It's 6:45pm and the rain is pouring as we scurry across Leicester Square and duck down behind the Prince of Wales Theatre in search of warming food and hopefully a few good sake cocktails. I haven't tried a good Japanese restaurant in ages, so was excited to see what Machiya had to offer up. In addition, I'd heard good things about their cocktail bar - serving up traditional cocktails with innovative Japanese twists.
The Venue and Atmosphere
Machiya is a compact little restaurant with a light and open feel. The pale, sand-grouted walls echo the sand patterns of a Japanese zen garden and the bright hanging lights encircled by large birdcage-like ornaments create a modern and pleasing atmosphere. There are fun touches here too, as with a nod to 1990’s pop culture and Japanese franchise Pokémon, you can order a Jigglypuff cocktail from their Japanese inspired cocktail menu. However, the crowning glory to Machiya is the downstairs cocktail bar, which is really something of a hidden gem. In contrast to the modern Japanese feel upstairs, the basement bar oozes a classic ambience and grace. Styled as an old railway carriage with luggage racks up on the walls, the dark wood panelling and romantic lighting create a beautiful and sophisticated spot for after-dinner cocktails.
There’s quite a busy, energy-filled atmosphere to the restaurant upstairs, which is helped along by Machiya’s already growing popularity. Downstairs in the bar area, the atmosphere switches to a romantic, intimate feel, clearly in contrast to the restaurant above. Chilled out music plays softly throughout and dark wood coffee tables are adorned with tea lights.
The light and airy restaurant reflects the cool simplicity of the Japanese dining.
The Food and Drinks
I’ll begin by giving some of Machiya’s excellent cocktails a mention. I began with a Kawaii Ne £9, a delicious blend of lychee and peach liqueur, Japanese yuzu juice and shirakabegura kimoto junmai sake, topped with sake-yuzu foam. The result was a deliciously light and refreshing cocktail that will make your tastebuds tingle. Similarly, the ‘Jigglypuff’ £9, did not disappoint - topped with a mountain of vermouth foam, this bright pink, gin-based cocktail was a happy Pokemon-themed addition to the menu.
Food-wise, we first tried some of their small-plate starters. The Chicken Yakitori £4.50, were particularly good, with succulent, spicy chicken, intermixed with pardon peppers and chargrilled mushrooms. The Buta Shogayaki £7.50, was also very good. Served in an ornate, painted bowl, the ginger pork was moreish and had a nice little kick - helped along by the pickled ginger and onsen tamago adorning it. The best part of the meal however was the Wagyu Katsu £19. The beef, coated in light breadcrumbs, was fantastically tender. The whole thing was served aside a large sizzling plate, upon which you could grill your own steak as you desired. Combine that with the tangy wasabi Mayo it was served with and you had an excellent dish. We got a side of the Yaki imo ponzu butter £3, which is Japanese baked sweet potato, dripping in Soy-Citrus butter.
The desserts looked fantastic, so we decided to try the Genmaicha Mille Crepe £5 and a special on the menu, the Rainbow Cake £5. I recommend the rainbow cake - it tastes great and is really not your usual ‘cake’. Instead, it was a fruity, jelly like substance almost like a giant, juicy droplet of sweet nectar. We couldn’t really have left without sampling some of their sake. Taking advice from our knowledgable host, we opted for the dry Masumi Okuden £7 and also tried a slightly sweeter one, the Kawatsuru £8. We finished off with a nightcap down in the basement cocktail bar and again the cocktails continued to be great, the bar itself forming a hushed and elegant ambience in which to drink them.
The combination of sake and rich Japanese bowls make the perfect meal.
Summary
Machiya combines two great elements of a successful central London venue - a speedy yet sophisticated restaurant serving simple, good quality food, and a great little cocktail bar hidden away from passers-by. My advice? Go for the cocktails - but give in to the Wagyu Katsu, you won’t be disappointed.
