Fluttering onto the London social scene with newly grown wings, the fresh concept Itsu restaurant and Butterfly Bar has arrived in Notting Hill.

The Venue
Most well-known for its fast and fresh takeaway sushi and sashimi joints across London, Itsu has reinvigorated their brand with this new venue, its biggest-ever restaurant and bar. Casting a purple-hued glow across an otherwise bleary strip of Notting Hill Gate, the glass-fronted restaurant stands out from the crowd. A giant, glittering disco ball is suspended from the ceiling above the moving conveyor belt of sushi – seat yourself at the bar or head to a comfy, cushioned booth area (still within reaching distance of the endless parade of fresh sushi). The decor is dark and sultry (a stark contrast from their light and white retail stores) and the iconic Itsu butterfly motif abounds, including a punkish, rainbow butterfly mural emblazoned over the back wall. Tiki-style lampshades hang low from the ceiling and flashes of lilac and violet give the room a glam, vibrant feel.

Upstairs is the Butterfly Bar – quirkily decorated with a fantastical Alice in Wonderland feel. A giant hot pink birdcage complete with fake birds sits by the bar while a goat’s head draped in pearls is mounted on the wall. The butterfly designs continue in the rainbow decor, with colourful butterfly kites above the bar. Choose your sushi from the train and carry it upstairs, using the handy tiered racks (called birdcages by the restaurant) provided, for a unique dining experience. Waiters also provide service for drinks, cocktails and hot dishes.

The Atmosphere
This is a trendy, welcoming venue successfully blending a popular chain eatery with a stylish bar – a great place to combine a cocktail night out with tasty, great-value sushi. The great prices and cool decor attract streams of diners and the restaurant downstairs pulses in the evenings with chatter and the clicking of chopsticks. Upstairs is more chilled out, as punters can recline with drinks on the comfy couches amongst the scatter cushions and take advantage of the helpful and accommodating service from staff. Also upstairs are larger square tables designed for bigger groups.

The Food
You must start the sushi feast with either the miso soup (£1.95), a particularly good, light and fragrant version of this well-known broth, or the creamy, more-ish free range chicken and coconut soup (£3.50) a velvety, rich and gingery starter. Move on to sample fresh and delicious sushi from the train (using the familiar pricing structure of white plates being the cheapest at £1.95 up to the ‘deluxe’ gold plates for £4.75). There is a wide range of tempting choices, although you can’t go wrong with traditional favourites such as Californian rolls – neatly wrapped nori rolls stuffed with a soft crab and avocado filling, dusted with crunchy sesame seeds – and tuna sashimi, which is succulent, if a little spongy, and served with a mound of light noodles.

The Vietnamese crystal roll with fresh crab is a great choice for something a little more unusual – mini parcels of pink, chilli crabmeat wrapped in dark green rice paper, with a herby, lemony sauce for dipping. On the hot menu, don’t miss the tiger prawn tempura – the juicy prawns are wrapped in a fragrant Japanese oba leaf and are coated in the deliciously light and fluffy batter. If you fancy a bit of a chilli kick, the langoustine gyozas in Dynamite broth, with vermicelli and Asian mushrooms and greens, is a huge portion of spicy soup with soft, plump fried langoustine and crab dumplings, freshened with coriander. Divine.

For afters, berries on a bed of light and creamy white chocolate yogurt (£3.75) or creme brulee (a steal at £2.75) is the perfect round off. The great thing about Itsu is that you can eat as little or as much as you like and there are so many fresh, light and healthy options that you can forget about the calorie counting for an evening.

The Drink
If you’re following the healthy theme, there are detox options on the brief drinks menu, like green, mint or jasmine tea (all at £1.75) and fruity non-alcoholic cocktails. If you can’t resist a chilled glass with your sashimi, the crisp and clean Kleine Zalze Bush Vines Chenin Blanc (£4.25/£14.95) from Stellenbosch is a lovely match and very refreshing. There is quite a small choice otherwise, but there’s also Asahi and sake. If you move upstairs to the Butterfly Bar for drinks after dinner, there are some cocktails on offer like the sweetly flavoured Raspberry Mojito (£7.75), with rum, fresh raspberries muddled with lime, sugar and mint, and the tangy Sherbet Lemon Candy (£7.75), made with vanilla vodka, with fresh lemons and butterscotch.

The Last Word
Itsu has something for everyone and their new bar and restaurant combo appeals to not only those who are fans of their fresh and delicious sushi, sashimi and Japanese dishes, but also those looking for a trendy spot for a few drinks. A great night out.

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