Chotto Matte

Just what Soho needed…

After hearing mixed reviews from family and friends, I decided that I had to check out Soho’s newest addition, Chotto Matte. This Japanese-Peruvian restaurant spans three floors, houses an array of Japanese street art and contains an equally exciting menu - with a few quirky extras.

My friends and I were seated on the upper level of the restaurant which boasts an open Robata grill, a sushi bar and a one hundred cover dining room. The atmosphere was exactly what you would expect from a trendy establishment in Soho; vibrant, buzzing and uber-chic.

Some of the items on the Chotte Matte menu have clearly been inspired by its heavyweight “competitor,” Nobu. After all, Chotto Matte was formulated by restaurant visionary Kurt Zdesar, the man who brought Nobu to London. Examples include yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno and coriander, sea bass with shiso salsa and of course, “bacalao negro aji miso” a.k.a. black cod.

However, I wouldn’t want to take anything away from some of the unique dishes that were on offer. My friends and I were suitably impressed by the soft shell crab with yellow chilli and yuzu and the taco selection which included delightful tuna spicy miso, snow crab yuzu and miso vegetables. To end the evening, we were dazzled (quite literally) by the pork belly aburi sushi. Although not the tastiest of dishes, the blowtorch display provided some tableside entertainment after a few shochu cocktails on a Friday night. This fun, glitzy Nikkei restaurant is just what Soho needed.  

Rating: 4/5

http://www.chotto-matte.com/

Peyote

Mystery Mexican in Mayfair

A minimalist website with no pictures, no menu and the somewhat discreet entrance on Cork Street, Mayfair made dining at Peyote a bit of mystery. This intimate upscale Mexican restaurant appears to be the first of its kind and is the creation of Arjun Waney, the man behind some of London’s trendiest restaurants including Coya and Zuma.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by our waiter who was extremely persistent about the restaurant’s famous guacamole (presented to us with a number of assorted dips, which we were later charged for - individually). Despite the pushy waiter, I was extremely impressed by the overall dining experience. The dimly-lit ambience, extensive wine list and (surprisingly) tasty tequila based cocktails provided an alternate atmosphere from many of the Mexican restaurants that currently dominate the big smoke.

Although the portions were small, every dish that arrived was flavoursome and faultless. The (pushy) waiter was helpful in recommending dishes from the menu; cactus tostadas, octopus ceviche, yellowtail laminados and chilean sea bass with coriander and pineapple, to name but a few. The options on the uncluttered menu were enticing, alluring and most of all – refreshing. After the influx of the recent Japanese, Peruvian and Retro Burger Joints around town, this minimalist Mexican provides a welcome alternative.

www.peyoterestaurant.com

Rating: 4/5