I love the London restaurant scene, but one thing that is lacking is a reasonably priced, high quality sushi place. Nobu, Zuma and Roka are fab but they’re not for everyday and the less expensive places like Yo Sushi and Itsu don’t deliver on quality.
A couple of weeks ago Mr Silver and I visited Sticks ‘n Sushi which ticks the boxes in terms of value for money, quality and fun factor. You can read about our experience here.
When I read about Kurobuta on The Londoner’s blog, it seemed like we’d found another candidate in our search for an everyday Japanese eatery.
A pop-up restaurant, located at 251 King’s Road, I warned Mr Silver it would be more shabby-chic than sexy, sleek.
The interior was rustic, wooden and welcoming with a huge open kitchen at the back. The open kitchen now seems common at most restaurants I visit and I love the feeling of bringing the cookery into the dining room.
The split level cramped dining room certainly has a temporary feel to it but that added to the charm of the place.
Mr Silver and I love sushi and we had high expectations for Kurobuta. The chef, Scott Hallsworth, trained at Nobu and was chosen to launch Nobu Melbourne. We loved the food in Australia and had the pleasure of eating in Nobu Melbourne, as I mentioned here in a previous post.
First order of business was the cocktails, Mr Silver choosing a Green Bastard.
Containing gin, midori and cucumber.
I had a deliciously bitter Chelsea Iced Tea.
Well..when in Chelsea
The names of the cocktails added to the light-hearted feel of the place; Kurobuta doesn’t take itself too seriously.
We chatted away to the staff members, who were all Aussies, and happily relived memories of Australian restaurants and bars. The foodie scene in Australia, especially Melbourne, was a huge draw to the country for us.
The menu at Kurobuta is playfully Japanese including a sashimi pizza and beef sliders in the ‘Junk food’ section. It felt so much more fun than uber cool Nobu! While not exactly cheap, you won’t being the prices of the top London Japanese restaurants and Hallsworth definitely delivers on quality.We started with Jerusalem artichoke chopsticks with truffle ponzu dip.
We loved this version of an artichoke spring roll and it was something neither of us had tasted before! Definitely our top choice of the day.
Next, squid with jalapeno dipping sauce. The sauce was the star here, tangy and spicy, the perfect accompaniment for the crispy squid.
Roasted Chilean Seabass with spicy shiso ponzu was perfectly cooked and the sauce hit all the right notes of being zesty and bitter with plenty of chilli.
Miso grilled aubergine with sesame seeds. A dish I can never resist at a Japanese restaurant; Kurobuta’s was not over sweet and was the perfect light vegetable accompaniment to our dishes.
BBQ Pork ribs with honey soy-ginger glaze. Mr Silver is quite literally compelled to order ribs if they are on the menu.
Another Japanese item we frequently order: yellowtail sashimi with kizami wasabi salsa and yuzu soy. Light and fresh, perfect for the gorgeous spring day that we were having.
And finally for the savoury dishes, some sushi; spicy tuna maki rolled in tempura crunchies.
We chose two small desserts
A fruit and nut concoction of summer berries, hazelnuts and pistachios. I didn’t like this dessert as it reminded me of peanut butter, which I dislike. However, Mr Silver was very happy that I didn’t like it…
The second dessert fared better with me. Tiny cheese cakes with fruit and sugary pink marshmallow things. Lovely! Refreshing and sweet, the perfect touch to end a fabulous meal.
Mr S and I loved Kurobuta, and fortunately the pop-up doesn’t end here. Chef Scott Hallsworth will be opening a permanent site, set to launch in Connaught Village in April 2014. He’ll definitely have a pair of sushi loving Silverspoons coming along when it does!
Kurobuta London
251 King’s Road
London
SW3 5ELUpdate: This pop-up is now permanent.
