28 April, 2014
Chisou Knightsbridge
Some of you know that I spent a significant part of my childhood in Tokyo and would move back there in a heartbeat. I get quite nostalgic about my time in Japan, the country, the people and of course the wonderful, varied cuisine that I can’t get enough of.
I was invited to dine at Chisou Knightsbridge a few days ago and chose the always willing Mr. A to join me for the review.
Chisou is an Izakaya style restaurant located on the well-known Beauchamp Place in Knightsbridge. An izakaya refers to a casual Japanese drinking establishment serving food. Chisou has an intimate sake/cocktail bar upstairs (open on weekends) and a cosy dining area on the main floor.
Image by Chisou
Chisou means ‘feast’ and the large menu certainly tempts you into doing just that. As if the variety wasn’t enough to leave one greedy and confused, Chisou also have a healthy menu developed with Bodydoctor Health & Fitness. This special menu includes a range of Chisou’s healthiest dishes along with an explanation of their benefits – have a peek at the menu here: http://www.bodydoctor.com/partners/sushi.php
After much deliberating and with some help from our friendly server, we ordered a number of Chisou’s signature dishes.
Kaiso Salad – a selection of seaweed served with a sesame dressing
Yellowtail Sashimi in Black Truffle Infused Soy Sauce : Our waitress informed us that this was one of their signature dishes and unique to Chisou Knightsbridge. I loved the use of black truffle and the sashimi was a brilliant combination of flavours and textures. My favourite from the night!
Saikyo Yaki – Grilled black cod marinated in miso paste.Chisou was generous with their miso cod serving when compared to other popular restaurants in town. The fish was grilled to perfection and well presented but lacked the sweetness of the miso. I wouldn’t call it disappointing but a little more miso would definitely help.
Fondant Au Chocolat Sprinkled with Macha and Served with Wasabi Ice Cream: Gooey, molten chocolate is always a sure-shot hit with us. The wasabi ice cream was unique and delicious.
We enjoyed this lovely meal with a flask of cold Junmin sake – a great accompaniment to the fantastic flavours.
Chisou also have restaurants in Mayfair and Chiswick serving a similar menu with a few variations. Prices are certainly high but you pay for the quality and the authenticity.
Chisou is an izakaya so don’t go in expecting a scene like Nobu or Zuma. The restaurant was extremely busy on a Wednesday night and we noticed several Japanese diners which is a great measure of Chisou’s credibility.
Chisou Knightsbridge is intimate, cosy and a perfect spot for a catch-up with friends over delicious Japanese food and sake.
For more info, visit http://www.chisourestaurant.com
Hungry Aphrodite dined as guests of Chisou Knightsbridge but all views and thoughts expressed here are, as always, my own.
2 thoughts on : Chisou Knightsbridge
This is brilliant, it took me back in Japan for a while! Miss the japanese food and the presentation of the food! just loved reading it! Thank you Reema
We can go for a yummy Japanese meal when you come! 🙂