Sticks n Sushi

After an invite to the soft launch in November 2013, I was excited to return to Sticks n Sushi.

The stripped back decor and loft vibe made it an excellent choice for a Friday night catch up with friends. We booked a table for 6.30 and loved the fact that we didn't have to give it back after 2 hours!

Sticks n Sushi is a sushi lovers paradise with an extensive menu filled with a variety of rolls, nigiri and sashimi. Equally, Sticks n Sushi is also a non-sushi lovers paradise with a wide selection of meats and cheeses on sticks.

We started off the meal with ebi bites and grilled edamame to share. Delicious. 

For mains, we decided to share a platter of sushi and individually selected some sticks.

Our customised sushi platter consisted of smoky rolls, black cod dragon rolls, & california de luxe rolls. All were extremely fresh and flavoursome. 

I initially ordered the beef with rougié-foie gras and was disappointed to learn that it had been removed from the menu. However, the Beef with herb butter subsitute was very satisfying. I also ordered the panko breaded pork, and chicken topped with chilli dip. I found the pork a little bland but the wasabi dressing on the side complimented the pork well. The chicken was very tender.

The feast left us stuffed but of course we had some room for dessert! As a lover of peanut ice cream, I was torn between the chocolate fondant with peanut ice cream, and the four tasters (white chocolate with sweet miso & popped rice; vanilla crème brûlée; chocolate fondant with caramel & hazelnut brittle; and matcha green tea ice cream with dark chocolate). In the end, we all opted for the four tasters and the waitress let me substitute the green tea ice cream for peanut ice cream - win win! All four were delicious, but I particularly enjoyed the white chocolate/sweet miso/popped rice combo. 

On a final note, the staff at Sticks n Sushi were excellent. Extremely friendly, attentive and we were pleased with their recommendations.

I would recommend this place to anyone reading and look forward to returning!

Food: 4*

Service: 5*

Value: 4*

Overall: 4*

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Flat Iron

One spontaneous rainy evening, five of us ventured into Soho in search of good food. After a quick drink in Two Floors on Carnaby Street, we headed south and stumbled upon Flat Iron, a minimalist steakhouse hidden amongst the hustle and bustle of Central London. 

We were greeted by a friendly patron who advised that the wait would be around 90 minutes. Luckily, we were able to leave a telephone number and we headed over to a local pub (The Old Coffee House). 

Over 90 minutes and one packet of crisps later, we still hadn't received a call. We headed back to Flat Iron and they asked us to wait in the bar downstairs with a buzzer. 5 minutes later, the table was finally ready!

Flat Iron is a very intimate venue with minimalist decor. Long wooden benches form the majority of the tables which are decorated accordingly with tea lights and quirky cutlery! The atmosphere is reminiscent of a hipster restaurant in SoHo, NYC (Back Forty West springs to mind). 

We were given small cups of popcorn as an appetiser whilst we decided what to order.

The menu is very small but the main star of the show is it's trademark Flat Iron Steak. I ordered this (medium) with 2 sides (Dripping Cooked Chips & Creamed Spinach), one sauce (Peppercorn), and a drink (Dandelion & Burdoch).  

For a £10 steak, we were all surprised by the quality. The meat was seasoned well, cooked to perfection and very tender. The peppercorn sauce complimented the steak and the delicious sides brought the whole thing together. 

There was only one thing on the dessert menu, a delicious salted caramel mousse, but the light and airy texture was perfect to cleanse the palate and complete the meal. 

The bill came to under £25 per person for a main, dessert, drink and service. Flat Iron is incredibly good value for money and despite the queue length, an excellent alternative to popular steakhouses such as Hawksmoor.

Food: 5*
Service: 4*

Value: 5*

Overall: 5*

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