Opening last month on West Street, Japanese restaurant Tsuki could not be much further removed from its previous incarnation as U Buffet – an all-you-can-eat Chinese joint that was anything but opulent.
Now an extensive refurb has completely transformed the interior of the venue: glitzy ultra-modern décor marries Asian restaurant with the feel of a high-end cocktail bar. Upstairs an elegant private dining area complete with private booths and traditional tatami mats overlooks proceedings below.
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“We’re about providing a special experience,” says co-owner Jason. “We want everything – the food, the service, the atmosphere – to all be perfect and create a place where people can really relax and enjoy themselves.”
A good example of Tsuki’s ethos of blending authentic, traditional Japanese cuisine with modern touches can be seen through the menu system. Each table is provided with a sleek touchscreen tablet from which they can browse and order from the impressive menu consisting of common favourites such as tempura, sashimi and nigari.
It’s an easily navigable system providing high quality images of each dish and all the correct dietary information. “This means that our staff, rather than having to memorise information on each dish, can focus on the hospitality side of things – making sure people are comfortable and have everything they need. We want to enhance the service, not replace it.”
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Each item on the menu was hand-picked by their head chef, with an emphasis on quality over quantity at the heart of the process. Feeling particularly indulgent and looking for an Exposed tip? Then we’d highly recommend the soft-shell crab with tofu and mango salsa and the standout uramaki roll ‘Green Dragon’ – a delightful mix of tempura prawn, avocado and kabayaki mayonnaise.
Open until 12:30am on Friday and 11pm Saturday, it’s also a perfect setting for some swish evening drinks. Alongside the classics, there are a number of Japanese-inspired cocktails on offer such as the ‘Saketini’ and the sweet, refreshing ‘Red Lotus’ – plus a few upcoming specials that the Tsuki bartenders have recently been working on. DJs will also be on-hand to help set the vibe.
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After moving from London with co-owner Monika, Jason says Tsuki are keen to tap into burgeoning culinary scene up north and believes that their emphasis on friendly service with a personal touch will fit in well with the city’s welcoming reputation.
“Sheffield’s got a really cool vibe and it’s an exciting place for people who like going out to eat in particular. We’ve heard and seen how it’s like a big village here and we want to add to that with the type of experience we can offer.”
tsukirestaurant.co.uk
58-60 West St
