Sake no Hana
23 St James's Street
London SW1A
Nearest Tube: Piccadilly Circus
4.1 Yummy Stars
Price £££ Starters £10-£24; mains from £14-£45 (wagyu beef £92-£95); sushi and sashimi plate £28-£69; sushi rolls £11.50-£25 (at time of writing)
☏ 020 7925 8988
Small bites at Sake no Hana including salmon, beef, squid and aubergine with fig
Buzz Factor 4.2/5 stars
Food 4.2/5 stars
Value for money 3.8/5 stars
Have you walked past a restaurant a number of times and think, mmm, I must try it some time? Sake No Hana was one of them, with its revolving doors and darkened windows, mysterious and inviting. Being part of the Hakkasan Group, you would expect high-end Japanese cuisine. Its Executive Head Chef, Hideki Hiwatashi, was head chef at a 2 Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant in Kyoto, Japan before joining Sake no Hana in 2010 and became its head chef 7 years ago.
We decided to walk in one evening mid-week without having booked. What? In London, where people seem to book everything, whether it is restaurants, plays, parties etc months, if not a whole year, in advance? Did the receptionist think – how dare we and so, offered us seats at the sushi counter without checking whether there was any table? When we threatened to walk away, she checked again and found a table for us .….
Their (shorter) signature menu was not cheap (£56 + 13% service), but offered 6 beautifully presented courses (plus soup). The first course comprised of a mélange of little bites to be shared - one of each type. The smokiness of the salmon came through without being overpowering and the subtle wasabi sauce was a perfect accompaniment. The little squid beauty was the stand out nibble for me. It had a wafer light crispy coating with a hint of spiciness from the chilli sauce. The aubergine and fresh fig with sesame miso sauce was also delicious. The rather clever combinations of textures and flavours complemented each other, taking them to another level.
Their Seabass sashimi which came with chilli ponzu sauce was like ceviche – slightly cured. The acidity and spiciness from the ponzu sauce was subtle enough to enhance the fish without knocking it sideways. The lightly smoked duck was skilfully chargrilled and soft as a ripe peach. The ever so trendy yuzu sauce with its sweet and sour notes hit my tongue in perfect harmony. The other dishes such as chargrilled salmon with teriyaki sauce, a variety of sushi, white miso soup with namenko mushrooms and desserts were all pretty palatable. The selection of courses worked very well together.
The décor, like at most other Hakkasan establishments, was beautiful and well thought out, with the interior designed by Japanese architect, Kengo Kuma. The warm tones of linear bamboo and cypress wood with a wooden latticed ceiling draw you in, as if you are entering into a sheltered haven of luxury and indulgence.
