The basement bar of this stylish pan-Asian venue is perfect for an evening of sophisticated, adventurous food and drink, and is just minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street.

The Venue
Cocochan is located in bustling James Street, just a few minutes’ walk north of Bond Street Tube and Oxford Street. On a street full of bars, pubs and restaurants, it is one of the more fashionable options, mixing classy surroundings with upbeat music to create a really cool vibe. The low lighting and reflective metallic and mirrored latticework effect gives the bar a modern and intimate feel, making it a perfect place to get away from the Oxford Street crowds.

At first glance Cocochan seems more of a restaurant, as most people come here to eat, but the bar downstairs is open from 5pm to midnight, Wednesday-Saturday, making it a decent destination in its own right. The bar is also available for hire with your own DJ and private bar and they can accommodate all types of groups.

The Atmosphere
It caters for a modern international crowd and is as perfect for small groups of friends as it is for a date. The atmosphere is very welcoming from the moment you walk in and it is refreshing to experience animated waiters recommending their favourite dishes and cocktails - and they actually live up to the hype.

The clientele tend to be 25-40 year-olds, who have a bit of cash to spend, like fine dining and are searching for a different experience from the more traditional pub, chains or tapas restaurants littering the same street.

The Food
Open from 12noon they provide fantastic £15 lunch bento boxes for workers in a hurry, whereas in the evening you are spoilt for choice with a selection of oriental canapés at £2 a pop, starters from the bar menu or the more substantial a la carte menu featuring classic dishes from Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Indian cuisines. They are very proud to practice the ‘sous-vide’ cooking technique (‘under vacuum’ in French) which means that they vacuum seal some of their dishes and slow cook them.

From tasty nibbles such as chilli and garlic edamame and oyster and asparagus tempura to main dishes such as Thai green curry and oven-baked miso black cod, there is plenty to feast your taste buds on and satisfy the more adventurous palate. They have an excellent range of sushi and sashimi too.

For dessert it is hard to look beyond the chocolate fondant, although there are some interesting options such as salty caramel mousse and mochi mochi which is a filling option wrapped in rice cake.

The Drink
The drinks more than match the standard of food with quality cocktails, champagne, wine and sake. Each cocktail is individually styled and named with favourites such as Tangy Lily (champagne with homemade limoncello and citrus oil) and Dreams Sweet (rum, curacao, camomile syrup and orange blossom water). All drinks are very affordable though with cocktails no more than £8, and bottles of beer for £4, which is great value given the upmarket nature of the restaurant and bar.

The Last Word
Cocochan Lounge Bar is a great place for cocktails or something to eat on a buzzing street. You may rack up a decent-sized bill, but it is well worth the money.

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