Sosharu has a sleekness to it. Even from the exterior, there is only a simple sign to indicate the restaurant. It could easily be mistaken as an office building. The inside entrance has the striking orange acer/maple leaf plants.
The interior of Sosharu has the bar and kitchen at one end. Tables are sectioned off into areas by wooden framed panels. This allows privacy and space between the diners.
Sosharu is one of Jason Atherton’s restaurants and the cuisine is heavily Japanese influenced mixed with some English fusion. This special afternoon at Sosharu was for their signature Afternoon Tea. After being shown to our table, hot towels were produced on small wooden tree logs. Such a refreshing way to commence the afternoon. It’s the small touches and attention to detail that can make a dining experience extra special.
The waiter then came and explained the varieties of teas on the menu. They all sounded interesting as there were various green teas. A Sobacha tea was chosen. This caffeine free buckwheat infusion had a slight savoury note to it and was delicious. Later on in the afternoon, the Kukicha with Cherry Blossom was had. Surprisingly, this green tea was not too floral at all. It had a subtle sweetness and was very palatable.
Sosharu brought out the different components of the Afternoon Tea at different times. This allowed us to savour each “layer” and to have a break between the courses.
Our savoury food started with the Winter Vegetables Temaki. A wooden board holding beautiful creations of crispy seaweed filled with the vegetables was presented. Slices of radish, sprigs of lettuce, carrot matchsticks, sushi rice and avocado made this dish so colourful. Each bite was so flavoursome with all the textures of the vegetables working in harmony. A small bottle of spiced mayonnaise made for a great accompaniment to the Temaki.
The second section of our Afternoon Tea was a hot dish. Chicken Karaage was succulent and tender, Crispy coated soft chicken was delightful. Lemon salt and spicy sauce were the additions for the chicken. But even without the condiments, the Chicken Karaage was so moreish.
Normally, the best is saved until last but Afternoon Tea at Sosharu, each layer was as wonderful and unique as the next. The cake selection came on wooden tiers. The portion sizes were good. There were no miniature cakes in sight. Instead, it was real proper sized slices of cake and dessert. The waitress went through each cake with its description.
The lower layer had the fruit based cakes and the top layer was crowned with the chocolate creation. The classic Taiyaki was filled with raspberry and yuzu. The Japanese Cotton Cheesecake was so light and pillowy soft. The two sponge layers sandwiched a thick layer of fresh cream together with mango and strawberry pieces.
A green spiral contrasted by the white filling was the Yogurt Strawberry Roll. A slight tang from the yogurt went well with the strawberry puree and the sponge. Another light delicious cake.
The chocolate creation was stunning just like all of the other cakes. It was a Chocolate Sesame Praline Gateau with Miso Caramel decorated with flecks of gold. There was a contrast of crunchy and soft textures to this cake as well as the contrast of the sweet and salty flavours. Even though it was chocolate, this dome shaped gateau was not too rich.
Sosharu made for a memorable and extremely special Afternoon Tea. The food, service, staff and whole ambiance of this restaurant was perfect. There is also a private dining area and the lower level accommodates the bar.
Sosharu, 64 Turnmill Street, London, EC1M 5RR
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