Matsuri St James

I am always being asked on twitter for fun and that little bit different kind of restaurants around London. Teppanyaki is always a great place to start as it’s a real crowd pleaser and top tip, a great date cuisine as if you are struggling to make conversation, you have a ready made top notch conversation piece right in front of you.

The only problem is, not all teppanyaki is created equally. Some are quite bad. But feat not, I found you a winner, and it goes by the name of Matsuri.

For anyone who doesn’t know Modern teppanyaki grills are usually heated flat surface grills that are used to cook food in front of guests at restaurants.

Eager to get sat down, we almost missed this guy who was preparing Nigiri right before our eyes. Now that’s fresh!

Having taken our seats, me and Caroline looked at each other with an uh-oh face. We can’t lie, we suck at chop sticks, with me readily performing the stab and eat move.

Luckily Janan from The Londonist was only a seat away and so we pinched her for a few moments to teach is the ways of the chopstick. Pay attention now otherwise it just becomes all fingers and thumbs.

We started with one of my favourites; prawn tempura. A gorgeous thin covering that wasn't the slightest bit greasy made a rather clean fingers from me (yes chopsticks were abandoned by me)

But not Caroline! Huzzah!

We then got to try some of that now famous nigiri and other sushi bits. I do love sushi, although I tend not to have it in restaurants, only usually from Itsu at lunch. Well, this surely out tasted those meal boxes, that’s for sure.

Yet enough of the raw fish thing, we are here to see some cooking!

Our chef loaded up chunks of black cod onto the plate and as if he knew, he waited for a moment as we all chimed “oooo!”.

Never having had black cod before, I didn't know what to expect. But let me tell you this- wow. It just melts in the mouth like butter. Superbly cooked.

Although as soon as this beast arrived at the table I was slightly distracted.

Confronting the huge Galician beef slab with expert precision, our chef doused it in rock salt and set it too cook.

Just look at that marbling!

Steak should always be cooked like this as it was seriously good.Especially the fatty bits (Shhh but sometimes they are even better than Steak!)

No meal is complete without a little dessert and so it was time for ice cream and crepes. Ice cream on a grill? Okay...?

Ohhhhh! Wow. Nearly had my eyebrows out!

Proper Japanese food executed beautifully made for two very happy ladies. So whether it’s for your next date or a girl’s night out, I’d recommend getting down to Matsui for some authentic Japanese cooking and one hell of a night.

www.matsuri-restaurant.com/

15 Bury St,
London
SW1Y 6AL

Tweet

Eating Out, Food, Japanese, London, Matsuri, restaurant, St James, teppenyaki