Following successful offshoots across the Middle East and Michelin Guide plaudits, CLAP London, serving Japanese cuisine, has sprouted up in the heart of Knightsbridge. Perched on a prime spot on Basil Street (equidistant from Harrods and Harvey Nichols, two of London’s most iconic luxury department stores), CLAP London occupies just under 10,000 square feet, set across three floors.
The sensory experience at CLAP London begins on the ground floor, where repurposed flags hang from the ceiling above a fountain-festooned walkway that leads to a lift, which whisks you up to the sixth floor of the building. The contemporary chic, yet playful aesthetic, was conceptualised by renowned Japanese designer and founder of Studio Glitt, Noriyoshi Muramatsu. The restaurant’s design and open kitchen help convey an atmosphere of pizzazz and finesse. The 220-cover restaurant is split across the sixth and seventh floors. On the sixth floor, you can choose a table in one of two areas overlooking the kitchen and keep an eye on chefs at work. There are also tables that afford a wonderful view over Knightsbridge. The sixth-floor aesthetic is little more conventional, whilst the top floor, which features a rooftop bar and DJ decks, boasts several eccentric details, such as lamps crafted from kitsch Japanese toys. The seventh floor, with its panoramic views across central London, has more of a party vibe, with an atmosphere inspired by Tokyo’s electric music scene. The bar offers cocktails created by some of the world’s best bars, displaying an eclectic side of modern Japanese drinking. Concoctions run the gamut from the smoky and complex Tokashi-Gawa to the silky Detective Conan.
On both floors, guests can enjoy a fusion of Japanese cuisine, masterfully crafted by French culinary director and chef Renald Epie, who has combined traditional and contemporary flavours from the East and the West.
My husband and I visited on a Thursday night in mid-February and opted for a table beside the window on the sixth floor. We both opted for the Premium Omakase menu. Omakase loosely translates as, “I will leave it up to you,” which, given the calibre of the cooking here, seemed a sensible plan, and meant that we received a steady stream of dishes carefully selected by the head chef to curate the full CLAP dining experience.
To begin, we enjoyed some Zensai (light bites), which included edamame encased in truffle and honey – a novel take on a classic. I was not wholly convinced about the merit of adding stickiness to what is, essentially, a finger food, but the truffle flavour added a delicious, earthy dimension to the edamame which was definitely an enhancement. We also enjoyed some crispy rice topped with salmon and avocado. The avocado – which was pureed into a light mousse – was the perfect counterbalance to the crispiness of the rice.
From the Hajimeru (starters) we sampled the crispy shiitake salad, which was served with a piquant goma dressing. This dish was the absolute apotheosis of the evening for me: the balance of flavours and textures (the dehydrated mushrooms paired with the creamy tahini-based sauce and crisp lettuce base was a heavenly combination). I would visit again for this dish alone.
This was followed by some top notch premium nigiri (shiso sea bass and tosazuhamachi) and sashimi (gorgeously rich o-toro and unagi) and ‘Crazy California’ rolls (crab, avocado and tangy wasabi mayo). As you would imagine, the fish was exceptionally fresh, and elegantly presented.
Another highlight of the meal for me was the black cod miso. Having spent some time working in Japan during my 20s, I have sampled this dish in various places, and can confirm that CLAP London’s is pretty exceptional, with a sweet citrus miso sauce and hajikamishoga. My husband and I also loved the charred cauliflower (from the Okazu, or sides menu), which was an Asian take on classic cauliflower cheese. We loved the soy aioli sauce and dusting of parmesan on this very moreish dish. My husband, who is vegetarian, also loved the stone bowl vegetables and grilled silken tofu dishes. The quinoa risotto with creamy yuzu truffle was a slightly unorthodox take on a classic, butactually very tasty.
By this point we were extremely full, but our charming waitress entreated us to sample the Clap Signature dessert platter, which is included in the Omakase dining experience. What arrived could only be described as a cornucopia of puddings – including a melee of exotic fruits (including starfruit, passion fruit, and bread fruit), an indulgent matcha cheesecake, vanilla-peanut millefeuille, chocolate fondant and yuzu sorbet. It was a fitting end to a veritable feast, and although it left us defeated, it was wonderful to be able to taste a mouthful of each of the desserts on offer.
As we descended in the elevator back to the ground floor, my husband and I remarked on what a fabulous evening we’d enjoyed at CLAP. It’s a sensational experience – both culinarily and sensorily. It’s got some of the best Japanese food that I’ve tasted outside Tokyo, and that is high praise indeed.
Premium Omakase £225 per guest.
CLAP London Sixth and seventh Floor, 12-14 Basil St, London SW3 1AJ
Business Lunch set menu at CLAP London
CLAP London is launching a Business Lunch set menu on 18 March. Available Monday-Friday from 12pm-3pm, guests can mix business with pleasure as they enjoy a 3-course menu carefully curated by Culinary Director, Chef Renald Epie, for £35 per person.
CLAP’s menu is ideal for those who want to upgrade their usual lunch aldeskofor a swift business lunch in style, as well as those looking to insert an elevated Japanese dining experience into a shopping trip on Sloane Street.
