On a mild summer night in Soho, where the street lamps smoulder gold against the stone, and the air carries notes of possibility, one can feel the pull of Chotto Matte before the door even opens. There’s something magnetic about it. A flicker of anticipation. A whisper of heat. A hunger that goes beyond the menu.
At Chotto Matte, the line between restaurant and stage dissolves. Everything is a performance; without pretence, but with presence. And now, with the unveiling of its bold new menu, this Soho stalwart has entered a new chapter; one that honours its Peruvian-Japanese lineage while leaning deeper into fire, flair, and full-throated indulgence. The cuisine of Nikkei, an ever-evolving dialogue between the minimalist beauty of Japanese technique and the visceral intensity of Peruvian flavour, is given a fresh voice here. Not louder, but clearer. Sharper. Wilder. This is not a new menu created to please the algorithm. This is a menu created to ignite appetite in all senses of the word.
A Story Written in Smoke and Citrus
The first course arrives quietly. No flames, no fanfare. Just an artful arrangement of King Oyster Mushroom Tiradito but it speaks volumes. The mushroom, sliced as precisely as any yellowtail sashimi, is draped in a citrus soy truffle glaze that seems to shimmer with intention. Earthy, umami-rich, and barely held together by acid, it disappears on the tongue like velvet soaked in light.
Then, as if summoned by the silence of that first bite, comes the Tuna Aburi Sushi Tostada and with it, the unmistakable hiss of flame. A blowtorch is wielded like a paintbrush by the server, searing the marinated miso-slicked tuna before your eyes, caramelising fat and flesh until it gleams. The result? A dish that crunches, melts, smokes, zings, and lingers; layered in one bite. It’s impossible not to smile. Chotto Matte doesn’t serve food; it serves sensation.
The Acevichado Roll arrives next. A playful reimagination of sushi, it takes the familiar and makes it riotous: prawn tempura, tuna sashimi, avocado, and creamy ceviche sauce, all coiled into a roll that bursts like a firework. It’s generous, cheeky, and immensely satisfying; proof that fusion doesn’t have to mean compromise. It can be bold. It can be fun. It can be deliciously defiant.
Flame, Texture, and the Language of Heat
At Chotto Matte, the robata grill is more than just a cooking technique, it’s a declaration of intent. This is food born of smoke and flame, elevated by balance and precision, where each dish tells a story in contrast: char and citrus, indulgence and lightness, Japanese clarity and Peruvian heat.
The Pollo Peruano is a standout: baby chicken marinated in anticucho sauce, grilled until its skin blisters to bronze, then glazed with pomegranate and scattered with coriander. It’s a dish that balances sweetness, acidity, and a lick of smoke with grace, inviting both nostalgia and surprise. Each bite reveals another layer.
Vegetables are not an afterthought here. The Aubergine Nikkei is grilled to silken collapse, lacquered with a sticky miso glaze, and brightened with a citrus soy dressing. It is rich, velvety, and impossibly satisfying. The Truffle Sweet Potato is equally decadent; whipped, creamy, and layered with parmesan and lime zest for a touch of uplift. It’s indulgence, tempered by elegance. Even the Courgette Tempura is light and crisp, offering a moment of calm, a palate cleanser between louder flavours.
The Wagyu Brioche Sliders, meanwhile, are pure hedonism. Thick-cut wagyu, grilled and juicy, is drenched in truffled cheese salsa and tucked into toasted brioche with a crunch of pickled gherkin. They’re addictive: a grown-up take on the late-night burger, dressed up for Soho but made to eat with your hands.
Each dish flows into the next with rhythm and intention. This is not just a collection of small plates. It’s a journey. A slow crescendo of texture, fire, and indulgence – one that asks nothing more of you than to pay attention, to eat with curiosity, and to surrender to sensation.
Cocktails With a View to Seduce
If the food is the body of Chotto Matte, then the cocktail list is its pulse. Bar Manager Enrico Bonadiman has created more than a menu with drinks that echo the duality of Nikkei: sweet and savage, silky and spiced, complex and immediate.
The Lychee Picante seduces first – lychee’s floral sweetness tempered by jalapeño heat, ending in a whisper of lime. It’s tropical, feminine, and bracingly modern. The Paloma Negra, though, is something else entirely. With its charcoal-infused tequila and bitter grapefruit finish, it’s dark, moody, elemental. It belongs to the same world as the robata grill where fire and ash are languages of desire. The Inca Collins is light relief: botanical, citrus-flecked, and perfect with seafood. And the Kurt’s Old Fashioned, named after founder Kurt Zdesar, is every bit as composed as its namesake; an elegant, exacting rendition made with Japanese whisky and Demerara sugar, burnished with citrus oils and time.
A Space That Breathes Style, Sound, and Intention
Chotto Matte’s design remains one of the most compelling in the capital. Created by Andy Martin Architecture, the space is a fever dream of futurism and folklore: neon against lava stone, palm against steel, graffiti against geometry. But the most powerful thing about the space is how it feels. The acoustics, the lighting, the way the DJ’s soundscape blooms as the night deepens. It’s immersive without being overwhelming. Stylish without being sterile. This is not just a dinner setting. This is a scene.
The Verdict: A Fire Reignited
There is an ease with which Chotto Matte moves through the world. A quiet confidence born not of trend-chasing, but of craft. It knows what it is. It knows what it isn’t. What’s new here is not just the dishes. It’s the energy. The generosity. The unshakeable belief that food should never whisper when it can roar. It would be easy for a restaurant of this calibre, with its years of success and international recognition, to grow complacent. But Chotto Matte has done the opposite. It has leaned in. Pushed further. Raised the stakes. And in doing so, it has delivered something rare: a dining experience that feels alive.
To discover more, visit Chotto Matte
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All Images Courtesy of Chotto Matte Soho.