Do you have baselines for trying out new restaurants? Those dishes that, if they get just right, you’re an instant fan and will come back to try everything else on the menu? Mine include a classic champagne cocktail, scrambled eggs on toast and the perfect black and blue steak. For Japanese restaurants, my must-get-right-dish is seaweed salad, while Mr. R&R’s is california rolls. At Nozomi (at Urbanspoon here, we started brilliantly – the salad was gorgeous, three types of seaweed layered with a nutty dressing and the rolls were gorgeous (and not indelicately huge either – I’m not good at those complicated rolls that you have to either shove down in one, or messily dissect).
Baselines established, we got stuck into salmon tataki that was more citrusy than expected but in a great combination with asparagus, and a delicious tuna tartare. We had a bit of a wait for the hot dishes, but they were totally worth it: the seared scallops were blissful and the foie gras was verging on indecent. From plate-spotting our neighbours, I’d definitely try the langoustine tempura next time round.
It’s not a place for a quiet meal (a proper DJ at nearly bar decibel levels on our weekday evening visit) but the main dining room has a high glass roof, so even if it’s loud, it’s not at all claustrophobic. It’s as if they wanted to create a Knightsbridge pick-up joint for the beautiful, but oddly decided to incorporate a really good restaurant. Perhaps they realised that once the in-crowd had moved on (and I rather think they have), the odd client might hang on for the food – what a strange notion…
