East London eatery Bamboo Mat burst onto the dining scene in 2022, drawing the attention of regular diners and food critics alike. In fact, well-known TV food critic and I’m A Celeb contestant Grace Dent has described the food here as ‘plates of Peruvian joy’.
The outposts in both Leyton and Stratford champion Nikkei cuisine, a fusion of Peruvian ingredients and Japanese techniques, with a la carte dining and bottomless brunch. And now, Bamboo Mat has upped the ante, as a luxury tasting menu joins the ranks – and I gave it a go myself. Grace Dent, who? I’m A Secret London Journalist, get me in there!
The restaurant
I visited the Stratford branch of Bamboo Mat, which lies a 15-minute walk from Stratford station and Westfield Shopping Centre; I highly recommend walking through the shopping centre, rather than the obscure route I did. Despite its location in quite a built-up area of East London, Bamboo Mat overlooks a lovely green space from floor-to-ceiling windows, and on warmer days, you can dine outside. Both the interiors – with its open kitchen, mood lighting, and music – and the exteriors – as local dog walkers passed by – gave me ‘neighbourhood restaurant’ vibes.
The luxury tasting menu at Bamboo Mat
Bamboo Mat has brought together its most premium dishes to create a nine-course menu of Nikkei delights. Regular prices for a main dish are around £15 (though the wagyu beef is a tasty £42), so £55 for nine courses seems very good value for money. If you’re feeling indulgent, you can opt for a wine pairing – three glasses for starters, mains, and desserts – for £25. Those who read my reviews regularly will know I’m a cocktail girlie, so instead, I opted for the sweet-and-smooth Pina Colada, and the tart-and-sweet Pineapple Daiquiri. Both went down a treat.
Now, the main affair, and why you’re reading this review of Bamboo Mat Stratford in the first place: the food! The entire nine courses were beautifully presented, and – a testament to the chefs’ craft – most dishes combined a good balance of textures and flavours.
Seafood fans will be enchanted by the starters. The seabass ceviche is fresh and vibrant; the chancha corn adds a satisfying crunch to the colourful dish. I was most surprised by the Hamachi Tiradito as I’m firmly in the ‘truffle haters’ camp. However, the truffle soy just worked with the yellowtail! I also enjoyed the spicy kick and the pretty presentation. Even spinach starter taught me not to judge a book by its cover; I thought it would be boring but the dressing was super flavourful.
Mains presented my favourite dish of the visit: super soft and tasty ox cheek, served with creamy yuzu potato puree. The ox cheek simply melted away when touched by my chopsticks (though I’ll admit eating potato puree with chopsticks was a new experience). Consequently, the herby Chicken Anticucho presented the opposite texture, as the crispy chicken edge gave a delicious bite – though, of course, the meat was super soft.
By the time the sushi courses rolled around, I was full, yet the prawn and avocado dragon maki kept drawing me in. My dad, who accompanied me for the meal, credited the bluefin tuna nigiri as the nicest sushi he’d ever had, which is high praise. I also loved the spectacle of the A4 Grade Wagyu beef aburi nigiri, which was cooked in front of us with a small blowtorch, giving it an umami BBQ flavour.
Bamboo Mat’s luxury menu concludes with a small assortment of desserts. I was thankful for the size, as I was absolutely stuffed. The crème brûlée was light and the right amount of sweet; an ideal end to the meal.
To conclude this review of Bamboo Mat’s luxury tasting menu, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. The food was delicious, and my goodness, you’ll leave stuffed. The meat dishes, especially, were cooked well – the meat was so tender – and all dishes were presented beautifully. If you’re looking for a casual eatery with flavoursome flair, add Bamboo Mat to your list.