KAJI - Preview

Somehow, we've never eaten at Kaji during a proper service until now.  We've attended the press launch of their new brand so was all too aware of what the guys are doing over on Bridge Street, but that actual sit-down dinner hadn't ever happened.   I have no idea why to be honest, but the stars just never aligned so it was great to finally put that behind us. 

The kitchen is driven by renowned local Chef Steven Smith, formerly of The Freemasons up in the pretty Lancashire spot of Wiswell. I've eaten Steven's food many times up there and always left feeling suitably impressed, so was keen to see how his unquestionable skillset translated into something with a more Japanese ethos.  It's a pretty niche field to be fair, as much as Japanese gastronomy influences many others these days.  So we headed down to take a look following an invitation from Steven to come and sample his wares.

From the second you enter, that massive statement-piece LED wall to the left dominates the front part of the dining room, and it's truly eye catching!  Im a self-confessed AV geek so was suitably impressed by the scale of the setup.  The rest of the décor is notably black, in total contrast to the bright screenage, with music also being a key part of the busy ambiance.  We made our way towards the back of the dining room though, where the Chef's table, our destination for the evening, awaited us with two pre-laid seats.  Anticipation levels were high.

The roar of open fires in front of us generated a level of theatre that I always appreciate, in tandem with being able to watch the Chefs as they work.  A Chef's Table is always a fascinating experience, and sadly not too many places in Manchester offer them, but it's something that we always seek out given the chance.

We were treated to the Chef's Counter Tasting Menu (£120), which felt like part Sushi Omakase and part Tasting Menu, to give the customer a taste of what Kaji do best across all sections of the kitchen.

After a warm welcome, both literally and figuratively, it wasn’t long before the goodies started to arrive on our counter/table.  Chef's Sushi Selection comprised of Sashimi, Nigiri, Tuna Tartare and Gunkan.   There were 8 varieties in total, so a sturdy intro.  The quality of the fish and also the prep of it were exceptional, with perfectly prepared rice; seasoned properly, shaped and formed to a masterful standard.   It's some of the best sushi in the city in our opinion.

Onto the hot courses, starting with the 'Snacks' which were a pair of puffed balls filled with tuna, topped with fluorescent trout roe.  A flavour packed bite which got the post-Omakase party moving on pace.

Bread and Butter was the next course which shone brightly.  A Parker House style segmented roll, topped with house made crispy chilli sauce, and a side of fiery jalapeno butter.

Beef and Mushroom Broth was the next entry course, which in line with Japanese culture, sits where miso (usually) soup would usually punctuate a meal.  And this was delicious, carrying huge depth of flavour despite being light in viscosity, with layers of umami; a word which I guess needs to be included in any Japanese based write up.

Kaji Fried Louet-Feisser Oysters were next, I'm personally a huge fan of cooked oysters if prepped in the right hands. Saucing and vibrant acidity were all delivered with some Oyster mayo, hot sauce, and finger lime.  There was possibly too much sauce which detracted from the oyster a touch, but this was undebatable in terms of being delicious, nonetheless.

Drunken Rice picked up the pace of the menu as we approached the main courses.  More stellar rice, spiked with notes of aged sake and white miso, garnished with smoked/pickled daikon. This was deceptively complex with layer upon layer of flavour and mouth feel, stacking up to delivering a hugely comforting flavour bomb of a dish.  I'd have happily eaten another portion, without a blink of the eye.

Our first main/fish course was Day Boat Caught Halibut.  More superb quality fish, cooked perfectly and garnished with a succulent red prawn, sauced in a pool of simply brilliant XO Hollandaise.  It's a dish which was high-end and refined enough to sit on any of the city's top menus.

Kaji Style Wagyu sat on the menu as the main course, flirting with me for the whole evening before it landed.  And when it did, we were presented with not just some Wagyu, as that’s a pretty generic term in honesty, but more specifically a hearty slice of A5 which had been cooked as little as possible/really well.

An unctuous Satay sauce with crispy rice balls and fermented chilli, finished things up like a dream.  A stellar combo of Eastern inspiration with Chef Smith's personality and a strong British ethos shining through.  Possibly the poshest Beef Satay that you're likely to ever eat.

'Gariguette Strawberry' ended the evening's menu with a flourish, not to mention with a more than generous portion of pastry.  The dish was actually a Millefeuille/vanilla slice, showcasing superb quality strawberries. 

I'd possibly have liked the slice itself to include a strawberry element, rather than just them being a plate garish, but that didn’t detract from this being a splendid bit of pastry work.  Some feisty Szechuan pepper ice cream and Thai basil completed the already flavour packed plate.

Treats brought an end to our experience, but it was a fitting closure.   An XL macaron was superb in both chew and flavour.  Some chocolate truffle was one which ticked all the boxes for any sweet treat, but our favourite of the trio was a slice of splendid Wagyu fudge, made with the discarded fat from said cow.  Clever work and delivered on flavour too.

Wine pairings on the evening were also on point, masterfully handled by the super Remy, whose juice knowledge and natural charm were an integral part of the evening.   The outstanding bottle of the pairing was a superb Georg Preisinger Chardonnay.

We headed off into the night having had a great time, eaten some delicious food, and having experienced something with real personality.  And it also offers something different in a city which generally now has way too much sushi and Japanese offerings, most of which are doing exactly the same thing as each other, aka, it's all a bit predictable and gets boring at times.  So Kaji doing their own Japanese inspired yet far from traditional thing, is a breath of fresh air to be honest.

So that’s the bookend of this review, but to fully end this write up I can't help but address the perhaps predictable elephant in the room.  No write up of Kaji can gloss over the recent article from William Sitwell, who's one of the country's most established food 'writers'.  In this case William felt the need to awkwardly shoehorn some spicy words about Kaji into a review of another venue in the city.

He made some valid points in that the screens etc are possibly not for everybody's tastes, and that the cooking isn't strictly traditional Japanese in style.  Sure, it's not The Araki, but is it trying to be any more than Ynyshir is, and he wouldn’t ever slate said Welsh food temple for being less than traditional or for having a DJ and disco ball!

But why would you even bother to include a mini hatchet job of a venue into a positive review of another restaurant when there's no relation at all between the two?  Just write about the other place and don’t even mention Kaji if you subjectively disliked it so much?

And secondly; how in 2025 is it OK or at all relevant to negatively comment on the appearance of people?  In 2025 it’s the kind of poorly measured commentary that could very easily cost a writer at such a prominent and well-respected publication, his job.

Regardless of William's opinions, the team were all capable and super friendly, which are the only points which warrant comment.   They made our time at the Chef's table nothing short of a superbly enjoyable experience, and that’s all that matters.

** Our experience was gratefully comped **