Shack Life Quarterly

15 Bury Street
London
SW1Y 6AL
020 7839 11014

I took my mom to this great Japanese restaurant for her birthday. She’s eaten Japanese food all over the world, including in Japan, and she said it was some of the best she had ever tasted. Matsuri St. James is one of the two Matsuri Japanese restaurants in London (the other being Matsuri High Holborn) and has a sushi counter as well as Teppan-yaki grills. We arrived early since we were heading to the theatre afterwards and were seated at an empty Teppan-yaki grill. Perhaps a bit of a novelty, Teppan grills are apparently a new addition to Japanese cuisine. They consist of a large stainless steel grilling surface with a small eating surface (like a bar counter) surrounding it. The chefs cook your meal right in front of you and entertain with quick flipping and chopping of the meat and vegetables before transferring their finished masterpiece to your plate. Some chefs seemed more friendly than others, but all in all, a trip to a Teppan-yaki grill, especially for a first-timer, is an experience that will not disappoint.

We each ordered one of their set menus that consisted of about seven little courses. I had Mikoshi with Rib-eye steak teri-aki and my mom had Wakana with grilled tofu and exotic mushrooms. It definitely wasn’t cheap, but the food and service were both impeccable. My mom and I were both well impressed and would definitely go there again.

Sea lettuce maki… one of our many courses.