“Welcome to my house. KAJI is where fire and flavour collide with energy and excitement.” – Chef Steven Smith.
Perfectly surmised by Steven, KAJI Manchester is an immersive Japanese fusion dining experience, with open flame cooking, quality sushi and original cocktails.
The atmosphere was fantastic when I visited early on a Tuesday evening, so I can only imagine the buzz at the weekend, and when the live DJs start post-9pm.
Inside the restaurant there’s a smoky haze in the air which set off all my senses as I began to read through the à la carte menu. KAJI also has lunch & early evening menus, as well as chef-guided experiences such as the Omakase Experience and Chef’s Table.
Our waitress was very knowledgeable and spent time talking us through the menu, suggesting sushi to start, followed by a few snacks or starters, and then a main dish per person.
Following her advice, we ordered 6 pieces of the chef’s sashimi selection, which included Chutoro, a medium fatty tuna, salmon and sea bream.
It was served with all the drama the incredible sashimi deserved; atop a glass display with dry ice smoke spilling out from the centre.
Next were the snacks & starters. We had the boneless corn-fed chicken wings, using the often-discarded tip of the wing which held a lot of flavour. These were accompanied by a delicious thai green mousse and katsu curry sauce.
The Umami bone broth with crispy dumplings acted as a perfect deep savoury palette cleanser before our mains arrived.
Both the main courses were presented beautifully.
We chose the 200g salt-aged hanger beef, which is charred over Japanese coals & English oak, giving the restaurant its fantastic smell.
Stacked on top was ox cheek stuffed shiitake mushroom, and we had fresh tangy chimichurri to accompany it.
Alongside the beef we had the cod loin kiev, with deep smoked garlic and a tangy anchovy emulsion, as well as some side dishes.
The wood fired autumn roots in seaweed butter were incredibly moreish, with a delicious umami flavour. We also ordered the spicy miso glazed cabbage which was a stand out dish for me.
To drink we had the Spicy Citrus, with Mezcal, yuzu sake, agave syrup and togarashi spice, and Smoky Rum, with Ron Zacapa 23, figue liqueur, walnut bitters, chocolate bitters and drop smoky whiskey.
Both had great flavour, and kept our taste buds wide-awake in between bites.
Closing out the meal, we shared a yuzu baked custard tart which had the perfect sweet/savoury balance, and a Sesame Espresso Martini as a digestive.
The whole experience was a delight, and I will certainly be returning to Chef Steven’s ‘house’, hopefully next time as a guest at his Chef’s Table!
KAJI, 64 Bridge St, Manchester, M3 3BN
hkajimcr.com