Last Updated on January 4, 2026

Japanese Fire Meets London Flair at Moi

Our restaurant of the month for August is Moi on Wardour Street, right in the heart of Soho. It’s the debut of MAD Restaurants, a new hospitality group founded by Artem Login with ex-Gordon Ramsey executive chef Andy Cook. Moi Restaurant is the first in MAD’s planned lineup, setting the tone for what’s to come. We think this one is a winner, though…

Moi Soho brings a Japanese sensibility and skill to fire cooking in a setting that feels at once contemporary and atmospheric. The restaurant’s design hovers between an underground cavern with tree trunks holding up the ceiling or perhaps the inside of a volcano – a carefully balanced contemporary izakaya. The decor is earthy terracotta tones with decent-sized tables and comfy seating.

The bustling open kitchen fills the room with energy. The crowd is cosmopolitan and lively, but the space never feels unwelcoming. It’s a young vibe, but older diners won’t feel out of place in this smart Soho setting.

We began with the Chef’s Sashimi Selection (£28), eight pieces presented with an eye for detail: tiny flowers, green herbs, and precise cuts. The charcoal-seared bream stood out with its subtle smokiness, while the hay-smoked trout was satisfyingly juicy. Akami tuna brought lean depth, and kombu-jime brill had a firmer, slightly chewy texture and peppery sweetness.

Our server insisted we try at least one of the snacks on the menu at Moi Restaurant, so at his suggestion, we indulged in the Smoked Cod’s Roe with Fried Steamed Buns (£12), a particularly good dish. The buns, lightly sweetened, had the texture of small doughnuts and worked perfectly with the smoky, creamy roe balanced by crème fraîche and some excellent house furikake. Two buns felt insufficient given the amount of roe that neither of us wanted to leave behind, but extra can be ordered.

Smoked Cod's Roe with fried steamed buns, Moi London

The central part of the Moi Restaurant menu is structured around different woods used for cooking. Binchotan is a type of Japanese white charcoal that burns at a very high, clean heat with little smoke. This section focuses on skewers and quick-fire cooking. Hornbeam is a dense hardwood that burns slowly and evenly, producing a steady heat and subtle smokiness. Moi Soho uses this section for larger proteins and centrepiece dishes, such as lobster tail and short rib, which benefit from both intensity and control in the cooking. Finally, the Birch section is side dishes and accompaniments – using a softer wood that burns faster and imparts a sweeter, lighter smoke for a gentler treatment.

From the binchotan section, a platter of skewered hispi and red cabbage with shiitake mushrooms came dressed in fried ginger, a neat combination of smokiness, sweetness, and freshness that was a really good mix of flavours and textures.

The hornbeam dishes offered some of the evening’s highlights. The Native Lobster Tail with Clam Dashi and Sugar Snaps (£42) was vibrant in presentation and flavour, with a hint of yuzu running through the broth and thin strips of sugar snaps and pops of salmon caviar. It was a plate of many colours, orange, green and white, the Irish flag as a seafood dish.

Longhorn Shortrib with Pickled Daikon and Roscoff Onions was outstanding: deeply tender beef balanced by sweet onions. The daikon, served separately, felt less integrated, but the overall dish, particularly when paired with sides, was excellent.

Among the birch offerings, the Wood-Roasted English Leeks with Sesame and Alliums (£10) were a simple and effective side with a delicious char and sweet allium flavours topped with more of that house furikake. More substantial was the Baked Rice with Scottish Girolles and Cacklebean Egg (£22), a hotpot reminiscent of bibimbap. Stirred together at the table, it revealed layers of mushrooms, onions, and crisp textures under a bright yolk. Rich, satisfying, and definitely worth ordering, we agreed this alone would be a great lunch dish.

The dessert menu had far more to tempt us than the usual Japanese menu offers. Apricots with Maple Verjus and Yoghurt Sorbet was light and balanced, a good finish after the richness of the mains.

The Yonetsuru Ultra Dry Junmai (£18 per 180ml carafe) was full-bodied, earthy, full of umami and a strong pairing for the food. Service included a tray of glassware for choosing your own sake vessel, a small but welcome touch.

Cocktails, by contrast, just missed the mark for us. ‘At Ease’ (peach, sparkling oolong tea, sucachi, junmai sake, and vodka) was a beautiful-looking pink drink dominated by peach. Still, it was let down by a strangely evocative smell, reminiscent of the glue we used at school.

‘Them Apples’ was a refreshing apple drink with sparkling green tea, whisky, tomato liqueur, and marigold, which was dominated by the apple flavour. The non-alcoholic ‘Breeze‘ was pleasant and lemony. Based on Everleaf, and served with a nori garnish, it was delicious but didn’t really have the promised hint of the sea.

Service was enthusiastic and attentive, with a fast-moving rhythm that matched the restaurant’s pace.

Moi Soho is already attracting a crowd, and it deserves the attention. The food is ambitious but grounded, with the short rib, baked rice, and sashimi standing out as dishes worth a return visit. Do try the sake – there’s an excellent selection on offer.

Moi Restaurant
84 Wardour Street,
Soho
London
W1F 0TQ

020 4628 0115

Upcoming New Restaurants to Watch

A lot is going on in September – here’s our pick of the new openings in no particular order. It’s going to be quite a challenge to pick ONE for next month’s Restaurant of the Month…

Bottega 35 Brings Tuscany to Kensington

Opening 2 September 2025, Bottega 35 replaces Zuaya in Kensington, offering hand-rolled pasta, wood-fired grills, and Tuscan desserts. Guests can enjoy 30% off food and drinks all of September.
Book via Instagram

Aki London Opens at One Cavendish Square

Aki London, from Malta’s Lifestyle Group, opens in a £15m Grade II-listed former banking hall. The menu features sushi, robata, kushiyaki, wagyu tataki, hay-smoked scallops, and Kobe beef, with cocktails and DJs at the underground bar Kiyori.
Visit Aki London

CÉ LA VI Debuts in London

Opening 12 September at Paddington Square, CÉ LA VI London occupies two floors with rooftop terraces, serving bold modern Asian cuisine like miso seabass and wagyu tataki alongside inventive cocktails, wines, and sake.
Instagram

Nela Brings Live-Fire Dining to West London

Opening 10 September at The Whiteley, Nela London introduces live-fire dishes from Hari Shetty and Ori Geller, including sea bream and artichoke with wild spinach, plus globally inspired wines and cocktails.
Visit Nela

Michael Caines Debuts at The Stafford

Opening 17 September, MICHAEL CAINES at The Stafford offers modern European “terroir cuisine” with tasting menus, lobster salad, pan-roasted turbot, and Stafford Beef Wellington, focusing on seasonal British ingredients.
The Stafford London

Rosi Opens in Mayfair

Launching September 2025, Rosi at The Beaumont serves modern British dishes led by Michelin-starred Lisa Goodwin-Allen, including show-stopping pies, Wagyu steaks, and theatrical desserts in a bright, welcoming space.
Visit Rosi

Kudu Marylebone Brings South African Flavour

Opening 16 September 2025, Peckham favourite from husband-and-wife duo Amy Corbin and Patrick Williams, Kudu Marylebone combines Kudu Restaurant, Kudu Grill, and Curious Kudu into one venue. The menu blends European and South African flavours, with dishes like Cape Malay Monkfish Potjie and Harissa Chopped Beef.
Kudu Collective

Legado Opens in Shoreditch

Michelin-starred chef Nieves Barragán Mohacho opens Legado in Shoreditch, celebrating Spain’s regional cuisines with dishes like Lechazo lamb, suckling pig, and crystal Mediterranean prawns. The 64-seat dining room and taberna offer a vibrant Spanish experience.

Legado