Soho's new Japanese restaurant promises a cool ambiance and has the potential to be a neighborhood favourite
Soho is in need of a quality Japanese izakaya. Black Sheep Restaurants has recently opened its first izakaya concept beside Ho Lee Fook, one of the group’s star establishments, on the smaller ground floor space adjacent. If you have a problem looking for the entrance, spot the unmarked wooden screen doors with a white owl-shaped logo at the front.
The location is tricky to spot, and this no-reservations restaurant keeps the intrigue going even after you enter the dimly lit square room. On the far end of the room is an open kitchen and bar lined on three sides with high stools. Larger crowds can take the banquettes, which fit four guests comfortably. The restaurant's raw concrete walls are lined with wooden panels around the perimeter.
The menu is a simple one-pager, but the selection can require quite a bit of time to consider as many items seem rather impressive. We began our meal with a smoked pomfret from the raw bar. Served with aged soy sauce, the thickly sliced fish was lightly cold-smoked with applewood, which imparted a sweet aroma to the meaty but slightly chewy fish. We enjoyed the richness of the pomfret and loved it with just a light dab of the aged sauce, which gives it extra depth