Sitting prominently on Soho’s Frith Street you’ll find Chotto Matte, a funky fusion restaurant that melds Japanese and Peruvian cuisine. Endeavouring to offer diners a ‘multi-sensory experience’ my guest and I were booked into Chotto Matte to try their ‘Harajuku’ brunch, where vibrant colour takes centre stage across the food, cocktails and interiors set to the soundtrack of the restaurant’s resident DJ.
Innovation is the name of the game here, expertly pairing flavours from the two contrasting cuisines to create a menu that pushes the boundaries of traditional Nikkei techniques – a method that moulds Peruvian ingredients with Japanese techniques as one, (which Chotto Matte are champions of). Using the finest quality of organic and sustainable produce overseen by executive chef Jordan Sclare, Chotto Matte’s brunch is a boozy one paired with either wine, beer, Laurent-Perrier champagne or a collection of signature cocktails that highlight the delicate and intense flavours throughout the brunch menu.
Available every Saturday from 11am to 4pm, the ‘Harajuku’ brunch starts with a selection of small plates to share, including spicy tuna crispy rice with a kick, warm beef fillet tataki and the restaurant’s signature yellowtail ‘nikkei sashimi’ which features fiery jalapeño and yuzu truffle soy.
Moving onto larger plates as the drinks continue to flow, star brunch dishes include the sushi doughnut aburi, sea bass fillet tempura and the not to miss black cod aji miso and ‘asado de tira’ – a rich and heavenly slow-cooked barbecue beef with purple potato purée, teriyaki jus and chives. These are paired with fiery sides such as Spanish barbecue Padron peppers or the vegan ‘arroz chaufa’ – aka a Peruvian vegetable and egg fried rice with spicy sesame soy.
Creative cocktails include the ‘Kawaii Kisses’: a boozy mix of Hendricks Orbium Gin, apple, elderflower, sake and passion fruit with sparkling rose prosecco to top, the popular ‘Tokyo Dreams’ – a delicate combination of Cointreau, yuzu sake and lemon, and ‘The Harajuku Girl’ – a premium vodka cocktail featuring notes of hibiscus and Chicha Morada, all of which have been created by the bar staff as a bold and sophisticated drinks pairing.
Chotto Matte wears the badge of honour of being the first restaurant in London solely dedicated to the inimitable Nikkei cuisine. Marrying the two cultures as one via their menu, the team have a deep appreciation for fresh fish and seasonal ingredients from Japanese sushi and sashimi to Peruvian ceviche.
Making a home within a striking 1960s modernist building on Frith Street in the heart of Soho, the restaurant’s interior is as striking as the plates they serve and has been designed by renowned interior designer Andy Martin who works on all Chotto Matte’s locations across the globe. A large space set across two floors, the design showcases a bespoke cast glass wall panel, accents of natural lava stone (which is an indigenous rock in southern Peru) and a Japanese inspired graphic backdrop divided by a striking spiral staircase.
Factbox
Address: 11-13 Frith Street, London, W1D 4RB
Phone: +44 207 042 7171
Email: soho@chotto-matte.com
Website: chotto-matte.com
