Freak Scene Parsons Green
Japanese restaurant · Parsons Green ·
Asian fusion with chilli crab bombs, cod tacos, wagyu
Asian fusion with chilli crab bombs, cod tacos, wagyu
"Chilli crab and avocado wonton bomb “This crunchy little guy had an excellent hit of chilli crab and was somehow the perfect bite of bar food. Perfect for crunching on in between sipping beers and screaming ‘GO TO THE LEFT!’ whilst watching Takeshi’s Castle on Freak Scene’s TV screens. I’m not going to tell you more about it because, sadly, Freak Scene was one of the many restaurants that closed during the pandemic and we’ve all had enough FOMO in 2020. Goodbye friend. Maybe we’ll see you on the other side.” - HLB" - oliver feldman, heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak
"Scott Hallsworth — an ex‑Nobu head chef — is reviving his itinerant, Asian‑influenced concept as a permanent 46‑cover restaurant at 28 Parsons Green Lane in Fulham, backed by comedian Adam Hills. The project follows a series of pop‑ups (and a Frith Street iteration that closed in July 2020 during the pandemic) and comes after a failed crowdfunding bid; this will be the brand's first fully fledged, full‑service site. The cooking is described as a ‘whistle‑stop tour of Asia’ with a Nobu‑tinged, maximalist approach: high‑acid treatments, liberal deep‑frying alongside many raw dishes, and heavy use of hamachi, tobiko and wagyu. Example dishes on the proposed menus include hamachi sashimi with yuzu and soy, black cod “tacos” and a trio of wagyu." - James Hansen
"A compact central-London spot offering muscular, unpretentious cooking built from punchy, chef-clever mini bites: standout dishes include chilli crab and avocado bombs, miso black cod with sushi rice tacos, and especially mushrooms sealed and baked with soy, mirin, garlic and butter that deliver an irresistible aroma explosion. The menu is designed to stimulate rather than impress and pairs with a brash cocktail list (whose jokey names can be off-putting), so while the experience is exhilarating and nostalgic for some, the intense, sensation-driven small plates make it hard to compose a conventional, sustained dinner—yet the place retains a rough-edged charm." - George Reynolds
"Somehow, along the way, we have replaced actual laughter with the word “lols”. We need to feel again people. We need to laugh again. Out loud. Freak Scene in Soho is a place where you can do that. For real. The food is a described as ‘pan Asian’ (insert eye-roll here), but rather than serving up mediocre interpretations of anything a bit Asian food-y - they actually nail the remixes. The chilli crab bomb, spicy crab meat in a wonton case, is the er... bomb, and you’ll want to order the black cod tacos twice. The restaurant itself is small, with hip-hop nostalgia on the walls, hip-hop blasting out of the speakers, and Japanese game shows distracting you on the TV above the kitchen. Time will tell if they can keep up the fun vibes for the long run, but for now, it’s proper lols." - Eileen Twum
"A loud, maximalist fusion pop-up turned Soho outpost that pairs rock‑and‑roll theatricality with confident, flavour-packed cooking. Standout dishes include chilli crab and avocado wonton ‘bombs’ (fresh, crisp and balanced between slow-building heat and citrus), a Loch Duart salmon sashimi ‘pizza’ with truffle ponzu, wasabi tobiko and jalapeño that delivers complementary textures, and a honey‑hoisin pork belly lettuce wrap with mussels and pineapple sambal deemed the best of the lot. The atmosphere — Pixies-heavy soundtrack, cheekily named cocktails and a boss who courts the spotlight — may verge on rockstar chef territory, but most diners leave messy and very happy." - George Reynolds
