Review: Aqua Kyoto, Regent Street

Style Points: 4/5
Price: £££
Overall: 3/5

Aqua Kyoto does high-end Japanese in the swankiest way possible. The entrance to the restaurant is through a ground floor lobby, decked out in deep crimson where a doorman awaits to direct diners to a lift that takes you up to the lavishly finished fifth floor.

The first half of Aqua Kyoto is composed of the bar area, Aqua Spirit, which is surrounded by kimono silk padded booths. This leads onto a dramatic dining room where the main show piece is a sunken sushi bar where diners can watch their meals being expertly made.

The dining area is decked out fashionably in black and crimson red and there is also gigantic red lantern in the centre of the room resulting in a very swanky dining room.

Would I Want Seconds?

The set menus offered by Aqua Kyoto are a popular draw, both at lunch and dinner. We also booked a set menu which included three courses.

I ordered some sashimi to start include salmon and tuna which arrived decadently presented over a bowl full of ice and plenty of foliage. It was obvious that the sashimi was fresh from the taste, however it was quite cold due to the lashing of ice it was served on. The presenting of this dish was quite a novelty and it was obvious by now that Aqua Kyoto places a considerable amount of effort in delivering on appearances.

For my main course I tried the salmon ramen bowl. This arrived as a good portion size and included plenty of vegetables such as carrots and spinach,  however I did need to add lashings of soya sauce to add to the flavour as without this it would have been more on the bland side.

My dessert was again beautifully presented, and this proved to be a strength of Aqua Kyoto. I tried the green tea flavoured cake served with ice cream, which was delicious and my favourite dish of the meal.

Aqua Kyoto is also well known for its bar and the cocktails we tired included Yuzuama Bellinis and Knickerbockers, both of which were delectable.

Sashimi starter

Main course

Could I Afford Seconds?

Aqua Kyoto is a high end restaurant and the prices on the a la carte menu reflects this. However the restaurant often offers set menus which makes the experience of dining at Aqua Kyoto much more affordable.

We opted for a set menu which included 3 course and a welcome cocktail for £29. This worked out as very good value for money considering ordering similar dishes from the a la carte menu can cost much more. This is especially the case if you choose from the larger dishes such as the pot roasted lobster with lime leaf for £39.50 or the wagyu beef sirloin for £38.

The cocktails are also at the pricy end of the scale, costing between £11- £13 for a standard sized drink.

Overall: 

Aqua Kyoto is a very glossy restaurant and the décor is certainly well composed. However it’s not the type of restaurant you would go to in order to experience the best or most authentic sushi in London.

The best part of Aqua Kyoto is the lovely rooftop garden at the end of the restaurant. This big open terrace is a well-designed area and offers plenty of seating overlooking Regent Street. There are certainly some stunning views to take in from here at sunset and is almost good enough to make me recommend Aqua Kyoto.

Website: aquakyoto.co.uk
Address: 5th Floor, 240 Regent Street, Soho, London W1E 3BR
Closet Tube Station: Oxford Circus

View from the terrace