Having been well and truly swept up with Sushisamba’s theatrical Covent Garden launch, we head back to the original to remind ourselves what the iconic City spot has going for it.
First things first – we have to mention the glass lift. The ascent to the 38th floor of the Heron Tower will never fail to give us a giddy little thrill. These thrills continue throughout the night – from the melon spritz cocktail enjoyed alfresco by a roaring fire under the sparkling orange tree, to the spectacular views over this great city – you’d have to be a total sourpuss not to enjoy it.
Vaulted ceilings, an electric buzzy atmosphere and some of the friendliest service we’ve encountered in ages, all complement the food which is a fusion of Brazilian, Peruvian and Japanese cuisine all coming together in a riot of flavours, designed to be shared. Split into snacks, small plates, raw, robata, large plates and sushi rolls, you’ll want to order a bit from every section.
Just don’t do what we did and fill yourself up on the completely addictive tempura green beans with truffle aioli dip – such a rooky error when there’s so much more to come but too delicious to resist. From the small plates, highlights include the plump shrimp tempura which comes in a deliciously delicate batter, wagyu gyoza (surely the most economical way to eat kobe on the menu?) and crispy taquitos stuffed with lobster alongside a theatrical foam.
We’d never normally go for poussin (I mean, how exciting could chicken be?) but after our waiter’s insistence, we gave in. And oh my – are we glad we did. With its teriyaki glaze and Japanese egg mayo, it was so tender we could genuinely not stop eating it. Black cod is another Sushisamba classic, served here with popcorn and polenta it’s a little pricier at £44. A pretty bowl of scallop ceviche, topped with edible flowers kicked off our raw section before moving on to roll after delicious samba roll. There are plenty to choose from – all of which are beautifully presented – but we’d recommend their signature ‘Samba London’, a mix of tuna, salmon and yellowtail with avocado, asparagus, onion, miso, crispy tofu skin and a vibrant, yuzu dressing.
In desperate need of the lightest dessert on the menu, we went for the ‘zen garden’ – a creative work of art whereby yuzu curd and bergamot tea biscuits have been transformed to look like an actual garden, complete with chocolate lychee peach stones and a rake!
Samba Set Menu!
Look, we know the a la carte menu ain’t cheap, which is why we’re here to tell you about the excellent value, Samba Set Menu. Available Monday – Friday from 11.30am – 5.30pm it’s priced at just £36 for three courses. AND all of our favourites are included – we’re looking at you wagyu gyoza, samba rolls and chocolate banana cake. It’s never too early to start thinking about Christmas – and we think your gang will LOVE you for coming up with this as a plan, don’t worry, we’ll let you take the credit.
