Back to Foodies Corner Tue 17 May
Shochu Lounge
Address 37 Charlotte St, London W1T 1RR
www.rokarestaurant.com/roka-charlotte-street
Tw: @Shochu_LDN
Cuisine: Japanese
FOOD:
Amor were down at the Shochu lounge for a food and drink pairing experience. This consisted of three small plate dishes of Sashimi, Hokkaido snow crab with tapioca crisp and nori and Seabass with miso broccoli. The concept was created by three drinks specialists and ROKA’s Executive Chef Hamish Brown, to bring a pairing which didn’t take away from the other.
We finished our meal with a mouthwatering dessert platter, that had a range of exotic fruit and other savoury/sweet confectionaries including Roka’s signature dark chocolate pudding.
DRINKS:
Shochu is a Japanese alcohol, typically made from rice, barley, sweet potatoes, buckwheat or brown sugar. We were able to try some that came in four different flavours, strawberry was my favourite.
The drinks on this particular menu included the Happo Harmony – a sweet and spicy oriental blend including refreshing rhubarb and ginger syrup, soda water and lemon flower essence and garnished with Sakura blossom and rhubarb.
All three drinks we tasted were inspired by Shochu’s current partnership with Suntory whisky to change people’s perception of drinking whisky.
OVERALL:
Until the end of May bask in Japanese beauty with a special partnership between Suntory whisky and Shochu, showcasing a delightful “Sakura” (cherry blossom tree) installation throughout the lounge. The installation has been created by London-based floral designers Veevers Carter.
Based in the basement under Roka, Shochu is much more of relaxed dining and drinking space than it’s counterpart upstairs. Somewhat of a secret sanctuary for the cool and revered.
In true Japanese style, we were seated at a wooden square table, right by the bar with our own personal bartender (feeling very VIP) who explained each cocktail he was making in immense detail. Placed on the table was an impressive block of crystal clear ice, minus any impurities and oxygen, which our bartender eventually started sawing into like a woodchopper.
Our experience at Shochu was nothing less than a unique, even through alcohol glazed eyes.
Atmosphere ★★★1/2 Food ★★★★
Words: Toni Amporful, Health & Fitness Editor @FoodiesCornerUK
