Blink and you might almost miss it. Despite your reviewer having lived and worked in the vicinity of Cocoro for much of his adult life, his first visit to the restaurant took place only recently. It won’t be the last. Tucked away on Marylebone Lane, its entrance only obvious from a red drape adorning the doorway, as soon as diners cross the threshold, it is as if they are transported to Japan.
The story of Cocoro dates to the beginning of 2006 when the team behind it sought to open a “place where people can experience authentic Japan”, per its website. What your reviewer and his dining comrade noticed immediately on arrival was that all the staff and the majority of the guests were Japanese. As is often traditional in restaurants such as Cocoro, décor is minimalist – think plain bamboo walls – and tables are cramped, often communal. The menu arrives in a binder with laminated pages showing pictures of the dishes. Classy or fine dining this is not, but yes, it’s authentic in spades.
There’s sushi and sashimi available in multiple combinations as well as ramen bowls (for which the venue apparently first gained its reputation) and a range of more substantial meat options too. My dining comrade – a regular – steered us towards one of the set menus. Cocoro has a bewildering range of over 70 of these. How the chefs can keep up is worth marvelling at. We opted for the relatively simple Chirashi sushi set (#6, for those interested). We began with three savoury appetisers, one of which comprised pickled vegetables, a favourite of your reviewer. Next up was the traditional miso soup, followed then by the curiosity of a savoury egg custard ‘Chawanmushi.’ Not for the faint-hearted, this literally is what is says; a glutinous custard composition dotted with lumps of meat and mushroom. Although initially approached with some trepidation, it certainly delivered. The main event (pictured) followed: a delightful selection of sashimi served over a bed of sushi rice. It was the epitome of raw fish, prepared with panache.
Pricing is very reasonable. Our set cost £25/ head, which was benchmark for the restaurant, but it is possible to pay up to double this figure. We opted just for green tea, but the venue offers a wide variety of shochu spirits for those interested. As we left, at close to 2pm, the venue was still packed. This is the sign of a good restaurant.