Koji

Went to Koji with my whole family today and had a brilliant time. Wonderful food, excellent staff. I must be one of the only people in West London to have nearly no knowledge of Japanese food, and today was a great first experience. I would particularly recommend the soft shell crab and the lamb cutlets. And the cocktails!

Koji is an adorable neighborhood Japanese restaurant in Parsons Green with a buzzy vibe and good food. I am not sure I would travel great distances if I didn’t live close to the restaurant as there are other great Japanese spots in town but Koki is cute and serves tasty food.

The infamous Mio Tai on the New Kings Rd has had a total change over and is now a swanky Japanese restaurant and cocktail bar which, quite frankly, looks exactly the same but with an added sushi bar, new menu's and a new name...Koji. . One balmy Saturday evening before heading to a birthday in Putney Mr D and I popped in for a bite and to check out what was once our 'go to' cheer up place if I ever got a parking ticket (that happens far too regularly!). I have often wondered whilst living in Parsons Green why there has never been a sushi bar due to an abundance of the yummy mummy types and health concious it seemed to make sense... Mio Tai's owners have obviously seen the light... We started with a bowl of garlic and salted edamame, served warm and slightly spiced, whilst sipping on non alcoholic cocktails and Japanese beer...

The Vibe

Beautiful space, beautiful food, beautiful people. Koji is an exquisite creation – a sleek Japanese restaurant, complete with sushi bar, robata grill, zen inducing courtyard, and expert bartenders creating cocktails for those who wish to sit street side and watch the world go by. It’s cosy and intimate here, with the kind of warm buzz that you so rarely feel in fine dining eateries in the capital. This is ideal date territory – sophisticated yet not intimidating, you’ll find yourself sharing far more than divine plates of tataki and nigiri.

The Order

The beauty of the food here is that it’s light, fresh and can come at a steady pace throughout your evening. It’s a talking point in itself so be prepared to gasp in delight as each stunningly presented dish arrives. Particular highlights include the tuna tataki with spicy ponzu sauce, scallops with umami jelly, and the tuna nigiri. If you’re keen for something meatier, the pork belly on the robata grill will have you weeping with joy, as will the wagyu, obvs. Save room for the Koji cheesecake, ending your meal with the cleansing hints of yuzu. Drinks wise, it’s cocktails to start and wine to continue – their lists are seriously impressive so splash out and try one of the vintage Rieslings.

The Game

Meet at the restaurant. Don’t meet after work – go home first and spruce up. This is a place for heels and shirts – you can rip them off later. Start at the cocktail bar and if it’s a warm evening you’ll basically be drinking alfresco. Move to your table and prepare to stay here a while. Rush no element of this date, savour it all and late into the night you’ll look outside to see the lanterns in the courtyard warmly glowing. It’s hard for this place not to feel romantic, the waiters know this and expertly judge when to take their time explaining dishes and when to simply leave you to enjoy them. Taxi it home, or walk if you’re close by. A goodnight kiss is definitely part of the game plan.

The Faults

Try your hardest to save the Instagramming for a hashtag latergram……

Sex Factor

4.

I was most delighted when asked if I would like to review Koji, located on the New Kings Road and conveniently very close to home. This contemporary establishment is rather pleasing to the eye, the moment you walk through the door. Owned and operated by Mark & Pat Barnett and also collaborating with Nobuhisha Takahasi, ex-head sushi chef for Nobu in both London & Cape Town.
Firstly I just loved the cocktail bar which greets you with bold feathered lamp shades the moment you walk in the door. The cocktail list is extensive and you really can't say no to a martini. I don't know about you but I much prefer to have the option of having a pre-dinner drink or even if you are just after that sneaky drink with your work colleagues. Throw in some delicious edamame beans to munch on and you are laughing.
After being lead downstairs to our table, I skimmed the room and couldn't help but notice the fit-out and design of the lighting. Each table had its down light shining brightly into the centre while the rest of the restaurant was slightly dimmed. Mood lighting appreciation right there. Downstairs is a sushi bar where you have the option to sit and watch your food being prepared. Back in Australia there are loads of places just like this, in particular the teppanyaki grills which im also a huge advocate for.
The menu is packed with a decent amount of snacks, sushi in all forms, hot and cold tapas and the no-nonsense miso soup. Starting with traditional Japanese dumplings of pork and ginger, grilled aubergine spicy miso and tuna tantaki. similar to that of the Sashimi family and accompanied with some spicy ponzu sauce. The Aubergine was pleasant in flavour and again had that nice hint of spice present. Speaking of sashimi we opted for the crab rather than the salmon. A simple yet fresh sea salty taste. Onto the sushi and you cannot go wrong with their spicy tuna and maki. Maki meaning 'rolled' by a bamboo mat and cut into pieces of 6-8. We decided to be daredevils and try out the eel and avocado aka 'colours of the rainbow'. The tuna is ridiculous! We both agreed, the best we've had to date, very impressed. Duck wasabi was our final dish which sounded somewhat interesting. Covered in droplets of green onion and 'prawn antennas' for garnish as I liked to call them. Finished off nicely with some sticky rice and added soy sauce. Gorg.
Last but not least we were recommend the Sakura & Sake Chocolate Truffles for dessert and the Yuzu Cheesecake. A good-looking bunch of desserts I must say. The truffles resembled that of lollipops with a decadent centre oozing with an alcoholic after taste. Definitely not for the faint hearted but quite an experience to top off a spectacular evening.
After spending just under 4 hours here, it's really not surprising that this place is popular with the locals. Every table was full with a relaxed, buzzy vibe allowing you to still have a conversation without screaming over everyone else. Service was fantastic with plenty of staff to assist you throughout the evening.

The first time an amazing experience Great food with a good presentation 👌🏾 Cocktail and sake I went for it and I enjoy it The service was more than good, attention, details, explanation, and fast service 👏🏾 I appreciate Luca was the one looking for my table.

Incredible elderflower and chilli cocktail to get us started before an incredible selection of beautifully presented and utterly delicious food! Great atmosphere and very attentive staff. Well worth the price - Couldn’t remember highly enough!

Best Japanese restaurant in Fulham ! Not like there are many in the area but definitely a great restaurant . A bit over priced and always fully booked. when you find a table definitely go for it Highly recommended

Beautiful food. Fantastic, attentive service. On the pricier side, but entirely worth it in my opinion. The octopus in particular was fantastic!

Koji London is an underrated Japanese restaurant that has improved each and every time I have visited. Whether your looking to explore the magnificent range of cocktails and vintage Japanese whiskeys or perch over at the sushi bar for an intimate dining experience Koji has a setting for everyone. The dining room out back is tastefully decorated with a refined modern feeling. As far as the food goes its on par with some of the top Japanese restaurants I have visited around the London. The sushi / sashimi and cold appetisers are what I would recommend as the quality of fish, preparation and presentation make for truly delectable dishes. The food is on the expensive side however you come to expect this in London, the important thing is I do feel the value for money is fair. The staff are attentive and really make sure you enjoy your time there. This is definitely somewhere I will return time and time again for years to come.