The idea of ‘sushi’ is suitably subverted with the location of ‘samba’ after it; the bringing of a celebration to one thing a bit stiff, the funking up of one thing a bit formal. The wording, IN CAPITALS, is a playful, intelligent juxtaposition and one which gave delivery virtually 1 / 4 of a century in the past to a two-floored restaurant in New York’s West Village. Glorified if not popularised by Samantha and her Intercourse and The Metropolis, SUSHISAMBA’s authentic location is now not however its spirit and progeny reside on. Perched on the thirty eighth and thirty ninth flooring of Heron Tower, simply down the highway from Liverpool Road station, the UK’s authentic and most iconic SUSHISAMBA gives, for the primary time in over a decade, a brand new house wherein to eat, drink and usually act completely fabulously.
Inspiration for the Samba Room design is drawn from mid-century Brazilian (well-off) residential interiors. If throughout the day the room’s textures mirror, then, because the darkish encroaches, they glow; the partitions a burnt copper, the bar a luminous lemon. It’s an intimate house; heat, cosy, and romantic. The within is extra crepuscular than the surface. It’s the type of place Scarlett Johansson may need a reunion with Invoice Murray in Misplaced In Translation 2. We sit at the perfect desk within the room, one which overlooks not solely the surface bar with its surreally wonderful, orange-leaved tree (a relentless supply of pleasure) but additionally the hardly ever seen curve of North London’s horizon; sure we actually are that top up.
Impressed by native flavours from Japan, Brazil and Peru, the Samba Room’s cocktail record gives an in depth description of components, intentions and methodology. It’s fairly a learn and all of the drinks are so intricate and weird, it’s laborious to know the place to begin. The Toki Serenade is SUSHISAMBA’s most concerned cocktail and it takes 5 days alone to ferment the selfmade Umeshu plum wine. The Suntory Toki whiskey and kukicha twig liqueur additionally help, apparently, the drink’s investigation into time and preservation.
A mushroom crisp lies on the glass’s rim with small, chopped seaweed on high of that. It’s a juggling act to concurrently eat and drink and is a loopy however successful mixture. It’s not as heavy as some whisky cocktails, is surprisingly gentle in reality, mushy too. The whisky pervades with a nutty aftertaste, overrides the earthiness of the mushroom and the saltiness of the seaweed. The Brazilian Negroni is strictly the way it sounds – the bar’s interpretation of the Negroni. Though vermouth was first launched to Brazil by Italian immigrants within the Nineteen Fifties, right here cachaça replaces gin and as an alternative of vermouth and Campari, Cynar aperitif and Byrrh Quinquiia do the honours. On the massive ice-cube, half a cherry tomato-sized jelly replaces the orange peel for a intelligent, candy twist.
The Samba Room menu jostles with ingenious cocktails, all of which demand consideration, however in addition to extra conventional tipples, it serves meals. Described as ‘Bar Bites’, one can’t assist however surprise if this is likely to be a barely worrying afterthought, a throw-away gentrification of the old-school potato crisp. A few almonds, a fling of olives, a mud board of sourdough, perhaps? Fortunately, this couldn’t be farther from the reality. Our Hungarian waitress, Alexandra, suggests 4 or 5 ‘bites’ ought to sate our noisy stomachs. She’s executed a implausible job guiding us via the cocktail menu so we take her recommendation and go for the SUSHISAMBA mainstay, El Topo, to begin. Positively quite a lot of funkin’ happening right here, and a servicing of the American perspective to sushi moderately than the Japanese. A wonderful, heat mess of chargrilled salmon, melted mozzarella, crispy shallots, jalapeño, spicy mayo and eel sauce mix for a smorgasbord of decadence. The mozzarella stretches the additional you pull it and the primary mouthful gives a heat, succulent sensation. The Neo Tokyo, if not as extravagant, is equally moreish and beneficiant of portion; with spicy tuna contained in the maki, a small layer of untouched tuna covers its high like a assured wig. Tempura flakes present a genial crunch and the rice is moist and surprisingly gentle.
The tacos, described as ‘Taquitos’, might certainly look small however are filled with a powerful punch. The shells are contemporary, ethereal, crunchy, virtually fluffy, and, moderately ingeniously, are served on London bricks for a really genuine Metropolis expertise. Our Crab Taquito, which consists of two shells, is a delight. It’s all killer, no filler, comes with a smattering of avocado purée and a few slithers of radish. There’s an non-obligatory sauce which we don’t dip into for concern of contaminating the crab’s chicken delicacy. The Pork Stomach Anticuchos are comparable show-stoppers. Cooked in Butterscotch miso for a barely caramel twist, served with Peruvian corn (bigger, softer, chewier than our kernels), every skewer holds a chunky portion of pork cooked to perfection, and every mouthful is accompanied by a viscous burst of fats and a loud crunch of stomach.
Alexandra asks if we’ve room for dessert. In fact, we’re undecided, the parts are far more beneficiant than we anticipated. Alexandra suggests we discover room so we oblige. There’s just one dessert on the menu and, frankly, who’d need one other? Welcome to the Rainforest virtually defies description. At first sight, particularly within the dim gentle, it resembles a few stones mendacity amongst leaves, moss, and a giant upended root, perhaps even, the tough of a toad’s again. Welcome to the rainforest, certainly! In a approach, it’s extra enjoyable to not know the components beforehand as every mouthful gives new style sensations. The stones, it seems, are a mix of strawberry mouse and vanilla ice cream encased in chocolate. The foundation is a darker chocolate and there’s some salted caramel ‘soil’ beneath all of it. It’s unique and imaginative and, very similar to the Samba Room expertise as an entire, transports you out of London’s hustle and bustle, into someplace altogether extra magical.
