Black Roe - Mayfair, London

Black Roe is really cool. This is evident from the moment you enter and are greeted by a reception staff that look like they've wandered straight off the catwalk. It's dark, it's a bit cacophonous (in a nice way) and it's eminently Mayfair. It's also serving one of the trendiest cuisines in town - Pacific Rim dining. 

Situated on Mill Street, the winding aorta in the heart of Mayfair, Black Roe was opened by Kurt Zdesar, the man behind Soho's Chotto Matte, and it bears the same trademarks that made it a hit. It's lively, it's sexy and it's serving delicious and (usually) healthy food. Designed by Superfutures Studio, the sixty seater restaurant features notoriously dark walls adorned with outsized portraits of the different artisan producers who supply ingredients for the menu. It's a bit outlandish; it's quite fun. At the front of the restaurant chefs stir behind a Kiawe wood grill, flaming tranches of fish and slabs of meat, while others prepare poke. 

In case you haven't heard, poke is the flavour of the year. Popularised in Hawaii, it rests somewhere in between ceviche and sashimi, borrowing from Peruvian, Japanese, Mexican and American traditions. At Black Roe, you have the option to try three of them in a sampling platter. We went all fish: choosing the classic ahi poke with a roasted sesame soy marinade; seabass poke with a mustard roe salsa; and the salmon poke with yellow chilli salsa. They were a great way to start the meal, light and healthy. We foresee them being quite the item with the Mayfair business lunch squad.

Onwards and upwards. We opted for the pumpkin and cavolo nero tempura served with coriander salsa and truffle aioli which was one for the veggies. What really caught our eye was the octopus aioli, charcoal crisp, with a chilli and coriander salsa on the side. We weren't disappointed, it was a beautiful interplay of crispness and tenderness, like roasting the ocean's essence. Another choice for the main was the Cajun style blackened seabass cooked on the Kiawe wood grill was fiery but tender. We tacked on an order of sautéed kale and garlic butter fries. The latter were some of the best we've had in the past year. Well worth the £5.50 price tag. 

Our meal culminated with a gigantic Shake & Bake - a milkshake with a cake baked into it. It's become an Instagram star in its own right. Black Roe is a welcome addition to the Mayfair dining scene and a great posterchild for Pacific Rim cuisine. Head there before an evening out in the West End, or head there whenever, you won't be disappointed. 

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