Eat & Drink
Originally published on Monday, 17th March 2014
KUROBUTA
The Royal Borough gets a dose of Japanese flavour.
251 King's Road, | Website, SW3 5EL
www.kurobuta-london.com/
In a Sentence
The Royal Borough gets a dose of Japanese flavour.
Location
Behind an unassuming shopfront on the King's Road, Kurobuta is a low-key addition to the area's otherwise slick and shiny offerings.
Vibe
Originally opened as a three-month pop up, Kurobuta's lease has been extended due to popular demand: with its chilled out feel and tables packed with local regulars, we're not surprised.
Flavours
Scott Hallsworth is onto something. At Kurobuta, the ex-Nobu chef puts a playful twist on refined Japanese flavours with innovative, izakaya-style dishes. The menu is all about sharing plates: we started with (perfectly crunchy) pumpkin tempura, accompanied by a creamy spicy shiso dressing, which was a hard act to follow. The nasu dengaku was more than up to the challenge, elevating grilled aubergine with a stellar miso glaze…sweet and indulgent, it almost had us convinced that we should turn vegetarian. Then the tea smoked lamb, BBQ pork belly buns and soft shell crab maki came out: all standouts in a menu full of adventurous dishes. The drinks list is excellent, too: opt for sake from the bar's extensive selection for an authentic izakaya experience.
Décor
Conceived as a pop up, the restaurant has a thrown together feel, with vintage wood tables and industrial lighting. Grab a table at the back for a view of the chefs working their magic (watch out for blowtorch action).
Upshot
This pop up is going permanent, with Hallsworth opening a Marble Arch location in the next couple of months. Watch this space.
