If there was one department store in London I’m really starting to fall back in love with, it’s Harrods. An iconic British department store, leading the way in the best of just about everything.
As part of the two-year transformation Harrods is currently undergoing, I visited at the very start with the re-launch of its Roastery & Bake Hall which got me very excited. It felt like I’d stepped back in time to how Harrods once was. Personal, immersive and with a feeling of grandeur. I also loved how interactive they made shopping for food, being able to smell & taste the foods before you eat them and talk to staff who know exactly what they’re selling.
In the third instalment of this two-year transformation of Harrods’ historic Food Halls, the store’s most original hall has been is given an overhaul which will leave you gasping – because it’s absolutely beautiful. The Dining Hall as it is now known, has the most stunning of tiles on the ceiling. The wine bar at the centre is so social and the five restaurants surrounding it are all of the highest possible standard.
This room was formerly known as the Meat & Fish Hall and they’ve done an amazing job transforming it. With everyone eating out more than ever now and cooking less at home, it only makes sense for Harrods to elevate its offering so people can shop and eat all in one place till their heart is content because after all – why wouldn’t you want to sip on Champagne and tuck into a plate of sushi after a little retail therapy?
Set to become a must-visit culinary destination in Knightsbridge, we ended up dining at The Sushi Bar which is headed up by Eddie Lim of the Mango Tree group. It looks stunning and its menu, equally as enticing. We took our seat and tucked into a glass of chilled Champagne. One thing to note about this food hall is the queue to get a seat at one of the five restaurants looked very lengthy, so do as we did by calling ahead and making a reservation. Even if it’s just a few minutes before you dine.
To kick off our meal, we started with what may well be the dish I enjoyed most here – wagyu beef tataki. The most stunning A5 grade wagyu, thinly sliced and served with a red onion salsa, jalapeño dressing, garlic chips and truffle. The texture of the meat was beautiful, it had a touch of smokiness coming through from the grill and the dressing on it smelt a little slice of heaven. If you come here, don’t leave without trying this.
Equally as impressive was the tuna tataki. Again, it was all about quality and after talking to Andy Cook, Executive Chef at Harrods, I found out that all of the ingredients used across the restaurants in The Food Hall can be purchased from the Harrods Fresh Market Hall. The thin slices of tuna came topped with some karashi zuke (pickled vegetables) and some secret Harrods special dressing. We washed it all down with a glass or two from the wine list which has been curated by Harrods’ expert team of buyers.
I’m still dreaming about the signature rolls, especially the kabayaki of eel and foie gras. It might be the richest thing I’ve probably ever eaten, but also the most delicious. Soft morsels of juicy, scorched and smokey BBQ eel. A generous cube of soft foie gras, apple unagi sauce and crispy fried leeks. This is what sushi dreams are made of.
My first time having meat in or on a sushi roll and it certainly won’t be the last. Some very good sticky sushi rice, filled with tataki of wagyu beef fillet, then wrapped in a thin layer of wagyu and topped with black truffle and onion miso sauce. Another rich, but very delicious dish.
Who would believe, but we ate all of this food between just two of us! I didn’t quite realise just how much at the time, until writing and looking back at it all – though totally worth it. Especially when this huge 15pc sashimi platter arrived. The highest of sushi grade fish, all expertly prepared by the chefs. If I was being extra picky perhaps they could have been ever so slightly thinner, but that’s just my personal opinion. Salmon, tuna, yellowtail, sea bass, tuna belly and some really lovely chunks of fresh pickled ginger.
For an extra fee and for the real deal, order the fresh Japanese wasabi root. It has much more flavour, more bite and whilst it has more heat, it doesn’t linger and so adds extra flavour to just about everything. The green stuff you usually get in your sushi lunches is actually horseradish and so if you’ve not tried wasabi fresh before, you’ll be converted and pleasantly surprised.
More sushi you say? I know, I feel like we ate a small proportion of the ocean that evening. To finish, we tucked into the 12 piece omakase selection. For those of you who don’t know, the term omakase is a Japanese phrase that means “I’ll leave it up to the chef”. The selection of omakase is determined each morning prior to service, depending on what comes in fresh and ours was absolutely stunning. Each piece so fresh and a joy to eat – particularly the tuna.
If my latest meal here at Harrods was anything to go by, then I think I should begin to explore everything else both this food hall and the department store has to offer because there is so much going on here. Price wise it’s not cheap, but then when has Harrods ever been that? It’s about extravagance, quality and service. Something which I’d happily spend my money on. Would we come back? Yes. We’re already planning a return – this time to check out their Pasta Bar!
Sushi heaven! You had me at that first wagu dish!