This stylishly decorated bar in the heart of upmarket Knightsbridge offers quality cocktails and excellent food, all set against a funky soundtrack.

The Venue
Located a stone’s throw from Harrods, tucked neatly around the corner on Beauchamp Place lies this attractively presented cocktail bar. A little hard to find on a street lined with glimmering restaurants and bars, keep an eye out for the small signage and doorway that leads through to the basement bar.

Upon entering into what first appears to be a townhouse, you’ll spy a gleaming glass door with the understated and sophisticated Kumo logo emblazoned upon it. Pushing through here and walking down the stairway decorated with a neon red strip light, you’ll be able to glimpse the bar below through the glass wall that divides the stairwell from the main bar. Reaching the bottom of the stairs you’ll be struck by the wealth of design features that cover the small space. The main bar area has inverted pyramids hanging down, covering the whole of the ceiling with yellow downlights. The bar is particularly beautiful with an underbelly made from a yellow, marble-effect gleaming surface perfectly contrasting the black wall behind with square shelves in neon red holding a few bottles of alcohol. Although minimalist for a bar, the use of these design features creates an impressive centrepiece. The high black leather stools also work well as does the black floor.

Around the corner from the main bar is a small seating area, kept apart from the main space by a large shining white divide with a pleasantly decorated black DJ box tucked neatly behind. The seating consists of black sofas with low black tables and small armless black chairs. The tables here are the main focus of the space with a narrow walkway between. The walls are white (as opposed to the red walls in the main bar area) but are tied in with red lighting arching its way up and across. Large circular discs can be seen at regular intervals on the walls and ceiling, giving off dim light to create a cosy ambience. The toilets are worth a mention, being totally decked out in gleaming black surfaces and so dark you can barely see. The futuristic styled cubicles are clean, however, and have that same pleasant decorative element as the bar; it’s just a bit of a squeeze if more than one person needs the loo. There’s also a lack of mirrors and touching up your make up in the near-darkness isn’t really an option.

The Atmosphere
This is Knightsbridge so you can expect a glamorous crowd of those in the money. At the weekends the bar is a lot busier and it’s advisable you book a table if you want to ensure a seat. The atmosphere on a Friday or Saturday night is definitely more of a party one, perpetuated by a DJ who plays a club mix of funky and old school house grooves with some interesting remixes. At the weekend, the pumping tunes that are knocked out make Kumo a good pre-party venue for if you want to get in the mood before hitting one of the nearby clubs.

However, if you don't enjoy a club vibe in a high-end cocktail bar then it's during the week that Kumo really comes into its own. On a Thursday night you can sink into one of the comfortable sofa-style seating areas and enjoy a romantic evening, perpetuated by a soundtrack run off an iPod with over a thousand songs that is chosen by the staff to fit the mood of the crowd. Soulful and edgy house tunes intermingle with a selection of chill out Balearic beats, setting the mood perfectly. Friends catching up after work, a chilled out mid-week party crowd and couples enjoying the decadent setting over a cocktail make for a great ambience that really showcases Kumo. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable about the menu and super efficient without being in your face. The table service is a big perk of a bar like this and is seamless.

The Food
To match the Japanese theme of Kumo there’s a small but well chosen selection of Japanese food that’s perfect for sharing. Prices start at just £3.50 for edamame beans. If you like maki rolls then there are plenty of options to choose from. The tempura prawn and asparagus maki rolls (£7.50) are especially unusual with big chunks of tempura sticking out of the rolls, making it awkward to eat. The rice is a little chewy but the tempura is well cooked with a crisp, light batter covering juicy prawns.

If you’re feeling hungry then they also offer larger plates of food (£8.50-£17), which is where the kitchen really shines. Although the prices aren’t cheap for the portion sizes, the quality of the ingredients, beautiful presentation and flavours of the dishes do offer value for money. The grilled asparagus with a soya and sesame seed dressing (£5.50) comes as five simply presented pieces of asparagus on a black plate. However, the ever so slightly crunchy asparagus is full of flavour, lifted by the rich tone of the dressing and pleasant texture of the sesame seeds. The skewered monkfish with red chilli in garlic, ginger and soya sauce (£10.50) is a real highlight. Two long skewers appear side-by-side filled with large, plump pieces of monkfish interspersed by chillis. The monkfish is meaty, tender and works in perfect tandem with the heat of the chillis. The sauce is delicate and works in the background to lift the flavours rather than mask them. The quality and freshness of the fish is clearly evident. Alternatively, the king prawns with yuzu miso (£7.50) comes as several large, plump prawns out of their shells that are soft and well dressed with a slight lemon aftertaste that works in perfect tandem with the rich flavour of the prawns.

One of the best dishes on the menu has to be the hibachi seabass fillet in a wakame and herusame sauce (£14.50). Two large fillets of seabass appear on a plate with the skins face up. The flesh of the fish flakes at a touch of the chopsticks and is meaty, extremely fresh and hardly needs the sauce. However, the best dish on the menu has to be the grilled rib-eye steak with exotic mushrooms in a wasabi pepper and cream sauce (£17). It may be expensive, but it’s worth every penny. The steak comes as several thick slivers that can be easily navigated with the chopsticks. The steak is perfectly pink, tender and juicy. The flavours explode in the mouth and the softness of the mushroom complements the dish well. The sauce is creamy and rich with a very slight tang from the wasabi pepper that adds an exotic edge to the dish. Well balanced, perfectly cooked and extremely fresh, this is restaurant quality food that you may be surprised to find in a cocktail bar.

If you have room for dessert then the lychee and vanilla creme brulee is another example of the kitchen getting it right. Plump lychees line the bottom of the dessert and work well with the creaminess of the vanilla. The crunchy top cracks effortlessly to reveal what’s beneath. An excellent finish to a meal here.

The Drink
The cocktail menu is the highlight of Kumo with a large choice of signature cocktails that add a unique selling point to the bar, although they come with a price tag of £8-£14.50. The Haki (lemongrass Finlandia infused vodka, passion fruit, lemon curd, cherry juice and Mandarin Napoleon, shaken and stirred with a homemade passion fruit foam) is an easy to drink, well mixed cocktail. It’s nicely presented in a long blue-frosted glass that adds a real interest to the drink. Tasting strongly of lemon, the passion fruit works well to balance the tartness with a sweet undertone that is pleasingly girly. If you prefer a creamier cocktail then the white chocolate martini (Grey Goose vodka, white chocolate liqueur and cream) is faultless. Rich, creamy and decadent, it comes immaculately presented in a large, shallow martini glass. Instantly appealing, one sip will have you hooked to the strong white chocolate flavour that tastes like cool melted chocolate. The chocolate martini (Grey Goose, Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, chocolate puree and cream) is equally delightful with more of an underlying hazelnut flavour than the white chocolate variety.

If you want a strong cocktail then the nutty margarita (Cazadores Reposado Tequila, fresh lime juice, frangelico, lemon curd and organic Agave syrup) is a lot more potent, although it tastes more like lime than tequila. The Japanese pear martini (Wyboroka vodka with freshly cut pear) is a real highlight. The subtle sweetness of the pear is perfectly utilised here to create a sweet but not sickly cocktail with a delightful alcoholic kick. Beautifully presented in a martini glass with a fresh pear garnish.

If cocktails aren’t your thing then, of course, there’s always the Champagne. The Perrier Jouet for £10 a glass is an excellent house Champagne that is sure to hit the spot. Prices quickly rise and the ubiquitous Cristal is on offer for £265 a bottle or there’s the harder to find and far cooler Ace of Spades bottle for £350. You can also buy bottles of spirits, ranging from £120 for a bottle of Finlandia to £285 for a bottle of U’luvka. Interesting additions to the drink menu include a range of Japanese whiskies and sake, tying the theme and menu together nicely.

The Last Word
Kumo is located in one of the most sought after postcodes in London but rather than going for style over substance, the consistently high quality of the cocktails and food ensure repeat visits.

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