Beirut-born Clap has made its debut in London.
Put your hands together for Clap. The popular Japanese restaurant was born in Beirut and can also be found in Dubai and Riyadh. Despite the unfortunate name, which is bound to be met with guffaws, the restaurant has found a home in London's upmarket Knightsbridge neighbourhood.
The restaurant is a seriously cool spot, offering two floors of foodie fun inside a revamped tube station. Entering at street level, guests pass through London Underground's familiar façade and into a tunnel hung with an ornate fabric ceiling, before passing a trickling water feature and ascending the lift to the sixth floor.
The dining room draws inspiration from Tokyo's nightlife scene and has been designed in a contemporary chic way with an open kitchen and sleek sushi counters. It's smaller than its Dubai counterpart, offering a meal anchored around beats and eats rather than full-blown nightlife vibes.
A stairway leads skywards, revealing a buzzing bar area with chandeliers made from a cluster of anime action figures. The juxtaposition of these modern design elements against the natural woods and solid stone used across the kitchen, seating, and flooring creates a vibrant place to eat, drink, and socialise.
Clap's restaurants worldwide are known for having iconic rooftop locations, and the London venue is no different. Clap in London boasts an expansive terrace offering views over the luxury department store Harrods and the London skyline. Backed by a line-up of local and international DJs, it's a place to see and be seen.
Clap is famous for top-quality Japanese cuisine and offers dishes ranging from sushi to sashimi. At Clap in London, small plates and starters include Grilled Umami Chicken Wings (£9.50), Pink Prawns Ceviche (£20.50) and Rock Shrimp Tempura (£22), which are great for nibbling in a succession with a range of 26 crafted cocktails.
Arrive hungry because Clap London offers an abundance of dishes that repeat visits are required to appreciate the culinary prowess on display fully. For those feeling adventurous (like us), an Omakase menu is available, in which the dishes served are left entirely at the discretion of Clap's culinary maestros. We begin with Salmon Crispy Rice (£15), a brilliant introduction to the Clap menu and a textural marvel, juxtaposing spiced salmon upon a cube of fried rice that is utterly moreish. Likewise, the Kaiso Salad (£15) combines five varieties of seaweed with a white goma dressing to add a refreshing bite to what could be one of our favourite dishes on Clap's eclectic menu.
Clap's ability to elevate premium ingredients with the simplest of embellishments ensures a memorable dining experience. The signature Wagyu Beef Tataki (£59.50) is a perfect example, floating tender slices of Wagyu beef in a zesty ponzu sauce to ensure a mouthful of utter decadence. An Insta-worthy sushi platter piled high with ice draws our attention to the Salmon Volcano Roll (£13.5) and Crazy California (£17), both impeccably stuffed and visually impressive. The former presents an alluring kick of spice, while the latter showcases the best of land and sea with a clever combination of crab and avocado.
The main courses involve a mix of stone bowls, grilled meats, and the signature Black Cod Miso (£45). The fish is beautifully delicate and fantastically flaky, imbued with an alluring sweetness from the citrus miso sauce. Despite the table-side theatrics involved in the presentation of the Stone Bowl Vegetables (£29), the resulting dish is surprisingly bland and does not reach the heady heights we've come to expect from the Clap brand.
A tempting dessert selection rounds out the Clap dining experience and features the FACT favourite Clap Chocolate Fondant (£15) and the superbly sweet Vanilla-Peanut Mille-feuille (£16.5), a towering treat comprising layers of crispy filo and vanilla cream drizzled with homemade peanut praline for a beautiful bite.
With Sumosan Twiga and Zuma nearby, Clap is a relative newcomer to London's competitive dining scene, but one that makes quite the impression. While the service is lacking, the exciting décor, palate-pleasing food and undeniable energy show that Clap deserves more than a round of applause, but a standing ovation.
GO: Follow @claplondon on Instagram for more information.