Chotto Matte, Soho

Chotto Matte is right smack in the middle of Soho and has such a cool vibe about it.

“Nikkei” apparently means cuisine of Japanese and Peruvian flavours (very similar to sushisamba) which I found a bit strange at first but it’s growing on me. Chotto Matte does amazing food with fantastic flavour and texture.

•  Chicha Morada – non-alcoholic mocktail made from purple corn, cinnamon, pineapple, apple, and lime. Tastes like Big Red bubblegum

• Padron peppers – deep fried green peppers with delicious den miso dressing
• Nikkei gyoza – pork, prawn and cassava dumplings served on aji amarillo and sweet potato puree. Yum.

• Vegetable tempura – light & crispy. Enoki mushroom is my favourite.
• Ebi tempura sushi roll – with tempura prawn and Peruvian chilli

• Stir-fried brown rice with vegetables and soy sauce. Delicious & a good filler.
• Pork belly, beautifully seasoned, with nashi pear and yellow tomato salsa. You can’t go wrong with pork belly!

• Aubergine miso with dried apricot and puffed soba, served with sesame seeds sprinkle. So so so good.
• Salmon yuzu terriyaki. Fresh piece of salmon, beautifully cooked, fantastic dressing.

• Grilled octopus tentacles with Octopus, with yuzu dressing & purple potato. Tender octopus, but I’m not sold about the potato flavour.
• Chicken den miso – perfectly grilled chicken (with crispy skin) served with thin shavings of carrot and daikon, drenched in delicious mayo-like dressing.

The bill: for 9 dishes, 4 bowls of rice, 4 drinks = £150 incl service between 5 of us. Not cheap, but not as expensive as sushisamba (but you don’t get the sushisamba view)

Menu, location, etc: http://www.chotto-matte.com/