Bōkan Restaurant, Bar & Roof Terrace Review: High-Rise European Dining in Canary Wharf

When it comes to a good roof terrace, I’m a sucker for them. As a self-confessed sun worshipper, cocktail drinker and food obsessive I think I may have finally found the one place where all of that can and my favourite things can be enjoyed – under one very sun trapped roof. The newly opened Bōkan is a haven in Canary Wharf and offers a luscious modern European restaurant, bar and roof terrace on the 37-39th floors of Novotel Canary Wharf and the views are absolutely magnificent.

Take the life up to the 38th floor of the hotel and a stunning bar awaits. No expense has been spared on this restaurant and every corner you turn is like flicking through a 2017 interior design handbook. Very on trend, industrial in design and accents of copper on just about everything. Looking after the bar and cocktail menu is Italian born Danilo Tersigni who has created some truly stunning creations which have been influenced by London’s Docklands.

We tucked into a the ‘Scotch Mariner’ – a mixture of Bruichladdich whisky, lavender syrup, lychee juice, egg white, lime and Boswellia serrata tincture. It was stunning.

A little higher up on the 39th floor is the utterly delicious indoor and outdoor roof terrace area. Sit inside and enjoy the views out from the beating sun and spy on the highest honey bees in London, or onto the terrace for Pimm’s and snacks.

Head back down and to the 37th floor where the restaurant awaits. Arguably the most beautiful part of this restaurant complex and the views wrap around the building looking out over the London skyline. We were dining one Sunday and came to enjoy the Bōkan Bottomless Brunch. For £49 per person you’ll be able to enjoy three delicious courses of modern European cooking and of course – bottomless Prosecco! Sitting close by to a cheese table was rather tempting too.

Some excellent home-made bread later and the first of our starters arrived. Tiger prawn tempura with avocado, little gem lettuce and a squeeze of lime. A lovely fresh dish and those prawns were cooked to perfection. Served on sticks it means for clean eating too. My only negative was the avocado being far too hard. It needs to be soft or not on the plate at all. Otherwise a really lovely start and paired very well with our endless Prosecco.

Better still and a real star dish from our brunch was this heirloom tomato salad – topped with a gin & tomato granite disc, juniper and lemon thyme. Fresh, summery and mouth-watering. Exactly the sort of dish I wanted to be eating on a day so hot as it was and again the Prosecco still matched perfectly.

Grass fed saddle of lamb with charred aubergine, slow cooked garlic and chimichurri was the perfect Sunday main course. I loved every single element of this dish and all mixed together – even better. The lamb was well-cooked, the smooth chimichurri was packed with flavour and the soft garlic and charred aubergine melted into the meat. If they served this dish with lamb chops, I’d imagine it would be even better than it already was.

Desserts are rather good here too and so go easy on the bread as you’ll want to save space. Our favourite was the Paris-brest with praline mousse. Not the most traditional version of this choux pastry classic, but every bit as enjoyable and the praline mousse stuffed in side was plentiful and rich. My dining companion ordered the caramel and chocolate tart, topped with chunks of brownie. Informed it was very indulgent by my dining companion, but the fact I wasn’t allowed even one bite tells me everything. Perhaps next time I’ll order one for myself.

I really loved our time at Bōkan and for more than one reason – three to be precise. A fabulous restaurant serving quality food packed with flavour, a bar to while away an afternoon and a roof terrace to soak up the sun over cocktails. I’m usually the person who in the Summer roams the streets of London in search for a drink after my dinner and a roof terrace but never really succeed. At least now I know where to come and get everything I want all under one roof.

NB: My meal was complimentary. All views are as always, my own. My views are not influenced by anyone other than my own palate and slightly poor eyesight.