Review of KIBOU’s new summer menu

KIBOU’s latest menu is a fresh and fun celebration of Japanese cuisine, served with style. Stepping into KIBOU in Battersea, you’re immediately drawn into a vibrant space where Japan-inspired street art wraps the walls in bold colour and energy. The new summer menu reflects this mood: vibrant, flavourful, and designed for sharing.

We went to KIBOU on a particularly hot day, so we were really keen on our drinks being as refreshing as possible. We went for the iced tea pitchi, a blend of cold brew jasmine tea, peach, and lemon, and it delivered exactly what we needed. We also tried the Cucumber Saleswoman, a cocktail mixing tequila, lime, pear, and cucumber for a crisp, cooling effect.

The food arrives as it’s ready, covering the table in a variety of small, colourful plates, which gave our dinner a feast-like feel. Among the standout new dishes, the snow crab uramaki was a highlight: avocado and cucumber encased in rice and sesame, topped with a sweet, delicate snow crab mixture, tobiko, coriander, and a hint of chilli.

Bluefin tuna chutoro sashimi followed, ever the proof that the simplest things work best. It offered pure flavour and buttery richness that needed nothing else, besides another serving.

For something heartier, the chicken zangi, a Hokkaido-style fried chicken, came crisp and golden, with sweet-sour heat and a tangy lift from the fresh lime. We also had to try KIBOU’s reimagined classic, the sesame prawn toast bao: fluffy, savoury, and dressed with KIBOU’s signature sauce. Finally, we had the black pork katsu: crisp panko-coated pork with a sauce full of layered umami.

For dessert, the yuzu cheesecake delivered a creamy texture cut with a bright, citrusy tang. However, we were particularly impressed by the sesame tiramisu and how well the bitterness of the coffee paired with the rich flavours and soft feel of the sesame-infused airy mascarpone.

KIBOU’s new Spring/Summer menu brings together bold flavours and playful presentation. With a focus on sharing and variety, it offers a relaxed yet elevated way to explore Japanese cuisine, through crisp street food, delicate sashimi, or inventive desserts.

Address: KIBOU Battersea 175-177 Northcote Road, Battersea, London SW11 6QF

For more information or to book click here.

Written by Alexandra Herlaut Reinhardt

Photography courtesy of KIBOU