A local’s review of Aqua Kyoto in Soho, near Oxford Circus and Liberty London – one of the best rooftop restaurants for halal Japanese dishes in Central London!
Looking for the best Japanese restaurant in Soho? Just wait until you see all the goodness cooked up by Aqua Kyoto.
A few months ago, I was invited to try Aqua Kyoto London, a beautiful rooftop restaurant on Argyll Street near Liberty.
I thought I’d share a few pics and my opinion, since it turned out to be one of my best fine dining experiences in London.
It’s also one of the best halal Japanese restaurants in Soho, so here’s my full Aqua Kyoto review, from the rooftop terrace to the dress code, menu, and overall vibe.
London’s Aqua Kyoto Soho Review – Halal Japanese Food
For starters, Aqua Kyoto Soho is described as follows:
An innovative and contemporary Japanese restaurant with a stunning roof top terrace in the heart of the west end.
When I checked the Aqua Kyoto menu online, I saw that there were countless options for meat, seafood, and even vegetarian dishes. The restaurant is stunning, and its entrance is almost secret, as you can see from the pictures below.
Aqua Kyoto Review: Entrance
Aqua Kyoto Review: Inside The Restaurant
As soon as you pass the threshold downstairs, you are directed to the 5th floor, where you will find both Aqua Kyoto Soho and its sister restaurant, Spanish Aqua Nueva.
Aqua Kyoto is definitely one of the best Japanese restaurants in Soho if you’re after a decor that is welcoming, yet still provides a high-end feel around you.
A bar, Aqua Spirit, is tainted with red and gold accents, and the kitchen is open, allowing you to see chefs in action.
Aqua Kyoto Review: Aqua Kyoto Rooftop Terrace
As we booked Aqua Kyoto Soho for lunch, we learned that the rooftop terrace was only used for events and evenings.
As such, we ate inside, which provided a great, dimly-lit atmosphere, but I thought you should see the view from the Aqua Kyoto rooftop.
I am always on the lookout for the best views in London, and the Aqua Kyoto rooftop terrace definitely delivered.
On one end, you have the view of Regent Street and Oxford Street, and on the other end, you have the view of the London Eye from the Aqua Kyoto rooftop terrace.
The sky was a bit cloudy, but it’s true that on a clear night, Aqua Kyoto Soho has got to be one of the most romantic rooftop restaurants in London.
Aqua Kyoto Review: Aqua Kyoto Dress Code
The dress code at Aqua Kyoto Soho is smart casual; I went with flared pants and a sparkly backless top and found myself at ease amongst other diners.
The Aqua Kyoto dress code doesn’t seem to be strict at lunchtime but had I booked for dinner, I would definitely have worn a dress and more makeup than I did.
Aqua Kyoto Menu
Now, let’s start this Aqua Kyoto review! As soon as we sat down, we had only one trouble: that of choosing what we would order.
We were invited to Aqua Kyoto Soho, and were left very free of what we would choose.
Since there were so many options on the Aqua Kyoto menu, I did ask waiters for some help here and there, especially since the Japanese dishes are innovative.
This means you don’t really know what to get even if the dishes seem like something you already know.
On the Aqua Kyoto Soho menu, a few dishes stand out:
- the Signature platters, with sushi or sashimi
- the Wagyu steaks
- the Large dishes, mostly made with either fish or meat
- the Robata, a kind of Japanese barbecue/grill
- and Tempura dishes
Aqua Kyoto Review: What I Ordered
Even though the Aqua Kyoto Soho menu is so large, we managed to figure out what we wanted in the end.
After deliberating lengthily, we chose to order some dishes from the à la carte menu, and a set lunch menu so we could taste a bit of everything. Here’s what we ordered:
- Aqua Kyoto omakase sashimi signature platter (12 pieces)
- Miso soup
- Rock shrimp, spicy chilli & garlic mayonnaise
- Koji chicken with carrot yuzu purée & shichimi teriyaki
- Wasabi & white chocolate parfait sandwich
- Passion fruit & ginger cheesecake
- Lychee Lemonade
Aqua Kyoto Review: Set Menu
The Aqua Kyoto menu is large, and if you’re coming for lunch or brunch, Aqua Kyoto Soho also offers set menus that are amazing value, from my experience.
Aqua Kyoto Review: Lychee Lemonade
The Lychee Lemonade at Aqua Kyoto Soho was incredible.
Made from lychee juice, ginger and lemongrass cordial, and Fever-Tree lemonade, it had a slightly sparkly base.
I love lychee juice and lychee anything, to be honest, and this is one Aqua Kyoto drink that I would order again and again.
I don’t really drink alcohol, and the fact that there are three non-alcoholic drinks on the menu plus a large range of softs makes it worthwhile to order a drink along with the Japanese dishes.
Aqua Kyoto Review: Rock shrimp, spicy chili and garlic mayonnaise & Miso Soup
The Miso Soup arrived first, and I thought it was probably the creamiest Miso soup I’ve ever tasted in my entire life.
The soup came on the Aqua Kyoto set menu, which I had not read correctly, and did not understand why I was being served miso soup (cringe).
It was definitely different from those classic Miso soups we can get from any takeaway, and both the tofu and seaweed tasted very fresh and delicate.
The Rock Shrimp with spicy chili and garlic mayonnaise was an otherworldly dish. Incredible.
We got served broken shrimp pieces, fried to perfection and decorated with seaweed and what I take to be saffron pieces.
A quarter of lime accompanied the dish and balanced out the salty fried of the shrimp and the spice of the mayonnaise.
An overall amazing starter that you definitely need to try when visiting Aqua Kyoto Soho.
Aqua Kyoto Review: Koji chicken with carrot yuzu purée & shichimi teriyaki
To be fair, I’ve never tried a dish like the Koji chicken ever – and the carrot yuzu puree was one of my favorite parts of this Aqua Kyoto Soho dish.
I can tell you one thing; you have never eaten chicken like you’ll eat at Aqua Kyoto if you order the Koji chicken with carrot and yuzu puree, and shichimi teriyaki.
This only dish proved to me that if you’re looking for the best Japanese restaurants in Soho, Aqua Kyoto is the destination to have on your bucket list.
Not for the terrace, not for the rooftop, not for the open kitchen.
For this Koji chicken dish.
It was melty under the tongue, with a slightly sweet and spiced teriyaki glaze and decorated with herbs that provided extra freshness to the dish.
The chicken dish came with a side of rice sprinkled with black and white sesame seeds.
The rice was perfectly cooked and didn’t taste like it has rice vinegar on it, making it perfect to combine with the shichimi teriyaki sauce.
Aqua Kyoto Review: Wasabi & white chocolate parfait sandwich
For dessert in the Aqua Kyoto Soho set menu, I chose the wasabi and white chocolate parfait sandwich.
I have to admit to not being a big fan of wasabi, but I like innovative Japanese dishes that mix wasabi or yuzu with chocolate and fruits.
This Aqua Kyoto dessert was a small, round ice cream sandwich that was definitely different from anything I’ve ever tried.
I don’t know what I preferred; the crunchy sandwich shell lightly spiced up with wasabi?
Or the white chocolate and wasabi ganache?
The only downside with this Aqua Kyoto Soho dessert was definitely its size; I could have easily eaten three or four of those!
Aqua Kyoto Review: Omakase Sashimi Signature Platter
The Aqua Kyoto Omakase Sashimi signature platter came on a tall bowl filled with ice and decorated with beautiful, edible flowers.
The Omakase Sashimi signature platter came with two slices of six different fish, including salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and sea bass, and a side of soy sauce and wasabi.
Remember how I told you I don’t usually like wasabi?
Well, the Aqua Kyoto wasabi is different.
Much different from any type of wasabi you might have tried before. It was spicy, that’s true, but it was also soft and very edible.
As for the fish, it was fresh and literally melty – my favorite pieces were probably the sea bass and salmon, although I did thoroughly enjoy each of them.
Just for this signature platter of stunning sashimi, I was looking forward to writing this Aqua Kyoto review, and that’s really something to order again and again.
Aqua Kyoto Review: Passion fruit & ginger cheesecake
D’s dessert was a passionfruit and ginger cheesecake that was to die for.
Just for this, if you’re after the best Japanese restaurants in Soho, Aqua Kyoto is that perfect fancy restaurant for occasions, or even for a nice midweek moment, especially if you’re having the set lunch menu and ordering this cheesecake on the side.
The cheesecake cream was stunning, there are no other words for it.
The ginger ice cream was not too overpowering, simply beautiful, and with a perfect sweet to spicy ratio.
Slightly vanilla-ey, with a passionfruit sauce heart and delicate meringue on top, this is one dessert I would come back to Aqua Kyoto Soho for again and again.
I do prefer cheesecake to look like cheesecake when I order it, but I do understand that the way Aqua Kyoto made it is perfectly in line with the fancy vibe of the restaurant.
London’s Aqua Kyoto Soho Review – Halal Japanese Food
To finish this Aqua Kyoto review, I have had one of the best meals of my life in this Oxford Circus restaurant.
For whoever is after the best Japanese restaurants in Soho, and even more so if you’re looking for the best halal sushi in London, you should definitely pay a visit to Aqua Kyoto.
We were very well-served and well cared for, and in the end, being able to spend some time on the Aqua Kyoto rooftop terrace was a great addition to an already perfect lunch.
If you’re looking for fancy, romantic dress-up restaurants in Soho, do consider Aqua Kyoto.
My next try will probably be Aqua Nueva, on the same level, with a slightly dimmer and more intimate look.
I was invited to eat at Aqua Kyoto Soho. All opinions are my own.