's expectations, I would describe Robata as Japanese inspired rather than authentic Japanese food. To summarise, the service was good and the food was okay. Here are the pros and cons: Pros The waiting staff was attentive and gracious, even though 2 of our guests were VERY late. I really commend them for their patience. Service was fast. The waiting staff was well versed in allergens and there were plenty of dairy free and gluten free options The interior was quirky and reminded me of Japanese manga meets art nouveau which I liked very much! The general ambience and music were upbeat I can imagine Robata being a good option for pre going out dinner with friends or a casual first date, but some may find it a bit loud for intimate dinners The sake mojito was delicious! Cons The traditional Japanese menu items including sushi rolls and sashimi did not perform strongly. The robatayaki skewer items (Robata 's name sake) were better, but unfortunately did not steal my heart I felt the flavours and seasoning were too strong for my palate and this genre of food Neutral Observations The menu was eclectic with a mixture of Japanese (sushi, robatayaki) Korean (kimchi rice), Peruvian (ceviche) and other foods (I 'm not sure where tartare originates). There were some open 'bao ' options, which were some Asian inspired hot fillings wrapped in a flat piece of steamed bun. Personally, I 'm not a fan but I 've encountered this in a few restaurants in London so this seems to be a popular concept in recent times. Who knows? "