So...Soseki?

Soseki is the place where K has started bar-tending and its location is superb. Any restaurant which bought its way into the Gherkin definitely deserves some high title. However, does it really deserve it? 

I decided to pop down for a quick lunch as well as to surprise K which is always a great delight for her facial expressions are always amusing. The restaurant is located upstairs above the same chain cafe which is on the ground floor. Soseki is definitely not a place for an express lunch. Meaning, its hell pricey for just a lunch. I managed to spend 46 quid on my meal there and I can confidently say it wasn't worth it. 

Sigh.

The interior of the restaurant is simply modern fused with Japanese ornaments. The furniture is beautiful and the ceramics are superb stoneware and glazed porcelain. Or that might just be me wuzzing over any kind of ceramic, LOVE ceramic pieces. The staff appear friendly and attentive with a good degree of professional customer service. The dining area is split into the sushi counter, side tables, tatami mat room and bar table area. I decided to go with the bar area which I was grateful for since I wasn't joined by any other customers. 

Menu wised, it is extremely limited and first timers might as well go along with either of the 3 set menus. I went along with the TANKA set which was the cheapest at 26 quid. It consisted of the following...

Chawanmushi with mushroom and chicken with asparagus.

I usually don't like chawanmushi at all but the chicken broth or stock was rather strong in this one and made it pleasantly nice for it took away the usual eggy flavour. 

Selection of sashimi was fresh and melted well. No complaints here. 

Vegetable hot pot with seasoned rice. 

The hot pot could've been more special, or at least I was hoping it to be different in some way but the miso they used for the soup was quite weird. It did not fuse well with the vegetables and even though the rice was delicious, the soup completely destroyed the flavour in the rice. 

Chocs came with the set for dessert. Standard bedroom hotel rate. 

I wasn't satisfied with dessert so I went and ordered the daily dessert which turned out to be matcha cheesecake. DANGEROUS for good edible matcha cheesecake is so hard to find. I prayed hard and my prayers weren't answered. It was more of a mousse cake with a cheesecake base and the different berry flavours DO NOT help at all. The only part I did enjoy was the white miso ice cream which was delicious and unique. It tasted somewhat like milk but grainer which I found rather addictive. 

What else would I order to drink than a matcha latte? I asked whether they could make it an ice latte and they made it happened. Well how hard is it to pop a few ice cubes in a glass? 

The meal was sufficient but it didn't make any part of me scream for joy. Nothing special but what am I hoping for, London today will be London tomorrow. 

Peace out.