Review of 'Kyashii Restaurant (NOW CLOSED)'

We were lucky enough to visit Kyashii using a “Time Out” voucher for the “Sakura” set menu (normally £30 per person for a minimum of two people). The small restaurant is located very close to Leicester Square that you could be forgiven from missing (it took a few passes before I finally found it). The contemporary, clean interior looking larger than it is with a wall of mirrors in the rear has a large aquarium along one wall (that appears to be badly in need of cleaning). Certainly the prices on the menu are also very “contemporary” being quite expensive, as far as I am concerned.

The menu started with a large portion of Steamed Edamame sprinkled with liberal amounts of sea salt that were warm crunchy and delicious. Next we were served “Sake Maguro no Tartare” (minced salmon & tuna with sweet sesame dressing, served on chicory) along with “Minced Tuna Tempura Roll” (oddly, a tempura deep fried tuna maki roll). The Tartare was a wonderful, if unusual flavour, with lashings of sesame oil making it hard to taste any fish whatsoever. The “tempura roll” was wonderful with the tempura crispy on the outside but the maki roll cool and fresh in the middle. Very unusual. Next up was prawn tempura which was crispy with very fresh, huge, prawns. The final course was “Tori Sake” (chicken with sake served with a delicious, light, salad) with a large side of rice. The chicken was very flavourful but the whole course was a bit of a disappointment after the previous unusual and tasty courses. All of this was served with an unremarkable green tea (we asked for this at the start of the meal but only received it nearer to the end).

Service was acceptable (if a bit knowledgeable about some of the dishes) but the meal, if we paid the normal prices, was expensive and looking at the rest of the menu it was not much different. The menu does look good though and portion sizes appear to be quite good - not massive but certainly not small - Just right.

If you are looking for a higher-end Japanese restaurant in the Leicester Square area and are not afraid of the prices, go for it. They do have a good set menu at lunch that is a reasonable value and, I suppose, £30 for the Sakura is not really that expensive either for such a quality dinner.

Rating: “It is OK but I have some issues”

Review Date: 2012-07-27

Cuisine: Japanese

Address: 4a Upper St. Martin's Lane, London, WC2H 9NY ENGLAND

Public Transport: Leicester Square

Location: London (England) - Covent Garden

Map:

Telephone: +44 (0) 207 836 5211

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