Circus Restaurant Review – Covent Garden, London

I had dinner in a circus last night. No but seriously, it was at Circus restaurant in London, the place to be for one of the best circus show and dinner combinations.

In a global city like London, we are truly spoilt by the sheer variety and quality of restaurants available. So much so, that my Instagram generation often crave something more than just a good meal out. Call it novelty, entertainment or that bit of “je ne sais quoi”, but whatever it is, this new generation of diners is all about the experience.

And Circus London delivers this experience to those looking for more than just a meal out.

Instead of settling for a traditional pre-fixe dinner followed by a show in another location, why not combine the two together?!

Well, this is exactly what Mr New Yorker and I experienced recently when we checked out Circus – a unique restaurant combining pan-asian cuisine with a night of cabaret, tucked away from the main shopping streets of Covent Garden’s Seven Dials.

Circus Restaurant London

The Interior of Circus Restaurant in London

A somewhat unassuming entrance on the street made way for us being taken through to a glamorous setting that looked more like a fashion show was about to take place than hoards of hungry diners tucking into their evening meals!

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We took our seats in a prime spot, which allowed us to have a great view of the upcoming entertainment of dancers and burlesque performers strutting their stuff while also being able to enjoy our food from the restaurant’s confident menu.

The Drinks on Offer

One of the factors that made this evening particularly enjoyable for us, was the wonderfully friendly service throughout at Circus. We were well looked after by a Spanish waiter, who excitedly recommended us a couple of cocktails to get our evening going. For me, he highlighted a cocktail named Carousel, which comprised of some sweet cherry sorbet and alcoholic cotton candy. Talk about a circus-themed cocktail!

circus restaurant london

The Show Starts at Circus Restaurant

At this point, the first act of the night came on to the large white table in the centre of the restaurant. This served as not only a group dining area but also a smallish stage for those gripping acrobatic and dance moves. Metal shutters separating the sizzling kitchen and the main restaurant quickly came down. The lights dimmed.

Circus Restaurant London

After a brief moment of silence, I gasped as the main performers came on the Circus restaurant stage. I recognised them from the Black Cat Cabret at the London Wunderground last year! This also demonstrates the quality of the performers recruited by Circus, as I considered the Black Cat Cabaret as one of the best ones I have seen so far. After a 5-6 minutes of mesmerising acrobatics that’s addictive to watch, the lights went back on and the waitresses skillfully returned everything in the main restaurant back to normal as if that was all just a dream.

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The Food at Circus Restaurant

As the experimental menu was made up of small dishes to share prior to main dishes, we opted for a selection to try. You can’t miss the yellowtail sashimi, wagyu beef nigiri, lobster tempura, and the black cod.

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Each bite of this lobster tempura had a golden crunchy outside and meaty filling, when dipped into the fragrant white truffle aioli, the heavenly flavour combination just melted in the mouth, lingering and tempted you to try another one.

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The wagyu beef nigiri came with high recommendations and its silky texture proved the waiter right as we took our first delicate bite. The velvety wagyu beef pieces were curled up into a tiny meat ball, and packed full of taste. The only regret was that it disappeared too quickly!

Although the small plates were the main part of the show at Circus restaurant, expect large portions. The main dishes were just as spectacular but served on the same size portions as their smaller counterparts.

circus restaurant london

I had the chance to savour the meaty texture of Chilean sea bass versus the traditional kind found in most other restaurants. This was a revelation as it was served steamed with black bean sauce with a slight spicy taste. My main of wagyu beef sirloin with shitake mushroom retained the same velvety texture as the nigiri, but in palatable slices and a tangy caramel soy dipping sauce. The sweet and savoury in this dish worked in perfect combination and was quickly devoured of course!

circus restaurant london

Circus Restaurant in London was a crazy combination of show-stopping food (excuse the pun), mesmerizing performances and a fun night out. Exactly the sort of thing that makes London buzzing and dynamic on an otherwise average Thursday evening. Cheers to that! ????????

circus restaurant London

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