8 at The Londoner

Last Updated on December 12, 2023

Bar food meets international chic

Heading to a rooftop bar might not be your idea of a good time on a chilly November evening but wrapped up and ready for anything we headed up to 8 at The Londoner, right on Leicester Square. Being ushered to the back of the chic The Londoner hotel did feel a little bit like entering a secret club. The space, heavily perfumed, had the pulsing energy of one of those low-lit noughties retail offers, but it proved mightily welcoming.

Arriving at the bar offered a welcome surprise, as the eye-catching central fire, adorned with pirate ship-style rigging offered a gentle warmth throughout the night. It was also surrounded by bamboo with copious incense wafting up behind the booths. The roof garden’s offer is styled after the ‘Izakaya’ a Japanese bar food tradition that is more well known for its rough-around-the-edges bold flavours. 8 at The Londoner’s range was able to offer a good balance between these recognisable favourites and a few more subtle additions.

An easy-to-understand menu offered a good range of Japanese and more generally Asian small plates available to a substantial palette of dietary requirements. This was accompanied by a nice range of signature cocktails as well as sakes.

We started with a Sakura Royale (£20) a take on the Kir Royale with mild coconutty creaminess, raspberry notes and a little bit of earthy green tea as well as that signature floral fruitiness of Sakura (cherry blossom).

The Espresso Goma (£18) was smooth, salty and sweet. A dusting of sugar on one side of the drink made the other more bitter and salty. This drink was an alluring combo of contrasting tastes topped with a shard of sesame wafer and a smooth buttery foam.

Next came one of our first courses: Sea Bass Carpaccio (£16). Tart, citrussy with garlic, ginger and a snap of sea salt, spicy and light, the radish in the centre provided a welcome crunch.

To follow, we had the Beef Tataki with black truffle ponzu (£18). It was perfectly seasoned and at that perfect temperature when the flavour of the beef just popped. Tender, silken almost buttery and so light, it had added texture from the spring onions.

A second round of cocktails followed.  With that classic Old-Fashioned (£22) flavour, the white chocolate disk balanced the heaviness of the whisky which was barrel-aged in the restaurant itself!

The Yuzu Osaka (£16) had a crisp lotus root disc and was refreshing and tropical, like a classic homemade lemonade, with a bit of cucumber at the end.

Next arrived the lobster gyoza tacos (£28) which were crunchy, tart and fresh with that recognisable Gyoza flavour, thanks to the coriander, while maintaining a taco crunch.

One of our favourite dishes was the chargrilled cabbage steak (£18). With melt-in-your-mouth buttery but lemony cabbage, it had a heap of saffron on top as well as a generous helping of fresh grated truffle and a satisfying char. It was almost like a smooth fazzoletti or ‘handkerchief’ pasta, helped by the large amount of butter in the dressing, also warmed by a little jalapeño.

A meaty and substantial addition was the baby chicken with miso (£18). Straight off the grill, it was hot, juicy and filling, a bit like satay in its flavour profile, but was the dish that reminded us most of traditional Japanese Izakaya with its bold and smoky taste.

 

Finally, we had the black pepper ‘vegetarian chicken’ (£16). It had that classic UK Asian restaurant spice. It was crisp, juicy and peppery but light on the inside. Served on a banana leaf with an excellently moreish sauce, this tofu dish was a star standout.

Once we had finished our meal, we were shown to the balcony with a view right across to Nelson’s Column, the London Eye and Big Ben. It would most likely be a great spot for NYE fireworks if you’d prefer to have a lovely cocktail in hand instead of out in the cold.

It’s the sort of place you’d take someone visiting London. Fun, indulgent and luxurious international flavours, at a central location with great views and a relaxed atmosphere, 8 at The Londoner offers an enticing array of drinks and small plates that refine the classic Izakaya experience into a slick and stylish night out.

 

8 at The Londoner

Opening hours

Tuesday – Wednesday – 17:00 – midnight
*last orders at 11:30 pm.

Thursday – Friday – 17:00 – 1:00
*last orders at 00:30 am.

Saturday – 13:00 – 1:00
*last orders at 00:30 am

Food service
*Last food orders at 10:45 pm