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In mid 2011 Cocoon closed. It re-opened in September 2011 as Senkai, a Japanese style restaurant, though in fact under the same ownership as Cocoon (Ignite Group). Senkai itself folded within months of opening.
First visit. It looks the designers have gone for the Austin Powers look. The dining room is divided into several circular areas, the chairs are swivel bucket seats and the walls are padded in psychedelic colours. Fortunately the food has not reverted to the 1960s but is firmly in trendy London territory. The chef here is ex E&O and the menu is virtually a replica of that i.e. pan Asian. Sashimi tuna is good quality blue fin (4/10), rock shrimp tempura is tasty with a slightly spicy dipping sauce (3/10), while smoked eel sushi also had good flavour (3/10). Salmon salad was a bit disappointing as it was really just bits of smoked salmon mixed in with some noodles, with a rather bland dressing, but that was the only dish that was unexciting (1/10). Beef bulgogi was excellent, beef cooked to your taste with a spicy version of an Indian raita a non-traditional but very effective accompaniment (5/10).
Ginko nut curry was pleasant but unexciting (1/10). Service was friendly if on one occasion ineffective, but the pace of dishes is fine. There is a surprisingly good wine list, with tolerable mark-ups; there are plenty of choices to stand up to spicy food e.g. a Rully Gassman Gewurtztraminer. The place was packed out, though the Regent Street setting did seem to attract an unusually cosmopolitan crowd, even for London. There were some tourists, plenty of trendy types and a few middle eastern businessmen with suspiciously pretty, bored looking companions. The clientele at least would fit into a spy movie.
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