The Eatery: Chotto Matte, 11 - 13 Frith St, London W1D 4RB
The Site: www.chotto-matte.com/
The Companion: Group of friends, a date (when you're wanting to look a little bit cool)
The Dolla: Around £90 for two with drinks
Chotto-Matte - ‘please wait a minute’ in Japanese.
It took less than a minute for me to fall in love when I walked in, the walls are covered in blaring Japanese street art, the live music is drawing you in and the colourful drinks are shouting out to you from the tables…or that could just be me after a day at work.
With two sushi bars, a lounge, an 180-cover dining area and an incredible open Robato grill area this Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant is definitely one of the most exciting eateries to pop up in London in the last year.
Colour. Texture. Flavour. Nikkei cuisine is genius.
Some of my favourite dishes:
Barriguita de chanchito
Pork belly, crunchy nashi pear, bright yellow tomato salsa and slightly fiery peruvian chilli
Nikkei gyoza
Pork, prawn and cassava slightly crispy dumplings served on aji amarillo and creamy butternut puree (will beat the standard gyoza every time)
Sea bass, sweet potato, peruvian corn, coriander, delicate chive oil, tangy citrus sauce (looked too incredible to touch but managed to wolf down the whole thing)
Pescaditos
Crispy whitebait, mussels, squid, prawn, corn sand, and a genius jalapeño sauce - they literally recreated the look, taste and texture of the sea on a plate. AWESOME.
Presentation is beautiful down to the plates and cutlery they've picked out and that’s before you even get to dessert:
Brulee de la passion
Almond pyramid, aji amarillo gel and guava sorbet (which was a first for me) - stunning.
If you feel like getting boozy try one of their ‘Anti-Depressants cocktails’ which they claim are; 'cocktails with personality' or start off a big night with their ‘Oral Injections’ - 2 Shots for £5.00.
Different, affordable and lots of fun to say - CHOTTO MATTE
