SUSHISAMBA London
Restaurant · Bishopsgate ·
Creative sushi & cocktails with panoramic London skyline views
Creative sushi & cocktails with panoramic London skyline views
"Sometimes it feels like there’s a trade-off: good views for bad food. And, in the case of Sushisamba, it’s very much true. It’s got the fusion menu, it’s got the arse-clenching prices, it’s got the clientele wearing very tight trousers. That said, it really does afford some of the most breathtaking views across the entirety of London. Knowing that, you should enjoy the ride up to the 38th floor of the Heron Tower with drinks in mind, rather than sushi rolls topped with melted mozzarella. Play it safe and get dinner somewhere else in Shoreditch." - rianne shlebak, jake missing, sinead cranna
"The Verdict: You should have low expectations for this naff spot that’s high in the sky. Some things are inevitable, and people in very tight trousers wanting to go up to the 38th floor of the Heron Tower to eat sushi rolls topped with melted mozzarella is one of them. Unfortunately, Sushisamba is just one of those places. It’s got the views, it’s got the fusion menu, it’s got the arse-clenching prices. You shouldn’t eat lunch or dinner here. That’s a fact. But if you want to get an overpriced drink and look across London, we can’t stop you." - sinead cranna, rianne shlebak, jake missing, heidi lauth beasley
"SushiSamba at the Grand Canal Shoppes has a roster of vegan and vegetarian dishes such as vegetable sushi ranging from the Amazonia roll with collard greens, portobello, mushroom, and takuwan to cucumber, asparagus, or avocado sushi, and robata dishes such as cherry tomatoes, mixed wild mushrooms, or eggplant." - Katie Swalm
"Like gravity, and pints of lager when England score, Sushisamba is fine evidence of the rule that ‘what goes up, must come down’. Located on the 38th floor of the Heron Tower, this restaurant is a tall, tall mistake. Possibly Europe’s tallest since Michael Jackson was given a balcony room. After the lift ride up, you’ll find that Sushisamba is an expert in extremely low blows. The prices are high, but the food quality low. The restaurant heaving, but the atmosphere lacking. The staff plentiful, but the service questionable. If, like us, you have a casual interest in sadism, then order the ‘Taste of Samba’ menu. This 120-minute endurance test of Peruvian, Brazilian, and Japanese food is a rollercoaster without adrenaline. Basically, nausea and the fear that it will never end. A highlight of this down and down, round and round menu is a plate of sweet potato covered in smoke emulsion, complete with blackened sticks of yuca stuck in it. Looks-wise: ashtray. Taste-wise: gravel mixed with rainbow dust. Unfortunately you can’t ask the legion of staff what’s what here as they’re constantly swapping around. There’s enough of them to fight a war. Well, we say fight, but we mean lose, as they’d probably turn up late to the wrong country. Sushisamba’s one redeeming feature, the terrace and its view of London, becomes all the more appealing the longer you’re here. Not because it’s the quickest way out—though we have thought about it - but because it’s a rare perspective of London’s breadth. A view that reminds us that there are lots and lots of restaurants out there. Lots and lots of which won’t serve us melted mozzarella on sushi. And thank god for that. The view, though, is double-sided and double-edged. People are never going to stop coming here because of it. We know that. But when you’re travelling up to London with high expectations, expecting a great meal, it should be known that Sushisamba is only ever going to let you down. RESERVE A TABLE WITH RESERVE A TABLE Food Rundown Yellowtail Taquitos These are fine. Like a quick lunch running around Westfield fine. Only they’re on an £85 tasting menu. They come with a foam. Which just takes like paprika. In foam form. Cancha Seviche Lacking in fish, this quickly becomes an arbitrarily large bowl of corn in a punchy citrus juice. It’s a bit much. Green Bean Tempura With Truffle Aioli Totally alright. Tempura is crispy enough. And the aioli is okay if you’re into the overwhelming whiff of truffle oil. Wagyu Gyoza If you were absolutely hammered and these turned up, you’d be happy. But if you’re sober, they’ll taste like they’ve been made by someone who was hammered. Yuca Plantation Infatuation top tip: never eat something that looks like an ashtray. Ever. El Topo A fitting name for the dish, as that’s what you’ll be thinking about doing to yourself. Gooey mozzarella on sushi. No no no. Nigiri Quite nice. Ezo A decent enough roll. Heritage Carrots When we ate these they came, for no reason, prior to the sushi. On their own. Which really made us notice how undercooked and bad they were. Lamb Chop Actually alright. Bit of miso on it. It’s nice to pay for something edible, you know? Moqueca Mista This is a big old bowl of fish that’s been boiled in cream with a load of rice. The perfect ninth course. Just what the doctor ordered. Chocolate Banana Cake Tasted a lot like a Sainsburys microwave hot pudding, and we were quite thankful for that." - Jake Missing
"SushiSamba inside the Grand Canal Shoppes has brunch from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 3, and Sunday, April 4, with French toast made with sweet potato butter, caramelized pecans, seasonal fruits, farofa, crispy bacon, and dulce de leche shichimi sauce and Japanese A5 wagyu lomo saltado with purple potato hash, onion, tomatoes, and steamed rice." - Susan Stapleton
