Stepping into Nozomi for dinner felt like entering a scene from one of Christopher Nolan’s Batman films. Bruce Wayne wouldn’t look out of place sat at a table in this suave Japanese restaurant. Tables are spread across one elevated floor surrounded by black-tiled walls beneath a large skylight looming above.
At night, the time of our visit, the restaurant is dimly-lit with just candles illuminating each table. Nozomi may feel like a snapshot from Nolan’s darkly stylish Gotham fantasy but it’s actually just around the corner from Harrods in Beauchamp Place, Knightsbridge. It’s a favourite with A-listers – Rihanna, Jay-Z, Beyonce and Usain Bolt have all been spotted there – and is supposed to come alive later in the evening with a live DJ and even dancing around tables.
But we neither saw nor heard any of that during our mid-week visit.
Nozomi’s menus are extensive and as we usually do in such occurrences, we asked the chef to take control of proceedings and indulge us in what he thought, were certain highlights from them.
We took care of the bar’s impressive cocktail list ourselves though, sampling several mixes throughout the night. If you like your cocktails sharp then the sake-based Japanese Old Fashioned is a good place to start, while fans of something a bit fruitier would do well to try the Pink Mojito.
As for the food, we were served a succession of dishes over the course of the evening, which seemed to get better with each course. We began with a platter of sashimi, including raw salmon, yellowtail and sea-bass, served with wasabi and other Japanese condiments.
Among the highlights from the next few dishes were the chicken dumplings and Wagyu beef tataki – succulent slices of prized Japanese beef served with lotus root, crispy garlic chips and a ginger dressing, which will run riot with your taste buds.
We finished with an exemplary combination of fish and red meat, tucking into Nozomi’s chilean sea-bass alongside strips of chargrilled Wagyu fillet, served with steamed spinach doused in a sesame dressing. The fiery sea bass, smothered in spicy miso and baked on cedar wood, enraged the palate and was bursting with juiciness. The steak was also cooked to perfection – each slice revealing a sumptuous deep red centre.
Nozomi may have the superficial style and glamour but take it from us, it’s the food that really does the talking. If you’re a big fan of your Japanese cuisine, then be sure not to overlook this gem. While you are there, we recommend a trip to The Beauchamp bar too, where we sampled the new offering of Lamborghini Vodka!
Enjoy!
We The Food Snobs x
