Having opened barely a year ago, Sumosan Twiga is a relative newcomer to the Knightsbridge food scene, but it’s already making an impact, with its three chic floors of dining, drinking and dancing.
Sumosan Twiga is the brainchild of global hospitality partners, Flavio Briatore of Monaco’s Twiga restaurant concept, and restaurateur Janina Wolkow, founder of the renowned Albermale Street Japanese hotspot Sumosan. The partnership was born from a shared vision and serendipitous opportunity which brought the collaboration to full fruition in London in November 2016.
This is not another fusion food concept but instead, a restaurant with two kitchens producing two different types of cuisine. It gives the diner a unique opportunity to enjoy fine dining in a new way; dishes from Italy and Japan are served alongside each other and can be enjoyed in a mix and match style of dining, but with an emphasis on quality and authenticity. You can enjoy the best of both worlds with a Japanese starter and an Italian main or vice-versa.
You’ll find the discreet entrance to the restaurant wedged between Chanel and La Perla, half way down Sloane Street, which also makes it a perfect spot for some post retail-therapy refueling.
The restaurant was bursting the night we visited, with groups and couples enjoying the array of delicious plates on offer and bathing in the vibrant atmosphere. The coming together of Italian & Japanese cultures is also reflected in a sleek and stylish interior design created by Michele Bonan. Monochrome palates dominated, striking art works dressed the walls and plush furnishings provided a luxurious and comfortable dining experience.
We started with a plate of sashimi, which was of the highest quality, marinated and presented on the plate in beautiful thin slices, doused with a punchy ponzu dressing. We also enjoyed a plateful of beautiful raw tuna laid upon a tangy jalapeño cream which complimented the meaty fish beautifully.
The sushi was equally memorable. The aptly named Temptation Roll contained crab meat, asparagus chopped tuna, crispy tempura and wasabi cream. The Albermarle Roll was a tightly wrapped salmon and avocado surrounded by crispy tempura. There was an abundance of flavour & texture in their maki rolls so they needed very little additions in the way of soy sauce and wasabi.
We tried a dish which was new to me, but we soon learnt was a staple of Sunday lunch in some Italian regions; Vitello Tonnato – it was tender slices of veal with a tuna cream and capers on top. It was delicious; just another demonstration of how the Italians have nailed simple but exquisite dishes.
The Alaskan black cod was one of the stars of the show although it was fighting with strong competition as every dish was a knock out, including the sides of buttered spinach and grilled vegetables. The cod is marinated in sweet miso for 48 house before being baked in the oven. It was the most tender, flavourful piece of white fish I’d had in a long time.
We also enjoyed the strozzapreti with sea bass and lemon sauce. The home-made pasta was married with a tangy citrus sauce, chunks of wild sea-bass and finished with Parmesan. It was a filling and delicious Italian treat.
Dessert was a complete celebration. A white chocolate and green tea fondant was encased in a large sugar-work dome, with a canelle of vanilla ice-cream on the side. It was layers of sweet deliciousness.
The service was flawless. The team were always on hand to top up glasses and talk through the dishes. They struck the right balance between attentive and discreet, a fine skill to master.
I loved dining at Sumosan Twiga; it was a triumphant meal, with the food, service and interior all working together to create a memorable experience. The concept of serving up two different cuisines, both created with exquisite detail is genius and one London has embraced with open arms.
165 Sloane Street, London, SW1X 9QB
sumosantwigalondon.com
