Chotto Matte doesn’t make a song and dance about their numptious Nikkei cuisine. Except on Thursday nights, that is.
There’s an increasing bounce and swing to the waiters’ movements as they deliver delicious plates of sashimi, nigiri and other Nikkei delights. The salsa, reggaeton and samba beats are unrelentingly infectious.
Since 8 p.m the live three piece band has been gradually getting the room really warmed up, and no doubt Chotto Matte’s cocktails have helped.
Even me, a wall hugger at every disco (it’s what we used to call a club, dear) in my youth, am finding my feet twitching under the table and my wife is increasingly beginning to show worryingly familiar signs of wanting to get up and dance – basically a great big smile and waving her hands about instead of her chopsticks,
She’s not the only one, people are now coming into the restaurant and semi- shimmying to their tables and looking delighted. The first couple gets up to dance and are rewarded with shots by the manager. It’s beginning to look a lot like a party and it’s a great atmosphere as everyone begins to surrender to the rhythm.
I was a bit dubious about coming, to be honest, but it’s really great. Nothing beats a live band, and this trio is really good. The volume, not to sound like an old buffer, is about right
And the food is as good as ever, this Japanese -Peruvian menu was quite unusual when Chotto Matte started but now can be found all over London. The clubby ‘vibe’ at CH is quite unique though, it feels like midnight even at midday and it’s always got a lively crowd in. Sometimes you can almost feel you’re in a club on a sun-kissed Spanish island and not tramp-kissed Frith Street.
We have some Padron peppers but, as is now usual everywhere, none had a chilli kick. I don’t know why they have gone all woke. Still, with the sweet den miso sauce they are a pleasant nibble before we really got going with Yellowtail “Nikkei Sashimi” with Cherry tomatoes, jalapeño, coriander, yuzu truffle soy. Absolutely lovely flavours, the yuzu a great citrus kick
A bit of visual drama comes with Sea bass, salmon tartare, romano pepper and Chotto soy, I say drama because it’s blowtorched at table to caramelise the topping. One for the ‘gram, but I am struggling to unlock my iPhone because it couldn’t see my face in the sexy (i.e. quite dark) lighting. Curse you Steve Jobs. This low light also reduced my photo count in general.
On we go with Miso soup and then tempura squid with KZ spice, red chilli, smoked yellow anticucho emulsion, all very nice although the squid batter is more Spanish than Japanese, being quite heavy,
As the musicians take a break we gobble down Nikkei Gyoza – Pork & prawn dumplings, yuzu sweet potato purée, red pepper ponzu, a different take on gyoza, and then what is my favourite of the night – Chicken, coriander causa, chives, aji amarillo – spicy, tangy and delicious. Lovely with the plain boiled rice, which also went perfectly with Asado De Tira GF our Slow-cooked braised beef short rib, purple potato purée, teriyaki jus, chives. Great dishes to end with.
As the floor begins to fill with dancers, but we feel too full to move, we manage to share Kuro Goma Ice Cream – Black sesame ice cream, toasted almond, chocolate sauce, which did give me a bit of brain freeze, but was worth the pain.
We leave with some regret, the night is young but we’re not.
The Buena Vibra Night at Chotto Matte Soho is excellent, and of course there’s no extra charge!
Tango your way down.
The Buena Vibra Night at Chotto Matte Soho Every Thursday 8pm-11pm. Reservations recommended