REVIEW: Koji, New King’s Road, Parsons Green

So it’s official. I have a serious obsession with Japanese cuisine – especially so if it has a little fusion going on. I love those western hints making their way into dishes or the peruvian flavours of a refreshing ceviche matching up with the flavours of Japan. Not only has my love for the cuisine spawned because of the multitude of flavours these mix of cuisines brings to the table but also because it’s just something a little different – it’s always exciting and evolving. Little did I know that only a short walk away from me was a new Japanese restaurant called Koji.

Koji restaurant in a concept from Mark Bennet who was the chef/proprietor of Mao Thai for 29 years and the head chef appointed here is Nobuhisha Takahasi – he was the former head chef of Nobu in both the London outpost and Cape Town. So you could imagine my excitement. Inside the restaurant been lovingly put together with warm lighting, dark woods and huge windows at the front which open up during the summer months. If Koji never survived as a restaurant (which of course it definitely will) they’d have no problem turning the place into a bar because quite frankly the cocktails are so delicious people would be all over this place like flies. The espresso martini is one of my favourite drinks and here they’ve done a fantastic job. The star cocktail however was the lemongrass and chilli martini. An icy cool blend of that fragrant lemongrass and good whack of chilli meant for a tantalising and utterly delicious affair I didn’t want to part with. I’d even go as far to saying it was the best cocktail I’ve had this year – it was that good. Make sure you order a side of the warm edamame beans with its accompanying dipping sauce while sipping on drinks.

Food wise we started in true Japanese style (apparently) with sushi first. I’ve eaten more sushi then you could possibly imagine but this was believe it or not my first time eating dragon rolls. These rolls are a mixture of cooked eel and cucumber, topped with layers of avocado and different kinds of roe. It was all incredibly fresh and full of flavour – I highly recommend you order these. Just as good was the hamachi nigiri (aka yellow tail). Two neat pieces of fresh fish which was soft and close to mouth-melting. Special of the day sounded too good to ignore and we were right – this langoustine (apparently his name is Larry) ceviche was a stunning creation. Soft juicy meat, bursting with acidic fresh lime and a good helping of coriander.

We struggled to find much fault here at Koji but if we were to pick one dish which didn’t quite blow us away it would have been this tuna tataki. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad – just not as good as the rest of the menu here. The tuna itself couldn’t be faulted but I felt the flavour matching it just needed a little more intensity to really get the palate to that mouth-watering stage. On the flip side of things the wild pink prawn tempura with creamy togarashi sauce was a complete success. Juicy prawns coated in a perfectly crisp and golden batter – then smothered in a light and creamy togarashi sauce which had bags of flavour, good acidity and nice sour element to it.

The one thing you’ve got to love about Koji (not just the flavours) is that the food is consistently good. There may have been a few times we wanted more or less of something but throughout the whole meal here we didn’t have a single bad dish. From the meaty section of the menu I discovered my favourite dish and it wasn’t even the most expensive or complicated – but it just gave everything it had in a few single bites. Two skewers of moist chicken (the brown kind) cooked to perfection and layered with drizzle of earthy and rich truffle sauce. As soon as it arrives to the table the smell will have you instantly drooling. The Iberico pork loin is a stunner and while a little on the pricey side it was worth every penny. Perfectly cooked meat, grilled to perfection and unlike any pork you’re likely to ever come across – it almost melts the moment it enters your mouth.

I’ll admit by the time desserts came out we were pretty full and rather tipsy – luckily the sweet tooth takes over and always makes room. The desserts here at Koji won’t change your life but they’re still very good. A lovely creme brulee with a good crunch was followed by some icy cold chocolate truffle lollipops. Koji was such a surprise of a restaurant and one I for some reason had my reservations about before visiting – but by good did they impress and strip away any doubt I had. This isn’t just a good restaurant in Parsons Green – this is a destination restaurant and one which you should all have in your lives. My advice – book now, before everyone finds out about this place.

8/10