After almost four years in Stratford, Nikkei restaurant Bamboo Mat has expanded to Canary Wharf, and of course, Foodepedia is here to try it.
Nikkei is one of my favourite cuisines, so perhaps I’m a little biased, but I also come with high expectations, having tried pretty much all the Nikkei restaurants in London.
This cuisine was born from the meeting of Japanese and Peruvian cultures, following the arrival of Japanese immigrants in Peru in the late 19th century.
And so the blending of Japanese cooking techniques with local Peruvian ingredients and flavours began.
The signatures include an array of marinated fish dishes, robata-grilled plates served with chimichurri and loaded and torched sushi, all of which can be found in Bamboo Mat Canary Wharf.
The new space is considerably more spacious compared to the Stratford location, spread across two floors, with ambitions to become the brand’s flagship location. We place our order and take in the décor while we wait.
A collection of hand-carved wooden stools with tall backs, each featuring a different face catch my eye. Arranged around the bar, they make quite a statement.
Combined with the dimmed lighting on the ground floor, they create an atmosphere that feels almost Moche-inspired. It’s a lovely touch and gives the space plenty of character.
Upstairs, the mood changes slightly, with a large dining area and more natural light, offering a brighter and roomy setting.
Our starters begin to arrive. First up is the marinated hamachi tiradito, served with truffle soy and a touch of amarillo pepper.
At £15.50, it’s a generous plate, with beautifully sliced hamachi arranged like a flower, each slice forming a petal.
The fish is wonderfully buttery and fresh, while the sauce adds a lovely zesty kick. A little mound of grated mooli in the centre is a nice finishing touch.
My guest indulges in a bowl of pork belly, marinated in red and yellow pepper with a fine thin crisp coating. It comes drizzled with traditional Peruvian huacatay sauce and chimichurri sauce.
I often find pork belly can lack that veggie zesty pairing making it too rich on its own. Not this one, though. The sauces bring just the right balance, making it feel almost like a complete meal in itself, as my guest jokingly points out.
We of course also share some sushi, volcano maki is Bamboo Mat’s signature. It’s torched on the table for that smokey note.
A set of six rolls with all the greens inside such as cucumber, avo and asparagus is crowned with a silky salmon and seabass mix pate. The end is creamy with a lovely veggie crunch.
For drinks we of course have some pisco sour, it’s a good sized glass but sadly I find mine a little too sweet for my liking.
There are also sashimi and nigiri to pick from on the menu but we decide to skip that and proceed straight to the robata grill mains.
Mine is three piece of meaty lamb chops, they are nice and chunky, incredibly tender with a thin fat rim along the protein.
Loaded with anticucho, same 2 coloured pepper spice as our starter pork belly and plenty of fresh coriander.
And the ribeye steak for my guest, it’s conveniently thinly sliced and adored in fresh chimi.
Tender meat that has plenty of flavour without even needing the chimichurri but it’s there if desired.
The dessert menu offers all the classics: crème brûlée, yuzu cheesecake, chocolate fondant and mochi.
I stick with the Japanese theme and opt for a trio of mochi. No complaints here. The flavours are natural, and mochis are served softened, just as they should be.
I’ve had my fair share of mochi served practically frozen, like little icicles, when really they’re best enjoyed after being allowed to melt a tad bit.
The chocolate fondant is another winner. Rich, with deep dark chocolate flavours, it’s exactly how I like it: slightly crispy around the edges, while the middle remains soft, warm and gooey, with that lovely molten chocolate centre.
I think Bamboo Mat will settle in just fine here. The area has plenty of dining options, but it could certainly do with more reasonably priced sushi and Japanese-Peruvian fusion. So it might just fill that gap.
The manager also tells us that delivery will be coming soon, which is another plus from me.
Bamboo Mat, 1 North Ln, Canary Wharf Estate, London E22 3AD