Chotto Matte is a located in the heart of London’s lively Soho area. The location is absolutely superb, it captures the essence of Soho perfectly. We visited Chotto Matte during their opening period and had a wonderful evening, so we were keen to revisit and see how things had progressed.
Chotto Matte serve the finest Nikkei cuisine, and the menu has been created by Chef Jordan Sclare. So we were excited to sample the menu. The restaurant spans over three floors, and on this occasion we dined on the upper level.
The tables are tightly packed in and guests find themselves being shoulder to shoulder with each other. However, this doesn’t distract from the divine cuisine being served here. I’m thrilled to say we had another wonderful experience, and would not hesitate to return again.
Aside from the food being memorable, the toilets on the lower level are also memorable for all the right reasons. They have sliding glass doors that move at a touch of a button. The walls and décor are impressive and unique, all adding to the overall experience.
“The food certainly doesn't disappoint.”
We started the evening with a couple of pre-dinner cocktails. I ordered the ‘Nikkei Old Fashioned’, which was mixed with Millionario Peruvian 15yo Rum, Brown Sugar, Chocolate Bitters, Yuzu Spritz and Shiso. They were not shy with the Rum, a very enjoyable cocktail and I’d happily have had another. My partner ordered the ‘Ron Alpaca Ron’. Another Rum based cocktail, with Abuelo 7yo Rum, Perfecto Amor, Benedictine, Angostura Bitters and Orange Zest.
While browsing the menu we enjoyed a plate of Edamame with Sea Salt. To begin I ordered the California Roll Sushi Rolls, with Snow Crab and Avocado. This dish was well prepared, and the Snow Crab and Avocado worked well together. We also ordered Spicy Tuna Cut Rolls, with Tuna and Peruvian Chilli. The Chilli gave a nice kick, I recommend this dish as a starter.
For our main course we sampled a couple of dishes from their Nikkei Barbecue menu. We ordered Pollo den Miso, which is Chicken Miso, Carrot, Daikon, and a yellow Chilli Salsa. The Chicken Miso was delicious, with the yellow Chilli Salsa giving the dish an interesting edge. We also ordered Lomo a la Parrilla, which is Beef fillet, with spicy Teriyaki, served with a Pomegranate Salsa. Another interesting dish, the flavours were spot on.
We also sampled a dish from their Anticuchería Barbecue menu, which is a traditional Peruvian marinade of Aji Panca and Aji Amarillo Chilli, chargrilled over hot coals. We decided on the Barriguita de Chanchito, which was Pork Belly, Nashi Pear, in a yellow Tomato Salsa. We added sides of Steamed Rice and Miso Soup. Every dish was superb, Chef Jordan Sclare has certainly added some flare and interesting ingredients to the menu.
We couldn’t pass on my favourite Japanese dessert of Mochi. We enjoyed a selection of Mango, Yuzu and Green Tea flavours and was not disappointed. For wine we enjoyed a bottle of Domaine Nicolas Boiron, Cotes du Rhone, France, 2012. Chotto Matte is a fun and unique place to spend an evening dining, and the food certainly doesn't disappoint.