Have you heard of the Japanese proverb '味噌汁は不老長寿の薬' miso shiru wa furou chouju no kusuri'? It translates as 'Miso soup is medicine for eternal youth and longevity'. Quite the bold statement! But it encapsulates the importance of miso soup and how it has been treasured for 1800 years in Japanese cuisine. Tokugawa Ieyasu, who is said to have been Japan's first ever 健康オタク health nerd, is said to have enjoyed a daily miso soup with 五菜三根 gosai sankon, which means 5 types of vegetables and 3 types of root vegetables. That sounds more like a casserole! Ieyasu was the first shōgun of the Tokugaw ..read more

    It is impossible to imagine Japanese food, washoku 和食, without the tremendously hard working soy bean.   The most essential of condiments like soy sauce and miso would not be possible without soy beans. Foods like tofu 豆腐, tofu skin yuba 湯葉, natto 納豆 (fermented soy beans), and edamame 枝豆 would not exist.   Let's explore this magnificent bean!         When we refer to soy beans, it's usually the dried mature soy beans.   They would not be eaten as they are, but roasted to make a crunchy snack, steeped in water for long hours and used to mak ..read more

Chef's Sashimi Selection is quite the spectacle, deserving of all the Oohhs & Aahhs it receives ?   A carefully laid out colourful array of the freshest ingredients available on the day can include tuna, salmon, sea bream, sea bass, ikura salmon roe, home cured mackerel/tuna, scallop, squid... with exquisite home made decorations and garnishes.   Prepare to be wowed!     Garnishes are more than just pretty   Let's start at the very beginning (a very good place to start ♪)   The most famous garnish I think we can all agree is wasabi, わさび, Japanese horser ..read more

Hello Japanese food lovers! Even for seasoned Japanese food enjoyers, sake is often described as an acquired taste. But once acquired, it mesmerises continuously! ?   If you're feeling the tickle but are unsure of where to start, we have the perfect starter set...   The perfect introduction - Kikizake Sake Tasting Set 　 Our Kikizake Sake Tasting set of three different glasses of sake 50ml each, introduces you to three very different tastes and textures that will open your eyes wide to the infinite deeply mysterious and wonderful world of sake.   Firmly balanced Koshin ..read more

  We love salmon at So Restaurant    We cannot count the number of items on our menu that include salmon on one hand. On our small plates menu, there's our smoked salmon (above) made with painstaking dedication using the best sashimi grade salmon. This luscious smoked salmon also makes an appearance as an ingredient in our shichifuku seven fortune make sushi that is a real festival of a sushi roll!      Then there's the salmon rikyu-yaki (above) which again, is made with sashimi grade salmon marinated in a special miso mixture and grilled with a beautiful coat of ..read more

Miso Marinated Black Cod - one of our most popular menus! The miso marinated black cod is one of our most sought after menus. Marinated in miso overnight, it's divinely smooth, full of sweetness and umami, and is an exceptional partner with Japanese fluffy rice or sake. We serve our black cod with a little side veg that can vary. The above version is with red cabbage pickled with saltanas, a side dish that is often included in our weekly sozai set available for UK wide delivery.   But I digress... did you know that   Fish skin is one of the most nutrient rich parts     Fi ..read more

  This event, exclusive to 30 guests, will (re)introduce you the world of Rakugo in the Sunshine style! He will tell you inside stories from the world of Rakugo, West End and Broadway that you will never hear anywhere else. Guests will also have a chance to ask questions and take photographs with him. The ticket includes a Japanese Shokado Bento Box – traditional Kaiseki style meal, a drink, one complimentary ticket to Katsura Sunshine’s show at Leicester Square Theatre ( Dec or Jan show to choose from) and a special Omiyage souvenir from Katsura Sunshine. Be a part of t ..read more

Japanese people are known to be.... many things ? Find out how Japanese you are!                  You're in a fairly long queue to get into the supermarket and your phone is entertaining you, but wait, someone has just sneaked in in front of you. What do you do? A Gently pat them on the shoulder and let them know where the end of the queue is, in case they missed it B Make loud remarks about rude queue-cutting people to yourself C Pretend not to notice and hope the people behind you don't either            ..read more

  Gohan is the magic word Gohan means steamed rice, but is also the collective word for 'meal' in Japanese. When the cook in the family announces that dinner is on the table, we say 'Gohan yo~' ('yo' as in 'yolk') Breakfast is 'asa gohan' (asa means morning) Lunch is 'ohiru gohan'' (ohiru is midday) Dinner is yoru gohan' (yoru is night). So you can see how important and integral 'gohan' is for the Japanese language :) Uncooked rice is referred to as 'kome' ('me' as in 'men'), and 'gohan' is the steamed fluffy aromatic version that is served with your grilled eel, katsu curry, c ..read more

  What is Hinamatsuri 雛祭り Hinamatsuri is celebrated on 3rd March every year. It is one of the five seasonal festivals, gosekku 五節句 in the traditional Japanese calendar.  Families bring out Hina-ningyo 雛人形 decorations, a set of ornamental dolls representing the Emperor and Empress in traditional court dress of the Heian period. The more elaborate versions include their attendants and musicians and comprise of more than five tiers. The one in above picture is a three tier set. Special food is enjoyed, with the hopes of bringing good fortune to the girls in the family ..read more