News flash! Now open:
Aqua Kyoto, the Japanese offering from Hong Kong restaurant group Aqua. It's on the fifth floor of the former
Dickins & Jones building, a stone's throw from Oxford Circus tube. The site promises
much-awaited roof terraces and boasts a bar and another restaurant, the Spanish cuisine of
Aqua Nueva, which – if you're snoopy like Itchy – makes for an
interesting tour of the premises.
A lift whisked us up to the fifth floor, where we were greeted by a
gaggle of girls who'd probably be at home on a game show set. They dropped us at the busy bar,
Aqua Spirit, where staff were friendly but overworked. Itchy went on a buzzing Thursday night – if you're looking for a relaxing,
sophisticated bar, this ain't it. But once you get hold of them, the (heavy on novelty) cocktails
(£9 - £12) showcase premium ingredients.
The adjoining cavernous and
stylised restaurant – decked out in red, black and grey – features a (refreshingly first come, first served)
sunken sushi bar as its focal point. It's clear that someone laboured long and hard over the design concept, which is impressive in a sort of hotel-chain,
Disneyland way – and that seems to work here.
Most dishes have a gimmicky feel –
great for sharing and 'doing', with a plate to satisfy almost every palate. Itchy recommends
the seared beef tataki, a standout starter of tender beef with mustard sauce, onions and garlic (£9.50). The delectable
char-grilled sea bass main (£18.50) arrived with shiitake mushrooms drizzled in truffle garlic soy sauce. For the raw fish lover or those looking for lighter fare,
Aqua Kyoto offers a tataki platter
(£32.00), a
signature dish from Hong Kong, featuring chopped sashimi rolled inside thin cucumber slices.
Other dishes played more to the 'fun factor', like the grilled
beef tenderloin with Japanese mustard sauce (£19.00), which was basically steak with mayonnaise and fried potato crumbs on top – a real crowd-pleaser, but too heavy for haute cuisine. We weren't impressed with the
bog-standard warm house sake (£13/300ml), but a
£22 Viognier hit the spot.
While the food is
fresh and well presented, this place is doubtful to win a Michelin star. But who cares? There's a
festive atmosphere here, and that – complete with the
roof terrace that's set to pull in punters come summer – is
Aqua Kyoto's main draw. It's a great place for fun party times for the
see-and-be-seen crowd.
www.aqua.com.hk
Kim Wallace
