Sushi Samba, London

In my opinion, a good bar or restaurant is not just about the food and drinks on offer, but the experience. Sushi Samba is definitely an experience! Located in the Heron Tower in central London, Sushi Samba is sleek, classy and unique, offering a blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine. But it's not just the food that makes this place stand out. To reach the restaurant you must first step into a glass elevator and whizz up the side of the building like something out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, watching London gradually disappear beneath you until you reach the 37th floor. Up here you are transported into a different world filled with the warm reds, oranges and golds of the oriental decor, a stark contrast to the grey of the streets below. We settled ourselves down on top of a couple of stalls next to a beautiful orange leaf covered wall underneath an abundance of crystal chandaliers, and gazed out at the incredible view in front of us.

The views really do speak for themselves. Rather than looking up at the Gherkin, you'll be looking down at it, as well as spotting other landmarks from the Thames to St. Paul's Cathedral. Please excuse the poor quality photos, phone camera plus night lighting does not end well. 

However, with big views come big prices, as to be expected really in central London. As we were only going for drinks I didn't look at the prices of the food, although you can find the online menu here, however each cocktail cost £15 (although the menu states they are £14). Luckily, I wasn't paying (perks of having a very generous boyfriend - thank you Reiss)! While Reiss went for the signature Kaffirinha - Kaffir lime leaves infused in cachaca, blended with lime and sugar - I fancied something a bit more sweet and creamy, so decided to try the Batida de Mango: a blend of mango cream and passion fruit with cachaca and Benedictine liqueur. After an evening already filled with huge pizzas from Fire and Stone, topped off with even more cocktails from Be At One, the choice of a creamy cocktail was perhaps a little too much, and in the end I needed help finishing it off, although it was still very yummy! Next time I'll make sure I leave plenty of room for cocktails - damn the curse of having eyes bigger than my belly!  

So if you're looking for a trendy and popular bar and restaurant complete with incredible views and an overall incredible experience, then this is the place for you! I look forward to my next visit to try out your food, Sushi Samba!

Have you been to Sushi Samba before? I'd love to know what you thought - comment below!

Love, Beth xxx