There’s plenty of high-rise competition in the City these days and “getting a reservation is always tough” but show-timing SUSHISAMBA is still a “wow-factor venue”, from the moment the lightning-quick glass elevator whisks you up to the 38th floor of the Heron Tower.
Once inside, expect incredible floor-to-ceiling views of London’s impressive skyline and groups of trendy City types splashing the cash on sexy show-stopping cocktails at the bar – don’t miss the creamy and fruity Lychee Cooler, a blend of vodka, elderflower and vanilla sugar which is shaken with lychee juice and coconut milk.
The buzz spills over into the razzmatazz restaurant, a truly gorgeous space decorated with hanging plants and splashes of bright orange. You can expect to hear Samba music blasting from the speakers, while innumerable staff are on hand to deliver “great service” and the views are, of course, spectacular (especially on a clear day).
Food-wise, the menu promises a thrilling fusion of Japanese and Latino cuisine that always packs a punch. Fans single out “some of the best sushi ever”, but we never tire of the crispy green bean tempura with intense black-truffle aïoli, or the richly luxurious Brazilian fish stew – a heady mix of shrimps, squid, sea bass, mussels and clams, topped with creamy coconut milk and finished with sticky chimichurri rice.
For pudding, sweet-toothed diners love the decadent chocolate and banana cake topped with a sugar-dusted plantain chip and a scoop of rum-spiked ice cream, although we’re also intrigued by ‘Zen Garden’ – an Asian-themed combo of yuzu curd, bergamot tea biscuits, chocolate, lychee and peach stones.
Sky-high pricing and a feeling of uppity exclusivity (including a strict dress-code policy) might not be everyone’s cup of saké, but Sushisamba remains the ultimate City spectacle – a high-octane, fun-loving destination for thrill-seekers and those with money to burn.