A couple of weeks ago we went to ROKA Charlotte St. a superb Japanese Izakaya western twisted cuisine restaurant in London, just a five minutes walk from Goodge Street Tube station, it was totally sugoi!!!! Upon arrival, the staff welcomes you with a nice and lovely smile, since the moment we got in, the service was wonderful, very discreet and attentive from the beginning, everybody is friendly and will do anything they can to improve your experience in a crowded but at the same time relaxed ambience, with nice music and dime romantic lights, loud and clear enough to have a conversation and read the menu without any trouble. There are two areas, downstairs where you could find their amazing Shochu lounge, here you may enjoy a nice Japanese or classic cocktails with some Nihon tapas, or one of the 50 different references of Whiskies they have from the rising sun's country, among other interesting things, before you go upstairs to have your meal. The main attraction is the Robata bar island, in the middle of the room, which allows you to observe the skills of the chefs and obviously their show cooking with some Japanese shouting orders, and at the same time it guarantee the freshness of every single ingredient and of course that they make everything at the moment, for me is the best place to seat. What an impressing meal, absolutely everything was prepared and presented more than very well with a perfect timings of serving, our table was always with food on it. We went for omakase style, Daniel one of the managers looked after us, and together with the waiter did the unforgettably order for us, excepting for the salty edamame and sakemaki or salmon hosomaki for my daughter, I ordered for her, she cannot visit a Japanese restaurant without eating it. We started with the aburi sake tataki with ponzu sesame out of this world dressing and very crispy sweet potato, fantastic balance between acidity and creaminess, very light but flavorful at the same time, we just loved it. One of the best western twist salmon tataki I ever had. The deep fried Nasu (eggplant) salad with sesame miso dressing and bonito flakes, really surprised me, the texture was firm, I couldn't feel any oil at all, the touch of the spring onion, miso and katsobushi gave it the perfect combination for a nice umami, it melted in my mouth. At the same time we had a crispy soft shell crab tempura in ponzu sauce with shichimi togarashi shiso, kizami nori and some arare, it was sublime, but the jewel-like squid tataki with yuzu shallot dressing was even better. The Scallops from the robata served with a wasabi and shiso cream and the tenderstem broccoli with ginger and moromi miso were delicious too. Regarding the sushi, I must say the sashimi moriawase was one of the best ever in a long time, they offer different sizes depending on amount of persons, you will always have a selection of sashimi chosen by the chef, usually sake and toro are fixed included, there were hotate (scallops), lobster sashimi with different dressings (depends on season) this time was Mandarin Koshu, salmon tatar, hamachi, sea bream and ama ebi with imperial osietra caviar, all of it with nama wasabi, the fish was unquestionably of the highest grade and well execute, more than oishii. Unfortunately the maki selection was not at the same level, the ingredients and fusion were more than ok, but the quality of the rice was not the proper one, was too dry, however the temperature and the flavor was very good, my favorite was the wagyu tempura maki, quite impressive and nice move. At least but not less important we enjoyed the tai no miso-yaki which is a fantastic sea bream fillet with miso and red pickled onion The fish was cooked perfectly, falling off with ease and silky soft inside, the taste of the miso was amazing, this dish impressed me a lot, it was a clear example that sometimes less is more. If you were waiting for the sweet part, let me tell you that the dessert platter was 100 times Sugoi!!!!! I do not know how to start, lets see.... It was a simply beautiful plate with assorted of exotic fruits with some real good ice creams, a lovely soft and warm dark chocolate brownie with a surprise viscous green tea pudding fondant inside, had a peanut, vanilla and chocolate sundae with sesame poki sticks and banana tempura, this one was my favorite, but the coconut and passion parfait, pineapple and kiwi fruit simply blowed my daughter's mind away. Definitely Roka, rocks! read more

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Make no mistake, this is as good as it gets. While I'm usually in it for the 'best value', I will be upfront and say this is a special occasion, splurge fancy affair, but the quality of the food, service and ambiance seems worth the dough. Or quid, if you will. We were invited out with some new and old friends here (and it happened to be Valentine's Day so we made this our celebration as well) and everything was incredible...not just for London standards but right up there with the best of SF and NYC too. We shared a boatload of sushi rolls, sashimi, meat and drinks...more than I can possibly remember, but my favorites included (but are not limited to) the lamb chops dipped in a spicy sauce (tenderoni) the salmon sashimi (like butta), and this insane Wagyu beef roll with truffle shaving (worth a decadent dance). Oh, and my fav dessert--although stuffed, we did not pass up--was this caramel sponge cake thing that I can't describe other than heavenly. Come here, drop lots of cash, eat lots of amazing sushi and Japanese meat and be happy (until you step back outside into the freezing rain.) read more

Roka is a good japanese restaurant when you needed to feel pampered. This is the perfect kind of "Girls night out" restaurants I like to go with my girlfriends so we can put on some cute dresses & heels and chat about our boyfriends or husbands over wonderful champagne and sake. It's like an ultimate pedicure for your belly. Food at Roka is wonderful, we loved the sashimi platter, posu yellow tail sashimi, black cod on hobo leave, and many other dishes. The portions are rather small but very delightful. Expect a rather pricey bill at approx 100 pounds / person, a bit more if you drink a lot... but it's worth it. read more

I may be looking at this somewhat controversially, but I only had an OK meal here. I typically crave blackened cod weekly, but the offering here was a bit lacklustre - almost like they'd made so much of it in the past that all the love had gone. There was something totally bland about it. Maybe not enough salt. Can't put my finger on it. Sure I had a nice cocktail, some great sake and a few other wholly forgettable sides - but I can't get that cod out of the way to give it any higher praise. read more

Great sushi spot in London that reminds me of sushi back home in California. The fish was fresh and the flavor combinations were great. This place seems very popular though so I recommend making a reservation or coming early. read more

When my wife and I planned a trip to London, we were told by many people that the food was not very good there aside from Indian food and meat pies. Our expectations were pretty low when we arrived at this Japanese restaurant, but I walked away proclaiming that this was the BEST JAPANESE MEAL of MY ENTIRE LIFE. We ordered everything from the grill (rotabayaki): Baby Back Ribs (AMAZING, flavored like Pork from a Chinese Butcher shop -- trust me, this is a good thing), Filet Mignon, Salmon, and Tofu. All were delicious with a unique flavor that I haven't experienced anywhere else. For dessert, had the black sesame mochi ice cream and a chocolate soufflé/pot dish. Both were PHENOMENAL!!!! Great ambiance, service, and above all, food, I wish I could eat at this place more often, but for now, will have to wait until the next time I am in London...maybe in 10 years? Would love to try the sushi next time, but don't know if can resist all the things i ordered this visit! read more

Trendy decor and menu. Very expensive. Noisy. Loud, shitty music. A few of the cocktails were excellent. Wine list is well selected, but incredibly, disgustingly overpriced. Service was decent. Some of the food was very good. Good for expense accounts, or any case where you're not paying. Butterfish sushi - extremely good. Some beef carpaccio w/ shaved mushrooms - excellent. 7 people 600 pounds, including 4 bottles of wine, averaging 30 pounds per bottle. read more

Still the best Japanese in London! I've been here a couple of times now, and I can honestly say that Roka is the best Japanese/sushi I have had in London. And I've had quite a lot. But Roka is the full package: Ambience, service, location, design and of course the food. I was there for lunch and my friend and I agreed that there was not a singe thing on the entire menu we wouldn't love to have. The bits we selected were awesome, but I can't wait to come back to try more stuff. It's expensive, yes. But it's worth it if you want to splash out. You won't regret it. For a super-stylish, super-delicious eat in London, Roka is the safe choice. read more

The food at Roka is consistently excellent, with the Black Miso Cod being a real treat and an absolute must have - it just melts in your mouth like butter. The only one complaint that I have about this place is that the service can be very hit or miss, which is a shame as the food (and even the cocktails) really is THAT good. read more

This is probably the best Japanese restaurant I've been to in London so far. We came here for a Thursday night dinner and it was packed. We called ahead earlier in the day for a reservation but could only get something around 10:00pm. We walked around Charlotte street for a bit and left our names for a seating by the grill and actually opted for that instead of waiting another 45 minutes. Roka is a robatayaki restaurant (Japanese grill) so it was pretty cool to be seated by the action (kinda like sitting by a sushi bar) . We also ended up sitting beside Jared Leto. I loved the atmosphere of the place. It was busy, live and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Around the grill was an interesting carved wood table top. It was a little uneven but added to the feel of the meal. The food was really good too. We had a couple orders of maki, some sashimi, meat from the robatayaki and a few small dishes here and there. It was well made and the fish was fresh. I like the black miso cod, but it wasn't quite as good as Nobu's. read more

Excellent place. We came on a Friday evening (c. 8pm) without a reservation. It took about 30 minutes of waiting to get seated (not bad) but we sat at the counter as all tables were booked. (There is a downstairs bar where can grab a drink while you wait, although we just stayed outside.) The counter is a nice option, though, as it allows you to watch the chefs as they work in the 'open kitchen' in the center of the restaurant. There are plenty of food options here and a range of alcohols. The beer selection is pathetic; how about some Baird, Ise Kadoya or Hitachino? (These are all Japanese craft beers.) Anyway, we had the glazed pork ribs, roast duck, edamame and beef dumplings. Everything was very, very good. The duck was more succulent than you could ever imagine, and I would recommend it. The prices for some of the dishes aren't actually that bad; a the medium-sized rack of pork ribs ran about 10 quid. All in, the meal was a little over 40, which didn't include any drinks. The service here is excellent and everyone from the matre d' down to the bus boys is really on their game. Even the head chef bid us farewell as we departed. The ambiance overall is great. I can't really find fault with any aspect of this restaurant - except maybe for the beer, but I'm guessing I'm one of very few people with this qualm. Well worth a visit. read more

NB: I was lucky enough to attend a complimentary pre-launch sitting at Roka so cannot comment on value for money, and am unlucky enough to be a vegetarian so cannot comment on the meat and fish! However, the food we ate here was absolutely delicious, from the glazed tofu (which was cooked to perfection, neither too soggy nor too greasy), to the granola dessert. The atmosphere is fantastic - if there are only two of you, I would highly recommend reserving seats on the bench-style tables, which face directly onto the grill - it's fantastic to see the cooking up close, and to hear the "OI!" shouted every few minutes. read more

This is a sister restaurant to Zuma. I have only been to the bar in basement. And for all you first timers here, it is NOT a sushi restaurant but a izakaya (judging by food options), thought the vibe and atmosphere feels like a lounge. I was taken here when I visited London. I was especially fond of the saikyo miso cod and asparagus skewers. Sashimi was great as well. But above all, I was surprised by the shochu options here. There was a large shelve of flavored shochu here! I shall come back next time in London. read more

I've been a few times, but recently brought the whole family on our visit to London. I love the trendy decor, yummy Japanese food, and nice presentation They serve sushi, other Japanese tapas, and items from a nice robata grill. Not much to say on specific sushi or tapas items, besides they are very good and do come with interesting presentation We tried the special wagyu combo beef robata grill - it was very good, but I am not the biggest fan of wagyu, still too rich and oily for me The rice hot pots come in these nice pots, worth getting Kids each had peanut, vanilla and chocolate sundae, seasme poki sticks for dessert. Looked and tasted great. If there is any complaints, I would say service is slow. read more

Came in here off the cuff on a cold Monday evening. They seated us on the bar around the kitchen, without having previously made an appointment. Then before we had barely sat down, they were asking for our order, a bit too efficient, I thought as I had barely had time to read the drinks menu, let alone decide on which course. The sushi when it arrived was amazing, arriving in a bucket of ice, and which mixed with the sauce just melted in your mouth. So I would definitely give them top marks for the freshness of the food, the presentation and the thought which had gone into creating the dishes. But I found the service a little too intrusive as they came by every 5 min to give the table a wipe, or clean away barely used dishes. Also at the end I found the price overly expensive. So to sum up, fantastic food, as good as it gets really, but the steep prices and over efficient waiting bring the experience down somewhat. I would say it is not an every day eatery, more of a special occasion place that should definitely be tried once. read more

Silly me for calling the day of to try to make a reservation- no luck. I was informed though, that we could show up and get a seat at the bar. Fair enough, I had slacked my reservation making duties, so sit at the bar I would. Sochu is warm, trendy and lit just enough to see your food/drinks but just dark enough that everything looks amazing! It's the kind of place that's ideal for a date and it seems like everyone there knew it! (We were the exception be prepared for PDA from every angle)! We ended up staying down there for dinner because someone had just canceled their reservation. Lucky us! We ordered drinks- a glass of red for my friend and the kimono (which was delish). We ordered a number of dishes to share, which was fine, but there was no stand out. All in all, they were all just okay... read more

Roka - YUM YUM YUM. Definitely one of my favorite resto in London. The Robata grill is super super good. Baby back ribs - perfectly seasoned and cooked and super juicy. The duck breast is decadent and not forgetting the soft shell crab roll. This place is definitely value for money when you compare it to Nobu at the Berkley. Downside is probably the price but this is London. I suggest skipping dessert and head over to the nearby Charlotte Street Hotel for a glass of Pims. read more

Roka is a high end Japanese chain with two locations in London - one on the west end and another branch in Canary Wharf. Overall it is excellent sushi and Japanese cuisine; however, you'll pay for it. The Canary Wharf location is located on the third floor of an office building overlooking a nice park / square. The decor is nice - they have a very unusual cut outs in their wood paneling around the restaurant. It has a very modern and hip feel, which is designed to appeal to the Bankers on expense account. Service is efficient, especially by London standards. The waiters and waitresses come by often to replenish drinks and check in on the table. Food is delivered promptly and with a minimum of fuss. The food is top notch; although, serving sizes are small. Their blackened cod is particularly good - it comes served marinated in miso and served on top of a banana leaf. The sashimi is good - the fish is definitely fresh. The rolls are not that great - but then I'm spoiled by LA sushi. Prices are high - aimed at people who wear Rolexes and have expense accounts. Sushi Rolls are typically around GBP 12, the Blackened Cod was about GBP 30. This is one of the better sushi places I've found in the London area and highly recommended if you're on expense account or have a special occasion. read more

All of the Izakaya restaurants I've been to in Japan (which you can read more about here) are very reasonably priced and are the kinds of places you could happily afford to go to every week. Roka is several levels of expense above that. All the food was beautifully balanced as had all the delicate flavouring you expect from good Japanese food. Gorgeous presentation and a menu you want to order everything from. The Baby back ribs were a particular highlight for me as was the Black cod marinated in yuzu miso and homemade hajikami. read more

I have been trying to book a table at Roka for over a year now The phone booking service is useless and online is hard to book if you are aiming for a dinner within the week - you have to book weeks in advance if you are after dinner However, I managed finally to book (online) a table for two on a week night! It is nice inside and hostess at the entrance was so friendly We opted for the tasting menu - which I was not keen on (as most restaurants from my experience stretch out the serving of courses to over two hours and to me that is too long for such small bites) Anyway, Roka's tasting menu service was very quick and yummy However, because I did not take long time to read (memorise) the dishes, and because it is extremely loud and busy restaurant , I had to ask the waiter once more to repeat what he has just served (only once I promise) and he answered my question in a sort of shouting tone !! Now I understand that he might not be the happiest in his job (I am not) and he might be doing this till his next casting is a success (he was handsome) but I did not appreciate the attitude! Each course was very good and fruit platter was epic I would definitely try to book my next visit soon read more

Roka - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

I do love coming here when I am in London, especially if I am staying close by. What I love most is the robata grill and the grilled garlic asparagus, Japanese eggplant and shitake mushrooms. Gotta love them. The sushi I've had has been decent. I once sat next to a renowned chef who was being wined and dined by the management and he seemed to be having food I had never seen there. It was both impressive and humorous. I love the exotic fruit plate; it is absolutely amazing! read more

Food was really really good. Place is cool and the servers are all very attentive. We will definite dine there again next time we are in London!! read more

Really excellent dinner here. Went with premium tasting menu highlights of which included top notch buttery sashimi, soft shell crab tempura, wagyu beef, and green tea chocolate cake for desert alongside some nice unusual fruits. Also had some really nice wine served by the single glass owing to their coravin system. A little pricey and crowded but that's only because the quality is top notch. Would repeat. They apparently have 3 other locations in London now. read more

If Roka was less expensive, it would get four stars, but I don't think it's worth the high expense. I came here for a work dinner, so we could order a lot more than my un-rich self would have been able to afford, and sampled all kinds of stuff on the menu. It was fairly hit and miss - some items were delicious, some just good or okay. If you come for dinner without a reservation, you will probably need to sit at the bar, but I liked that anyway because we could watch the chefs prepare the food. My favorite dishes were the nigiri with quail's egg and the desserts (we ordered a few and shared, and I honestly don't remember which ones - it was a whirlwind of food entering my face!) We also had some tasty wine, but again even the cheapest of glasses and bottles is pricey. For London standards, I think this is fairly good sushi. But I've been to a few London sushi places now, and I'm realizing that the standards aren't very high. Strange, because most of the sushi I've had so far has been in the midwest US, and it doesn't seem like it's even on that level. I would say I'm going to the wrong places, but Roka is so highly rated for sushi! Oh well, London does plenty of other food well! read more

Let's get one thing out in the open - my name is Alex and I'm a sushi fiend. Ok, now that's cleared up, on with the review. I like Roka but I don't love it. Once again, trying too hard. What they do, they do very well but if they toned it all down a bit the experience would be enhanced significantly. The decor is fantastic, very modern, chic and enticing. The staff are excellent, attentive and knowledgeable if just a bit cold. About the food - when I eat sushi I look for three things; freshness, flavor and simplicity. If you're adding all kinds of ancillary crap to a plate of sashimi then I'm immediately going to be suspicious of the actual fish itself. Roka cannot be faulted on the quality of their food though, it was fresh, flavorful and well presented. If they move away from the haute cuisine just a bit and focus on their great product just a bit more then they'd be able to compete with Zuma and Defune. Yeah, I said it, what of it. I think Defune is better. One of the things that garners them an additional star in my book is their wine and drinks list. You'll struggle to find better in quality of quantity. I'd go back but it wouldn't be my first choice. read more

Very very good. Very very expensive. I love the room and the staff were bend-over-backwards helpful. Sashimi was overpriced for what it was, and the fabled green tea dessert had disappeared from the menu. Already planning a Christmas visit to dig into the tasting menu properly. Go if someone else is willing to take you and if the idea of Foie Gras sushi doesn't offend. read more

Interesting Japanese food in flashy expensive, Charlotte Street. Yes, the atmosphere is very "cool and hip" - I don't mind as long as the experience is enjoyable. I've found the food to be utterly delicious each time I've been lucky enough to be taken there (that's 3 times nom nom nom). If you do want to blow the bank, I recommend the Black Cod in Miso, the asparagus stack and the unbearably good chocolate pudding with maccha (green tea) centre. Roka is definitely way above my budget for everyday eating but as a special occasion blowout restaurant, it's one of the best in London. read more

Ordered the premier tasting menu and Sake tasting with a good friend. Service was beyond excellent and food very much up there with the high prices. It's not a "once a week" kind of meal but highly recommended for a special night out. Food is obviously made with care in an open kitchen (which I love). Would return. read more

It has FOIE GRAS SUSHI. Really, that should be enough to put food-lovers into a stunned silence (or set the anti-foie gras brigade into outraged flapping), but my God, if ever there was a time to roll out the "orgasm on a plate" metaphor, this is it. I didn't try sushi for years - it's raw fish WTF? - but my worldly wise other half led me to Roka's doors in the manner of Dumbledore giving Harry a wand and booting him off to Hogwarts. Utterly delicious food, smashing cocktails (although downstairs' Shochu bar is a bit of a thrill vacumm) and a truly memorable experience. I also love the way the staff refer to you as either 'lady' or 'gentleman' in the manner of primary school Jeeves. read more

3 words: BOTTOMLESS BUBBLY SUNDAY I probably shouldn't be saying this out loud as it's pretty lethal. Basically you add £25 per person on the tap and we definitely made the most out of the £25. I think they might've stationed a staff at our table just to refill our glasses because it was constantly filled. Drinks aside, food was good. Standard Azumi restaurants quality. Fish was fresh, I've had more buttery yuzu cod, more flavorful tuna tartare and fattier o-toro from the same chain. But nonetheless really fab food by London jap food standard. I loved their fried eggplant dish. It's so simple and delicious. The green tea molten cake was also surprisingly good and I love how watching green juice gushing out of my dessert makes me feel like an extra-celestial being. So yes, overall 4-star because they made my sunday afternoon absolutely fabulous. It won't make a 5-star because I'm an uber-snob when it comes to Jap food. My advice is, go on Sunday, have a blast and take Monday off. oh, and go soon because if my friends and I keep going back there they might cancel their champagne offer very soon. read more

Great place. Been here couple times. Premium tasting menu was really good. The kobe beef was made really good! Wish they did better job at matching the wine though - was not ideal. But the food is awesome read more

Best meal ive ever had in my life. the sake is smooth, the martinis are banging. we ordered fillet, salmon, sushi, rock shrimp tempura, salads, and dessert. service is impeccable. read more

Following Yelp in the UK has not stirred me wrong thus far! Roka is amazing! My husband and I tried the premium set course since we wanted great food with not much effort and it did not disappoint. We also added the Japanese Wagu so it averaged to about $97€ a persons which was well worth it. We had no reservations, just walked in to the bar area. The restaurant was booked but we got lucky. The service was great, they even made me a Special Michelada once they caught wind of me trying to make my own! Turns out the head bartender is from South America and knows all about making good Michelada's in London! Afterwards we walked downstairs to the bar, which was equally awesome. Great music, great drinks and great service. Vibe was very hip and trendy but not too pretentious. I think we found a gem!! read more

I was taken here for my birthday. I am a huge fan if Japanese fusion and did a little research before i selected this as my final choice. This particular restaurant specialises in islandic type Japanese cuisine with a modern an playful twist. All the dishes including my sea vegetable salad was made with fresh authentic ingredients. The overall atmosphere and neutral contemporary interior, combined with that stunning natural light made this a perfect early dinner hot spot for a summer evening. Our starting cocktails gave a perfect balance of fruit and alcohol. The impeccable service and selection of dishes and 'made-to-table' concept of the venue made my birthday evening memorable. Worth going for a late lunch also. The terrace had a great seating area outside too. read more

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Talk about the ugly stepsister! This restaurant is related by ownership to the stellar Zuma restaurant, but this outlet does not even come close to stacking up to the quality & ambience of Zuma. Roka's atmosphere is not as cool or fashionable as Zuma's (which could be a good thing, but the missing ambience is not made up in any way) I have eaten here about 10 times, including downstairs in the very cool Shochu bar (I recommend this place for a drink!), and the food is not great. They have dropped the crispy squid from the menu, and the there are no real amazing dishes here. Most recently I ordered the shrimp tempura (it was AWFUL), an assortment of sushi (flavourless and forgettable), miso soup (white which had a nice bit of oyster pieces, but overly salty), black cod (it was OK) and some hamachi tartar (which was awful). On the whole, the food was either bland, poorly prepared or overpowered by sauces. Meanwhile, the prices are just as high as Zuma, so you know what?? Just go to Zuma! This place is awful and getting worse. read more

Omg! Most amazing meal ever! My husband and I loved every bit of it. Tokujo Premium tasting menu, we can't move but soooo worth it! We also had the wagyu instead of the duck, amazing. My husband especially loved the fruit dessert! read more

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Great place with good food and interesting choices. Would definitely recommend for any occasion. The service was great! read more

Roka - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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No one seems to have a bad word to say about Roka and it largely lives up to the hype. The restaurant sells itself on the dishes from its open robata grill but the sushi and sashimi are also exceptional. If you can, go for one of the tasting menus highlights include wagyu sushi, grilled scallop skewers, grilled quail and their giant dessert platter. It's not cheap but I struggle to find much wrong with this buzzy restaurant and I'm usually very suspicious of over-stylised Asian places. In short, Roka is one of the best restaurants I've eaten at since I started blogging. read more

Great quality and nice place for dining with friend. Tempura, sushi (try toro ) and the grill (Tofu, fish & meat) are simply perfect. Strongly recommended. Only minus: a bit noisy! read more

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My FAVOURITE restaurant in London by far! The whole experience is such a treat - from cocktails in the downstairs Shocu lounge to the experience in the open plan kitchen restaurant. The sushi is top notch! Do not leave without trying the gyu no tataki to truffle (seared beef with truffle - one of the nicest dishes I've ever tasted) and the black cod. For dessert, the almond cake is a must. Ideal for a splash out birthday meal! read more