INTRODUCING WATATSUMI

Take a culinary journey that goes beyond sushi and sashimi at the recently opened Watatsumi restaurant on Northumberland Avenue.
With a fantastic ‘raw bar’, elegant restaurant and stylish cocktail bar plus a range of menus, from the full ‘omakase’ tasting experience and Watatsumi’s a la carte to the highly affordable bento boxes, there’s something for all tastes and budgets.

Highly skilled chefs and husband and wife team, Peter and Hili Makohus (who met in the kitchens of Nobu Park Lane), offer exquisitely presented dishes that marry bold new recipes with contemporary flavours.

As elegant as the menus, the opulent, high-ceilinged, marble-pillared dining room is a stunning backdrop to drink, dine or entertain in. A sleek and simple interior of comfortable white leather seating and dark wood tables complement the space with a beautiful light sculpture made up of hundreds of hanging white fish taking centre stage and casting shadows.

THE RAW BAR

Purists should pull up a stool at the raw bar and watch the highly skilled shokunin (sushi technicians) in action. As well as the classic sashimi, nigiri, maki and temaki rolls one would expect, Watatsumi offers a range of tantalising ‘tartars’ and ‘tataki’ dishes that include tuna with spicy miso and salmon with yuzu, all prepared in full view of the diner.

For an affordable casual lunch, Watatsumi offers a range of delicious bento boxes featuring miso soup, sushi, sesame stir-fried vegetables and Japanese steamed rice with a choice of chicken, beef, salmon or tofu tepanyaki for just £14.50 with a glass of wine.

THE RESTAURANT

For a more formal dining experience, book a table in the stunning restaurant. Start with a platter of expertly executed California rolls with a selection of hot appetisers including tempura, yakitori, gyoza and their signature Watatsumi crispy calamari.

Must-try mains from the hot kitchen include pan fried seabass in shisho butter; Gressingham duck breast marinated in mikan miso with a spicy kumquat compote; roasted red tilapia grilled in cedar wood and, for committed carnivores, US grain fed beef with sansyo teriyaki.
Puddings include classics like a chocolate fondant and speculoos white chocolate cheesecake as well as more characteristically Japanese desserts such as mochi ice cream served with a lychee liqueur and a cranberry and yuzu tartlet.

For the full Watatsumi experience, discerning diners can indulge in the ‘omakase’ chef’s tasting menu and explore the restaurant’s stunning signature dishes for £65 for seven courses.

The drinks list at Watatsumi features a carefully chosen selection of over 15 sakes and sakamais from all over Japan and beyond. Wines have been chosen with consideration to complement the cuisine with the house selection starting at just £19 and, for real bon vivants, there’s a range of fine wines with choices such as Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru and Meursault as well as a budget-blowing Chateaux Margaux 1998 Premier Grand Cru Classe?.

THE BAR

Cocktail connoisseurs will not be disappointed. The Bar at Watatsumi offers an interesting and innovative list of bespoke concoctions as well as the usual classics. Sip on an Asian-inspired Shiso Martini made with fresh shiso leaves, yuzu and wasabi, shaken with Disaronno and Honjozo sake; or the Chic Nashi, a champagne cocktail muddled with fresh nashi pear and Xante pear cognac – the perfect aperitif with a bowl of spicy chilli-salt edamame.

Watatsumi 7 Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2N 5BY T: 020 7036 8520 www.watatsumi.co.uk