Reviews Kouzu

Well-prepared freshly-made classic sushi served in a beautiful environment and presented with class. Adequate seating, polite staff, but somewhat pricey.

I enjoy going to an authentic japanese restaurant to enjoy simple but high quality food, and I also like fancy westernised japanese restaurant, for example Zuma or nobu. Unfortunately kouzu is neither of these two types, and it's just in between... I had a good time, but it's very average. I don't think I'll go there again unless I'm nearby and craving for japanese

I must admit that I was rather excited when I received an invite to the soft launch of Kouzu, a new Japanese restaurant in Belgravia.  With Kyoichi Kai, formerly of Zuma, as head Chef and a vision to create Japanese dining as an art form, it really was an invitation not to be missed. Salmon with Yuzu Soy Dressing

Having heard great things about the new Japanese kid on the block Kouzu, I was curious to explore it for my birthday. We chose to go for the pre-theatre menu as it seemed to have a good selection for reasonable value at £25-30 per person.

Kouzu is laid out over two floors, with a bar on the ground floor and an open sushi counter on the 2nd. I’d naturally recommend the 2nd floor for dinner as you can watch the chefs work. The interior is very light and chic, more modern European than your usual Japanese restaurant.

From the moment we walked in, the service was excellent, much thanks to Salvatore the manager. As a treat, instead of the ordinary Prosecco which is included in the set menu, we were offered Bellinis topped with lovely peach foam. I have to say this is one of the tastiest Bellinis I’ve tried, it was delicious and I highly recommend it!

- Appetizers included Miso soup and Kobachi of tuna. The Miso soup was just right. For the starter I had the yellowtail truffle which was tasty, however, I found that the flavour of the avocado and grapefruit overtook the taste of the yellowtail.
I preferred the beef tataki starter over the yellowtail. The beef fillet was cut into fine tender slices and served with a light soy sauce.
- For my main I chose the black cod, as always! This cod was well made and had a very interesting citrus sauce on the side. It wouldn’t have been my obvious choice of sauce but it was nice nonetheless. The mixed sushi platter was delicious and in this dish you could really taste the freshness and quality of the fish.
- For dessert I chose the fondant which had a lovely unique flavour but unfortunately as they were changing menus they couldn’t serve the chocolate ice cream which usually accompanies it. You could notice the ice cream was missing from the dessert, leaving it slightly dry. Both together would have been a fabulous combination. 

If you expand outside of the set menu I’m you will find the Kouzu gems. Although there is no doubt that the produce Kouzu uses are top notch, something was lacking and there wasn't much excitement in the dishes. It almost had too much of a European twist that it took away from the Japanese that I love so much. Having said that, despite there being many competitors in London, Kouzu takes the crown for Japanese in Belgravia.

Last night I was treated to what can only be described as one hell of a meal... My absolute favourite sushi restaurant Kouzu has opened its chef's table or 'secret dining room' downstairs in the basement and it isn't short of a wonder. . Kicking off with a Japanese influenced Martini upstairs at the sexy lit up bar, we were then led through Kouzu's calming kitchen to a glass door towards the back of the room (it does, however, have its own entrance to the left of the main door). Seven seats were positioned around a 'U' shaped table with what I think was one way glass so that we could watch everything being cooked right in front of us.

This restaurant is a bit different... I love that this restaurant is not trying to be over the top. It's keeping things simple.
The decor is not screaming for attention. It's a small space. It's simple. The only focal point is the chandelier. Minimalist & beautiful setting.
You can hear people speak. Great acoustics.

Though ultimately the food does all the talking. And it's all great.

Located at the prestigious address of Grosvenor Gardens opposite the Goring Hotel, Kouzu is a new contemporary Japanese restaurant and bar. The restaurant encompasses two floors in the Grade II-listed former National Bank Belgravia branch, which closed in 1970. Overseen by head chef Kyoichi Kai (formerly of the Arts Club and Zuma), the kitchen is staffed by an all-Japanese crew, ensuring authentic cuisine.

Kouzu is a beautiful restaurant nestled in a beautiful period building. The palatial entrance leads into a sophisticated and atmospherically lit space with a magnificent glowing golden blossom chandelier dripping down into the restaurant. This double height glass fronted entrance to London’s newest and most anticipated Japanese restaurant and bar lives up to high expectations that have been set about this venue.

The generous slices high quality beef were mostly pink and tender with lightly seared edges. They were nicely marinated in a zingy soy sauce with prominenent flavours of ginger and garlic.

Hey, the spicy — crunchy — tuna rolls happened and they were fab. I could happily survive on these forever. Also happening…the aburi. All the aburi! We delighted in the aburi.

It's been a while since I've had a good, solid meal out in London (really I mean a month or two). I eat out almost daily and the inevitable fact that I run into bad meals is common, although with the level of cooking in London at the moment, it's surprisingly not so hit and miss like it was a few years ago. Chefs are becoming much more serious in their kitchens and diners are demanding a rise in not only creativity, but well sourced produce. The new Kouzu encompasses all of that and have created an almost faultless experience which is only going to get better. Take this glass of prosecco for example, topped with a peach espuma (mousse like), it's simple but perfectly executed and all I wanted was more. I should have really asked who's responsible for creating such a delicious beverage, but I didn't. I can however tell you that the head chef here is a gentlemen named, Kyoichi Kai - he previously worked for the likes of Zuma and The Arts Club. With this talented chefs experience, he's now managed to create something in this part of Belgravia, which is very special indeed.

One thing to remember when booking here at Kouzu, is trying your hardest to reserve a table on the bar area upstairs, facing towards the sushi kitchen. Watching these master sushi chefs roll, mould, blowtorch and brush truffle oil on to pieces of sushi such as this aburi yellowtail nigiri, will add so much pleasure to your dining experience. Not only will you be absolutely starving, watching food pass by your eyes ever minute, but you'll get to see all the hard work that actually goes into something, which looks relatively simple, but which is actually far from it. Flavour wise it doesn't get much better than this. The fish was so fresh it quite literally melted in the mouth, almost like a piece of foie gras would. Torched to perfection and on a bed of excellent sushi rice, well I was lost for words, apart from - more please.

I really don't eat sushi that often if I'm honest. It's not because I don't like it (I love it), but for whatever reason I don't book myself in to enough Japanese restaurants. I've also got the added problem of I simply don't quite know enough about it, to recommend it to you. Despite me not reviewing much in the way of Japanese food, I've still eaten my fair share and the sushi here at Kouzu - is some of the best I've had. The sushi rice was perfect for one. It wasn't clumpy or overly sticky, but instead light, yet with enough moisture to hold everything together nicely. These Californian rolls were a mixture of crab, avocado, cucumber, ichimi pepper, mayonnaise and tobikko (that's the fish roe). Apologies for this graphic descriptor - but I was literally salivating over this dish. A must order for those of you that make it here.

One part of the menu was titled, new stream sashimi. I'm not entirely sure what it was meant to give away, but I took it to meaning - modern. And in fact we weren't far off, as two of the dishes we ordered weren't particularly flooding with Japanese authenticity, but more fusion in style. If you haven't seen me with a pair of chopsticks yet too, that's something you can perhaps look forward to some day - I'm useless. Slices of beef (tataki in Japanese) had been char-grilled fillet whole prior to slicing and was served in an oriental juice with a topping of julienne salad. I'm not entirely sure what the oriental sauce was, but I got soy, ginger and something a little zesty from it. Unknown sauce or not, it was still beautiful. The meat was perfectly soft and each mouthful was a delight to eat.

A little on the pricey side was this marinated black cod with miso, fennel and a celery salad. Priced at £28 it's certainly a treat and not the largest in terms of portion size, but this type of fish always commands a high price. Why, you ask? Well it probably has something to do with its delicate flavour, skin which crisps up to an irresistible crunch and its flesh so tender, that picking up its soft, slender chunks with a pair of chop sticks is near impossible. The citrus element perhaps needed a little tweaking, as it didn't feel quite tart enough but I still enjoyed it and I challenge anyone to say any different.

We were rather enjoying most of the food here at Kouzu, but despite all the good food we had so far, one dish in particular stood out. Roasted baby chicken with chili sauce and pickled vegetables. The bird was covered in a lovely crunchy coating, revealing some of the best and most succulent chicken I have ever eaten. It truly was a stunning plate of food. The slightly tart, thick chili sauce was mouth watering and that sharpness from the salad only added even more acidity to this plate of food. At £22 it wasn't the cheapest around but you get two things from it, enough for two to share (although you won't want to) and one of the best things you'll have eaten in 2015, fact.

One thing Japanese restaurant generally don't do well, is desserts. I'm not against the usual glutinous puddings they serve up, but my sweet tooth always craves for so much more than something which cloys in the mouth. So when I saw some artfully presented desserts flying out of the kitchen, I got a little excited. A perfect sphere of chocolate mousse, covered in a rich and dark casing. Candied orange was great for a good hit of flavour and texture, but the yuzu syrup oozing out from the inside was the icing on the cake. I'm not saying this was the best dessert I've ever eating, but as Japanese restaurants go - this was blooming marvellous stuff.

In all the excitement and decadence our meal gave us, I completely forgot exactly what we finished up on, but I can tell you that all its banana goodness, lashings of caramel and layers of biscuit base were the perfect way to finish our meal. Kouzu was a great find in this part of town. Only a stones throw from Victoria, it's about this time part of London got an upgrade in its restaurants. Is Kouzu here to stay? Of course it is. This is certainly on my one to watch list and I can't wait to come back. Book a table now, before reservations become near impossible

Follow the etch butterfly logo to a perfectly convenient place in Belgrave near Victoria Station; it’s the very first thing you notice in the dark. Enticed by the fancy beautiful Grade II mansion, contemporary minimalist design, striking light larva egg looking fixtures this is where Kouzu breathes life.

Heading up the spiral staircase, revealed the floating mezzanine level with the omakase sushi bar. Seated by the bar we got to see the chefs in action and chat to them as they prepare food.

Expect non-traditional sashimi with Kouzu New stream sashimi was our choice of starters, slices of premium seafood and meat, with meticulous presentation. Before even biting into the yellow tail, the spring and onion is prudent, fish is very fresh and ponzu truffle dressing cuts through

J slices of charcoaled grilled beef fillet, a pop of pink rareness standing in julienne salad and drizzled with oriental sauce, was even better, tons earthy flavours and tender meat.

Fans of Japanese fine dining will know the next dish, popularised by Nobu. Kouzu version is a silky soft black cod roasted to perfection. Underneath lies a cream coloured blob of sauce, and fennel, celery salad that doesn’t quite do anything.

J went with the grilled free-range duck breast, again Kouzu does the grill and charcoal meats so well. Slice of duck was covered in a glossy sansho Japanese pepper sauce. The limp vegetables that accompanied the dish were bland, but balance the flavours out.

Lastly, we ordered new style rolls six bites of prawn tempura and salmon avocado roll. The fun part of the dining experience is watching the chefs make our food, the chef adding a layer of tempura fried batter to give it that extra edge and crunch. Prawns had the sweetness, even from licking the shells, the downside seems to be the rice, and it lacked the vinegar taste and seemed dry.

Kouzu is a beautiful restaurant nestled in a beautiful period building. The palatial entrance leads into a sophisticated and atmospherically lit space with a magnificent glowing golden blossom chandelier dripping down into the restaurant. This double height glass fronted entrance to London’s newest and most anticipated Japanese restaurant and bar lives up to high expectations that have been set about this venue.

The restaurant is set over two levels, with the downstairs space housing a cocktail bar and traditional seating area and more private dining area behind the kitchen space. The spiral staircase leads up to the ‘floating’ sushi bar where the fish is prepared with an impressive display of precision and knife skills. It is not a large space as the restaurant can sit only eighty people and this is reflected in the intimate feel of the restaurant.

When it comes to Japanese cooking Kouzu has hired some of London’s most talented and celebrated Japanese chefs, including Chef Kyoichi Kai of Zuma and Kyubi of The Arts Club who lead the finely selected all-Japanese kitchen staff. This results in over 30 years of experience in some of the world’s top restaurants and this is evident in the quality of the food.

Would I Want Seconds?

Kyoichi Kai is regarded as one of London’s most prominent Japanese chefs and he has introduced a new experience of Japanese dining at Kouzu which aims for artistry and meticulous detail. Kouzu means 'composition' and there is an evident focus here on the ensemble and traditional formation of each dish to ensure that it delivers an exquisite flavour and experience.

Kouzu offers a comprehensive sushi menu featuring sashimi platters and fresh-rolled maki, nigiri and ‘Aburi’ nigiri which is pre-seasoned and torched resulting in no need to use soya sauce.

To start with, my dining companion, choose the yellowtail with truffle dressing from the new stream sashimi section of the menu. The sliced yellow tail arrived with shiso, myoga, ginger, spring onion, ponzu truffle dressing and just as our well-informed waitress has suggested, was totally divine. As I have a weakness for fried food I ordered the prawn tempura with spicy mayonnaise. The prawns were light and covered in a crispy batter and were served alongside salad leaf, chives and dressed with spicy mayonnaise.

I then tried a piece of salmon aburi nigiri which our waitress suggested we twist in our mouth when eating in order to taste the seasoning on the top of the piece. This was an immensely delicate and well-seasoned piece of fish which just melted in my mouth.

We then moved onto the new style roll section of the menu where we chose the spicy California roll composed of crab, avocado, cucumber, ichimi pepper, mayonnaise and tobikko. These arrived in the more traditional roll sushi fashion but were just as delicisious as the previous dishes.

For our main course my dining companion ordered the roasted black cod which was marinated with miso with fennel, celery salad. Although this was not as intricately presented as the other dishes the tantalising flavours within the delicate flesh needed nothing more than a simple presentation.

I decided to try something different on this course and opted for the grilled duck breast with sansho, a Japanese pepper sauce. Although the dish was pleasant I felt the duck was slightly on the chewy side. Though as the specialty of Kouzu is fish this isn’t too much of a disappointment as I should have probably ordered a fish dish as my main course.

Finally for dessert we tried the delectable green tea tiramisu and a sesame seed inspired dessert which featured ice cream, sponge and even snow flavoured like sesames. Both dishes were finely balanced between sweet with savoury and served as the perfect end to an amazing meal.

Could I Afford Seconds?

Kouzu is not a cheap restaurant as the emphasis here is on luxury, quality and fresh ingredients. As a result diners should be prepared to spend a considerable amount in order to get the full experience.

The starters and new stream sashimi cost between £9 to £15 with the most expensive beef filet tataki costing £17.50.

The new style rolls which usually arrive as 5 pieces cost between £7 to £11. I would definitely recommend trying the aburi as this is a strength of Kouzu. One piece costs of salmon aburi costs £9 the o-toro aburi is priced at £16 yet despite the high prices leaving without trying one of these beautiful sliced and seasoned creations would be a calamity.

The main courses from the specials section of the menu are approximately £25, however there is only one fish dish out of four and I would almost suggest ordering more of the smaller dishes such as the sashimi, freshly rolled maki and nigiri instead of a main course dish as these are the specialty of the restaurant.

Despite the prices of the food, the cocktails on the menu stay below £10 making one part of the dining experience affordable.

Overall:

Kouzu is n upmarket Japanese restaurant as everything from the decor to the high standard of the food oozes luxury. Even the General Manager Yasuhiro Komatsu of Chisou ensures a high customer service is delivered at all times and our waitress was attentive, informative and friendly.

But there is also an element of fun about Kouzu as the staff all shout 'Irasshaimase' meaning 'come on in' when someone walks in as is often the case in restaurants in Japan.

Overall dining at Kouzu is an immensely enjoyable experience and the effort put into producing high quality dishes, especially the sashimi, nigiri and maki, as well as delivering the best customer service is immediately obvious.

I would not hesitate to recommend Kouzu as it would make a lovely destination for a special occasion where the quality is well worth the price.

I’d noticed that this Kouzu restaurant kept popping up in my Twitter and Instagram feed and lots of lovely things were being said about. So I was more than delighted when I got an email inviting me to come and review the place. Invites are still very much a novelty for me, and they do help me keep the blog going without ending up too much out of pocket.

And, like I said, everything I’d seen so far had been positive, though I didn’t want to read too much in case I formed a view before I went there.

As much as I enjoy the privilege, I do find these things a little awkward. I’ve never been one for much one-on-one attention so I made sure to enquire in advance what the deal was. We were told we could have three courses each plus a drink but in the end we had so much more than that! Much more than we probably would have ordered for ourselves if left to our own devices, but I could see they were keen for us to see what they could do in all areas.

I don’t know what I can say that hasn’t already been said but wow. This place is the business. And they also have quite savvy business sense. January is such a slow month for restaurants and bars as everyone decides to make up for all the money and calories they spent in December. Perfect time to invite a bunch of bloggers in and create a bit of hype then. And they deserve it. They’ve chosen a rather odd location in London to set up – a few minutes’ walk from Victoria station. While this is in fact a nice part of town (as soon as you escape the immediate environs of the station), it’s not really known as a destination for food. But if you’ve got a bit of dosh in your pocket then it is worth coming over to St James to try this place out.

To start we had some sashimi. I had the sea bass with salsa and green pepper sauce, Stephen had the yellowtail with truffle dressing but of course we shared. The truffle in the seabass more like a fragrance than a taste, very delicately done so as not to overpower the fish, giving way to a sweeter taste. I don’t know whethe to attribute that to the shiso, myoga or ponzu! While this dish was perhaps the more exotic I was drawn more to the flavours in mine of lime, micro herbs and pink peppercorns. Both were faultless though.

Next up was a choice of sushi roll (we went with crab) and a Nigiri each. We’d been told the Aburi were their speciality, particularly the toro and the sea bass. We had one each. The difference with the aburi compared to nigiri is that the fish on top is seared with a blow torch. It makes all the difference. Our fantastic waitress explained how we should try to eat it ‘upside down’ so that the garnish and fish touched our tongues first. I’ve never had anything quite like it and I shall never forget the way the smokiness filled my mouth. Amazing.

For our mains, Stephen had the miso cod, and I had the duck breast with sansho (though very tempted by the lamp chops). We weren’t sharing but I did have some of Stephen’s fish. It was exquisite. They marinate in miso for three days resulting in a firm, sweet, almost candied fish with the sharper fennel and celery salad setting this off nicely. My duck was a pretty pink covered with a sticky sweet but peppercorn studded sauce. By the end of this I was stuffed but of course I was going to take advantage of trying their desserts. After savoury food this good, I had to see what they’d do with the sweet stuff.

I had their special which was a celebration of sesame. I love sesame’s sweet and nutty taste and it was put to good use here in ice cream, sesame tuiles and tiny madeira-like cakes. It ticked all the boxes without being too heavy. Likewise Stephen’s chocolate mousse with an amazing hazelnut ice cream. Indulgent but not heavy and with a slice of chewy, candied orange adding a bit of flair.

The only bad thing I’d have to say about the place is that they say it’s a ‘sharing’ ethos, which basically means they can bring you the food whenever it’s ready rather than together because it is presumed everyone will tuck in at the same time. Normally this doesn’t bother me too much but Stephen was doing a pescetarian month and I had ordered duck. So his miso cod arrived way before mine and apart from having a couple of bites I had to just sit there and watch him eat. Mine literally didn’t come out until he’d finished and then our roles were reversed. So, just something to bear in mind.

The food was not cheap (the miso cod was £28), but they use quality ingredients and, more importantly, have some inventive and utterly delicious food. Put this on your list for your next special occasion. Or go along and have a few bites of sushi and sashimi as a light dinner without it breaking the bank.

Recently opened in Belgravia, Kouzu is a high end Japanese restaurant with a little French touch. 
The restaurant is based in a Grade-II listed period mansion and has Kyoichi Kai as its Head Chef, who has worked previously at Zuma and Kyubi Arts Club. 
As soon as my partner and I arrived in Kouzu, we were both impressed by the massive chandelier in the entrance, it was beautiful (see picture below). We were shown by a waiter to our table at the sushi bar on the mezzanine. My first impression about the restaurant was a zen atmosphere with a contemporary touch from the lights and furnitures. 
We started our dinner with a cocktail, a Passion Victoria for my partner and a Kouzy Mojito for me. Both cocktails were very good, I preferred my partner's cocktail. 
While we were drinking our cocktails, the chef in front of us saw that we were struggling to choose dishes from the menu and gave us some recommendations. Instead of waiting for the waiter he offered to take directly our order. It was like having a private chef/waiter just for us. 

Both starters were served at the same time, the first one was a Beef fillet Tataki. The beef was perfectly cooked and had been quickly charcoal grilled and left in a marinade. It was served with a julienne salad on top and an oriental sauce. This starter was tender and savoury, the julienne added a touch of crunchiness to the dish. 

The second starter was a big piece of pan-fried foie-gras on top of spinach leaves. It was served with a mango coulis, wasabi and teriyaki sauce. This dish was my favourite of the night, it was very rich, soft and tasted like heaven. I have never taken the risk of ordering a Japanese dish based around foie gras before that night, as I was scared to be disappointed. From now on, I will take the risk as it was wonderful.

Being at the sushi bar was great, we got the change to see the preparation of all sushi rolls, nigiris and sashimis. It was like watching a cooking show. The three chefs worked in silence and were very focused on their work and dish presentation seemed to matter a lot for them.

Between our starters and mains, we decided to order some rolls, we had six rolls each: three salmon and avocado rolls and three prawn tempura rolls. Both were very good and I liked the eel sauce inside the tempura roll. The quality of the fish they used for those sushis was perfect and tasted fresh.

We didn't choose our mains from their classic dishes, instead we both had one of their specials. The first dish was highly recommended by our chef: the roasted black cod. 
The black cod had been marinated in miso and was perfectly cooked and flakey, the white miso sauce added a bit of richness to the dish, while the salad and orange gave acidity and sweetness. A perfectly balanced dish.

The second main course was a Duck breast with sansho, the duck was perfectly cooked, it was a good dish but nothing that special to me. I think it tasted exactly the same as a classic duck breast with a pepper sauce you will find in any French brasseries. The sauce and the pepper were not punchy enough. 

We ended our dinner by sharing a dessert. The dessert was around Japanese tea and caramel. The main part of the dessert had the same texture as a crème brulée but tasted like tea & toffee. I really liked the salted caramel ice cream and the streusel added crunch to the dish.

I usually don't accept freebies from PR agencies as I prefer to be treated in a restaurant like a usual customer would be, and I like to pay for my meal because it gives me the freedom to complain or not about my experience. But sometimes I have to admit it is good for the purse to accept one or two freebies a year. I was invited to review Kouzu. I am very glad I accepted this invitation because I had a really good evening. The waiters and chefs were nice and helpful and the food was really good. Some dishes (like the Foie gras) were a revelation to me. 
I am a big fan of Japanese cuisine and I usually eat Japanese once a week. I have been to different kind of Japanese restaurants in France and London and I can say that Kouzu is a bit pricey compared to other if you had to pay the bill. However you could tell ingredients were top quality. I will go back soon to Kouzu but I will probably avoid the duck breast dish and order something more Japanese.

Kouzu opened in November 2014, the restaurant name meaning "Composition”. The dining area is set out over two levels, with a sushi bar and room upstairs and a further ground floor dining room. The entire restaurant can seat 80 people at one time. Head chef Kyoichi Kai is originally from Kyushu and worked for ten years in Japan before moving to London in 1988. He has since worked at restaurants including the now closed Suntory, for several years at Zuma and most recently as head chef of The Arts Club in Dover Street.

The wine list offered around 60 labels, ranging in price from £22 to £1,360, with a median price of £48. Mark-up levels average a hefty 3.3 times retail price, which is pretty high even by the ambitious standards of central London. Examples were Banfi Pinot Grigio San Angelo 2013 at £29 for a bottle that you can find in the high street for just under £10, the lovely Chateau Musar 2000 at £80 for a wine that retails at £25, and Grand Puy-Lacoste 2007 at £120 for something that will set you back £36 in the high street. There is no relief in mark-up terms at the high end of the list either, with Sassacia 2007 at £600 compared to a shop price of 151. The wine list could do with a rethink, and I gather that this is under consideration.
Tuna tartare (£15) was enjoyable, the fish of reasonable quality, garnished with a few salad leaves and with a subtle hint of spice (14/20). Prawn tempura (£15) arrived as four pieces, with a light, crisp batter and prawns that had good flavour (14/20).  

I tried sushi of mackerel (£3.50) and of eel (£4). The fish itself was fine but the rice was cold, when it should be body temperature (13/20). I was dining downstairs and the sushi bar is upstairs, which accounted for the issue. If you are to try sushi here then it is best to sit at the bar and have the sushi chef prepare things in front of you: here the sushi rice is the correct temperature. Sun Ocean is the main fish supplier, along with Atari Ya.

The sushi downstairs came with what transpired to be real grated wasabi root, but I think it had been left to long between grating and serving, as its distinctive creamy texture had disappeared by the time my plate arrived. On a second visit the sushi upstairs, prepared in front of the diner at the counter, was noticeably better. After sea bass with micro herbs there was sushi of squid (the least good of the sequence), yellowtail, eel that had been killed fresh rather than bought frozen, and good quality Irish tuna in its usual three forms (akami, chu toro, toro). Rice is from Toyoma prefecture in Japan. Beef was imported from Kyushu and was of high quality (easily 14/20) and roasted duck breast with sansho pepper was pleasant, though for me a touch more pepper would have been an improvement (13/20). I also tried a dessert of carefully made Mont Blanc, with yuzu sorbet on the side (14/20).

Service was capable, my waiter efficient and friendly. When you enter the restaurant the staff have been trained to shout “Irasshaimase” (“Come on in”), as is often the case in restaurants in Japan. The bill, with just water (£4.50) to drink, came to £47.25, which is not cheap. There was no concessionary lunch menu, so the price in the evening would be the same, but I did not try a main course on the first visit, which were priced around £22. If you shared a modest bottle of wine then a typical cost per person might be around £75 or so. This is far from a bargain but Japanese food costs if you are to do it properly, which they do here. Overall Kouzo offers an enjoyable experience, with some real effort being made to get high quality ingredients, a pleasant room and friendly staff.

There's so many great things about this London gem. I don't usually write so much review but the food, atmosphere and the lovely service made to write this amazing review. This is definitely the place to eat the best Japanese with a great fine dining experience in london. Ignore others and book your table to try their tofu, lamb chops, foie gras and fresh wasabi with the best sashimi and sushi. We've had dinner and couldn't stop ordering as every plate invits you more and more to taste the inner world of Kouzu. Go there and try it. You will never go to any other place for fine dining Japanese again. I mean it!

Japanese fine dining restaurant, Kouzu, opened with a hush of a soft launch (although apparently the Prince of Monaco had already caught wind and paid a visit) last week. Via an invitation extended by the restaurant, Kemey and I dropped by Saturday for what turned out to be a most elegant meal.

Highlights from the kitchen of Chef Kyoichi Kai (ex-Zuma, ex-Kyubi) and his all Japanese staff were many. Kemey and I both especially adored every last bite of our starter course of tuna tartar with spicy sauce (Julienne of tuna, chili sauce, mixed salad with sesame seeds, £15). A bounteous plate of roasted black cod (marinated in miso with a fennel and celery salad, £28) wowed as well. Humbler dishes such as agedashi tofu (which might have been the best I’ve ever tasted, £6.50) and even seasonal pickles (£5.50) impressed with full flavor. Every cooked item we enjoyed from the menu had gorgeous and intriguing texture.

The sushi and sashimi offerings were equally delightful. Fish of the day was turbot and proved a yummy piece of sashimi. A range of nigiri (Kemey went with yellow tail and scallop; I had some eel and octopus) pleased. Prices for individual pieces of sushi and sashimi start at £3.50.

We sat downstairs in Kouzu’s formal but comfy dining room close to the cocktail bar. Wine and cocktails looked good. Kemey had a virgin mojito and was pleased. I was rather in awe of the whisky menu though. A dram of Ichiro’s Malt MWR on the rocks (£23) was a dreamy drink for me and paired exceptional well with my food.

Kemey’s dessert choice of dark chocolate mouse with apricot brandy sauce and hazelnut ice cream (£10.00) certainly seemed do the trick for her, while an assortment of homemade ice creams (£3 to £4 per scoop) ended this wonderful meal on a happy note for me. Pistachio and black sesame were my two favourite flavours.

Set within Grade-II listed period mansion with a palatial entrance, the restaurant’s interior is stunning (but to be honest I could hardly keep me eyes off the food). Next time (and I sincerely hope I can make it back there soon), I think I would like to sit at the sushi bar upstairs on the floating mezzanine.

Our server for the evening was lovely – friendly, helpful and informative. But I should mention that one fellow working the floor (I was uncertain whether he was a server, maitre d’ or what) came across as frazzled to an almost off-putting extent. Indeed, I couldn’t tell if he was genuinely trying to assist us with directions or shove us out the door when (for about 20 seconds or so) we stopped at the entrance (no one else was coming in or going out) to try and decide the best direction to take upon leaving.

As I said, Kouzu has opened very recently and with a soft launch. So I reckon this dude was simply under a bit of pressure and let his manners slip momentarily. Aside from that everything about our Kouzu experience was splendid.

A very classy nice restaurant. A warm welcoming, followed by an excellent service, with a lot of attention to details on order to please you. All the menu is delicious and excellent. No word to say that sushi was awesome. If you have the opportunity to go eat there, do not hesitate ! These are some photos of the food served. :)

Went here for the 7-course tasting menu. I honestly don’t think it’s worth the price. The selection was ok, it tastes good but standard. The dishes that stood out were the spinach with sasame sauce and the veggie roll. I would probably come back for another try but order on regular menu.

Went for Japanese afternoon tea and everything was so lovely we ordered extra sushi rolls! (Spicy Tuna & Tempura Prawn) The service was beyond perfect and the interior was lovely. Definitely coming back (hopefully soon!)👍🏻

The food was quite good. Waiting staff explained everything very well. The service was generally very good. Only gripe was that our original drinks order was fluffed, then our second drinks order was forgotten about. I put it down to the waiters maybe being understaffed or quite busy. But all in all, it was an alright experience, but the prices could be a bit lower.

Unbelievable excellent! If you like Japanese cuisine this is your place. Delicious and very well prepared dishes. Amazing cold sake. Great service. Cozy and romantic environment. Dessert that work it each bite. Make a reservation is recommended. Strongly recommend this restaurant.

Visited Kouzu for my birthday last year and had the chefs table which in itself is an experience. Located behind the underground kitchen it adds a unique touch to the evening being able to watch them prepare your food first hand. The menu we had was a pre selected tasting menu and included all of my favourite dishes, all of which were prepared to perfection and presented by the chef himself. Highlight was the Soft shell Nanban and the Wagyu beef served on a hot griddle. Would highly recommend a visit and if possible reserving the chefs table.

We did a whiskey tasting and then stayed for dinner afterwards. Great presentation of the three bottles they chose and a very good meal afterwards. One less star because the prices seemed slightly excessive.

Had a sushi and cocktail making class here. Amazing food and drinks and the people teaching are a good laugh and very knowledgeable!