Japanese and Danish cuisine meet on the pages of Sticks ‘n’ Sushi’s polished photographic menu that resembles a juicy Insta-worthy feed. The two nationalities also meet in the interiors of Norm Architects’ new King’s Road outpost – Sticks n Sushi’s sixth London restaurant – which is replete with natural textures, bespoke timber-work and crafted classics.
There is a slow vertical shift from dark to light across the three-level restaurant. Below ground is an earthy grotto for private dining with a lowered ceiling grid in oak and structured pendant lamps that create a frame for a display of dried hops during the colder months, or a floral bouquet come spring.
Ground level is a hive of activity, with the open kitchen and industrial blackened steel bar at its heart. Softer Danish classics lend a natural feel with Carl Hansen chairs complementing stone tabletops. Elsewhere high stools and low boxy sofas see the restaurant through the day from lunch to cocktail hour.
Sushi heaven exists on the first floor where lightweight textiles drift between neutral upholstery, table top lanterns from MENU by Norm Architects and ceramics by Danish artist Christian Bruun. All three levels are twisted together by a black metal staircase with Japanese gong-style lamps and the consistent Jotun Lady Mineral wall-paint.
Sticks ‘n’ Sushi work with different architects and designers on each restaurant, bringing a unique atmosphere to each location, yet the menu is consistent from London to Copenhagen. Maki are positively piled with tastes and colours, while the specialty ‘sticks’ are speared with mouth-melting morsels from ‘Black cod & miso’, to ‘Scallops & bacon with miso herb butter’ combinations – it’s here where the international fusion shines the most, but expect extra ingredients across the whole menu such as smoked cheese, barbecue sauce, aioli and truffle oil to elevate your sushi favourites.§
