Cocochan has been making me crazy for months. Not kidding.
I first discovered this Pan Asian Restaurant on Twitter in December. I really don’t remember who followed whom first. Since then, I’ve watched the restaurant’s Twitter account ignite. Its social media reach is exploding. The pictures posted of the food are insane.
So, what’s the story behind this place?
Cocochan is located right near Selfridges in St. Christopher’s Square.
It’s always packed.
Every time I walked by, I was intrigued. Mr. Sunny and I stopped by once to introduce ourselves to the magician behind the social media accounts. We also checked out the menu. It was excellent bait for us. We’re sushi lovers.
For Mr. Sunny’s birthday on Friday June 13th, I decided to treat him to an ‘All You Can Eat Birthday Meal’ at Cocochan. Yeah, I know it was his birthday, so he should’ve had the choice. However, since I was paying, I got the final say. And, I had to make sure it was Blogalicious.
We arrived and were escorted to a special reserved table. Next, we were given complimentary champagne and our water glasses featured two origami butterflies…
The butterflies said “Happy Birthday, Mr. Sunny!’ Clever, indeed.
The menu was overwhelming. We didn’t know how to decide. As we waded through it, we munched on some gorgeous green peppers.
I finally decided on a Maki Sushi selection. This is the Salmon and Avocado Hoso Maki.
And, yeah, you’re going to see that ‘Happy Birthday, Mr. Sunny’ butterfly in just about every picture. It was such a nice gesture, I want to feature it as much as possible.
Mr. Sunny had Crab, Enoki and Saffron Dumplings from the Starter section of the Specials menu.
Mr. Sunny says, ‘They were bloody lovely!’
In fact, there were a few more in the serving. We were so excited about the wonderful flavours of both Starters that we forgot to photograph his when it first arrived. Oops.
For our third Starter, we shared the Mixed Selection of Sashimi which had tuna, salmon and seabass.
Mr. Sunny calls this dish “Flippin’ Fabulous!’ Why? Because he said the fish was so fresh he swears it was still flipping in his mouth.
You feel me, Sunny friends?
We were totally tormented over what to do next. Order Main courses or continue layering on more Starters? Any guesses?
We piled up our plates. Here’s my Smoked Salmon and Prawn Tempura Roll.
Do you think I stopped there? No chance.
And, here’s my ‘Dragon’ Eel and Avocado Ura Maki.
I can’t even find words to tell you how exquisitely the flavours rolled around my mouth. Beautiful. Just beautiful.
Mr. Sunny had the Tiger Prawn Tempura, Spicy Mayo.
AND, the Chilli Squid Shichimi Salt, Sweet Chilli…
AND… the Crispy Aromatic Duck Rolls…
Mr. Sunny calls this experience a ‘multiple orgasm of flavor.’
He said it. Not me. 😉 I’m trying to keep this whole blog thing Rated G.
Mr. Sunny’s Final Thoughts on Cocochan:
– ‘This is a shame. I’m full and I haven’t even touched the surface of the menu.’
– ‘Stand by for Volume 2: I’ll be BACK!’
– ‘Boys, nearly every table was full of girls!’
Ummmm, I think there will be private conversation in the Sunny household about that last thought.
Anyhow. I don’t have many shots of the inside of Cocochan to share, except this.
The food was just too damn distracting.
But, Mr. Sunny’s ‘All you can eat Birthday Dinner’ was a huge success. Here’s my victory drink from the end of the night…
Let me know how long you’re able to resist actually eating there. My money says it isn’t long.
What other restaurants can you recommend in St. Christopher’s Place? Marylebone? Where do you celebrate special occasions in London?
All of the food is prepared fresh each day and dishes are prepared in front of you when you order. Here’s a sneaky look at the pasta machine in the back that works all the carb-a-licious magic…
We actually had to make several trips with our trays to carry everything to our table. When we finally sat down, I stared at the food and said to Mr. Sunny, “This much food is crazy!’
As I started to eat my main course, Mr. Sunny waited for his pizza pager to buzz. He felt the beer selection (both Italian and German) was good. I have to admit, the White Tea Elderflower Mint I sipped was a sneaky show stealer.
Sergio, senor, you had me at ‘Prosecco’! 😉
Before a few minutes passed, mia amica arrived. An instant later, these landed on our little table by the window…
Oh Mamma!
Those little crustaceans were just too cute to pass.
They were smooth and refreshing. The Woodstock Pub offers an extensive drink menu, especially in the area of sake. That would probably be what a person would anticipate when entering a Japanese pub.
It ROCKED!
Our final round of food involved the skewers. As this is what hits next on the realm of why one would visit The Woodstock Pub, we ordered quite a bit. Our selections included: King Prawn with Lime and Chilli, Chicken, Pork, Beef and Salmon.
Mr. Sunny was very tempted to toss this is his pocket before we left. It’s a little treat which contains soy sauce. We were each able to spray our desired amounts on our rice and other food, rather than dip it in the standard bowls. It was not only fun to use but also more efficient for the pub.
More importantly, if you are near the Mayfair area, just south of Oxford Street, and enjoy Japanese food and drink, then plan a stop at The Woodstock Pub to see for yourself. Let me know how your experience is too.
The decor includes bold primary colours with white retro tiles and brightly coloured and exposed furniture. It almost seems like an upscale university dining hall or lounge in a business centre.
At a quick glance, you could pass judgment on the restaurant and miss undeniably exceptional food. Honestly.
When it arrived, I was pleased with both expectations. However, the Chef sent over a sneaky plate of Ham and Cheddar Croquettes, Herb Mayonnaise tasters for us too.
Yep. Not as camera friendly as the other dish, but sweet heavenly ham my Sunny friends! These two treats are worth serious labour at the gym to enjoy them. They include bechamel as a bit of a secret ingredient, and their explosive taste had Mr. Sunny and I fighting over them.
I wish you could see in real life how brightly coloured the fish displayed on the plate. It’s Hansen and Lydersen Smoked Salmon, Lemon with Buttered Brown Bread. It’s smoked in Islington, and the taste registers high above what I’ve had other places.
Let me just say to all my Italian friends, this is gnot your mother’s gnocchi! Usually, both homemade and restaurant gnocchi can have a very doughy consistency, which makes it very filling, very fast. This is not the case at Parts and Labour.
As sides with that he selected mashed potatoes and broccoli. But seriously, who needs to see pictures of those? 😉
‘Captivating’ summarises the consistency of this dessert. Yes, the flavours all balance beautifully together, but the texture of this treat took me to a new level of a foodie high. It was so creamy and chocolately that I will dream about it for months.
That picture doesn’t do it justice.
Parts and Labour is located in the Qbic London City Hotel at 42 Adler Street London, E1 1EE.
