Kyoto Kitchen 70 Parchment Street, Winchester SO23 8AT

"I dined alone, and had a very enjoyable experience and was made to feel most welcome. No one rushed me and the service was attentive. The menu has some delightful, different and tasty dishes including lobster and scallops. The prawn tempura was lovely and fresh, the Chef's nigiri selection was wonderful. Definitely to be recommended"

"Absolutely fantastic ! We went for the SYOKUTSUU GOURMET FOR 2 WITH PAIRED SAKE, it was like a tour of Japan! The flavours were delicate and structured. The Sake and whisky accompanying the dishes perfected the experience. Well worth the cost for this signature set meal. Staff were knowledgeable and attentive making this an amazing dining experience."

"I'm writing this review shortly after we left the restaurant so that I don't forget any of the details. Our reservation was at 17:30 and we made it a point to arrive at the restaurant at 17:27 but to my amazement the entry door was still locked. Then right at 17:31 Natalie (I learned her name later) opened the door. After Natalie confirmed our reservations, we were seated at one of the 10 tables... the restaurant's capacity is 26 people on the ground floor but I found additional seating on the underground floor. Aidan; our waiter, promptly appeared to take our drink orders... we opted for water which was delivered promptly and at which time we placed our first order for the Grilled Dumplings. The (4) Dumplings were delivered a short while later. The Dumplings were freshly cooked, pillow-soft and scrumptious... but with few drops of soy sauce. We then ordered the Winchester Roll followed by the Unagi Roll. Both were flat on flavor. Both served with very little ginger and Wasabi and certainly not enough to complement all pieces. By now we were done with Sushi Rolls and decided to try something else. We chose the Sirloin Steak. Our empty Sushi Roll plate sat empty on the table along with the plates we used for sushi until the steak was delivered. Our water bottle sat empty as well and was never replenished. I expected Aidan, Natalie or the Manager to remove all the empty plates and bring fresh plates, knives and forks... the set-up needed for the steak. The steak was tender, although more flavorful than the sushi rolls, it could have been more savory. The restaurant is quaint with a comfortable ambiance but the service needs to be polished and the flavors need to be robust to live up to the Michelin designation. It would've been a nice touch if the manager went by each table to ensure patrons' satisfaction. A side note: I heard the manager's phone conversation with a patron who had reservations for 6 people... apparently the customer wanted to cancel or come earlier. Any way, the manager's tone of voice was abrupt and rude!"

"The staff are nice and polite. The restaurant gives you a relaxing feeling with soft music and lighting environment. We ordered the tea Sencha Sakura, which is seasonal and out of our expectation. We had a set lunch for two. The salmon is excellent esp the sashimi. For other fish or seafood, they were fair. Maybe the selections took the local availability. The beef tataki was too chewy with tendon. Tempura was below standard that was wet without crispy texture. The veg selection was wired. Maybe we used to have Japanese sushi and sashimi in Japan. This visit failed us. The desert was good. We spent £92 for two. The price is Michelin but not the quality and taste of food. Still I give four stars for this restaurant."

"The best Japanese restaurant I have been to outside of Japan. There is a good selection of small dishes, sushi, rolls and other meat and vegetarian dishes. My favourite dishes so far are the Tori Kara-age, seared Hampshire beef roll and the chicken gyoza. The staff are very attentive, professional and polite. The restaurant itself is relatively small, but this creates a more intimate setting to enjoy your meal."