Zuma

So, after months of not being able to get a reservation....I GOT IT. Yes, today was the day. I stubbornly shook off the sleepiness, got totally psyched up and within 30 mins was out the door headed towards Knightsbridge.

 Zuma is one of the top Japanese restaurants in London and in my opinion is well above the overrated Nobu at Greenpark. Haven't tried the Nobu in New York but might get a chance this Summer :D

Zuma's concept is of a modern Japanese Izakaya which basically is a traditional nightbar form of snack dining with sake. Dishes are meant to be small and just biters instead of a main course kind of dish such as a donburi/bento. Zuma has taken this traditional form of food leisure to a modern take by reinventing Japanese dishes with a contemporary twist. Such as adding fruits or changing the sauces etc. I personally prefer the traditional dishes but Zuma did not disappoint me.

It is tucked away in a sweet corner at Raphael Street, opposite a service apartment called Knightsbridge estates (I think). I just saw messy rooms when I walked past so its probably a service apartment or hotel of some type. Regardless, Zuma's exterior was something I did not expect. I went there expecting a wooden exterior with traditional decors but what was I thinking, (-_-)" it was a 'modern' Japanese place.    

This is the exterior of Zuma. Simple with a 'no fancy business shit' sort of attitude. Not so sure about the heater lamps or the random trees though. Well it speaks out 'contemporary' so that's one specification checked. If I squint, it kinda reminds me of Bottega for some reason...

Interiors was a 'simple' and 'chic' with a casual sophisticated air. The many chefs seen through the glass panels combined with the floor staff gave the illusion (or maybe it wasn't an illusion) that there was way more staff members than customers. The place did feel rather crowded and strangely enough there was no music being played in the background. The floor staff are fast and efficient, maybe because there are tons of them but they do their jobs well so I'm contented there. 

3 of us lunched today and we had an array of dishes which were small but amazingly filled our bellies amazingly well. 

Lets get started.

"Zuma Dofu" 

in the menu it stated to be 'homemade' and YES it tasted homemade. Looks firm and fresh but once in the mouth, just melts. Simply delicious. The condiments on around it were simple but perfect for a clean tasting tofu. The natto was probably homemade too because it didn't taste like it the packet or canned ones in supermarkets. It wasn't too salty either and left an after taste which made you want more. 

One of the new dishes which was hamachi (yellowtail) with clams and an orange ponzo sauce. 

Fresh and generous sashimi with a light sauce. 

Refreshing.

They could've worked on the presentation though. 

"maguro no tataki" 

seared tuna with ponzo sauce and some crunchy bits which I couldn't figure out. The combined texture worked well. 

Tuna sashimi. Tradition is always best. 

Natto maki which was definitely filled with garlic and some other condiment. 1st two bites were tasty and new but after the 3rd and last bite, they started to taste like vomit. Yes, puke. Perhaps this dish should only be a 4 piece dish. 

Hamachi with greens and I do not remember what is on top of the actual pieces haha my bad.

Pork with bonito flakes

Spicy beef yakitori sticks with peppers 

Would've been tastier if it was served piping hot. 

Roasted scallop with salmon roe. 

SO D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S

Black Cod wrapped in lotus leaf-chinese???!

Looks like honey roasted chicken yeah?

Its baby chicken. 

Roasted lobster 

Fresh and so so tasty. Definitely worth the 34.50 they charged me.

Sorbet and ice cream with caramelized sticks

Green tea and banana cake with ice cream.

Probably the only disappointing dish throughout the whole meal. There should've been more green tea cake for the banana flavour was too overpowering. The ice cream was too soft too. 

The sweet cashew nuts were a nice add texture though. 

The cream on top of the cake was too hard and had no taste. 

Sucks when a good meal is ruined by a bad dessert. 

Overall for 3 people the bill accumulated to roughly 245 quid which isn't bad for Japanese cuisine, let alone 'modern'. 

They do have a taster menu which is only 95 quid and apparently is highly rated from online reviews. Perhaps I'll opt for that for my next visit. 

Zuma is definitely worth a visit if you're on the way to checking off all the best Japanese bites in London!

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5 Raphael Street

Knightsbridge

London

SW7 1DL