The Marvellous Mr Ji

Starting its journey as a Taiwanese-style fried chicken pop up back in 2019, Mr Ji’s founder, Samuel Haim decided to embark on a new route for his restaurant a couple of years later. Joining forces with the duo behind TATA Eatery in 2021, the restaurant has branched outside of its original Taiwanese chicken focus, bringing exciting combinations and experimental flavours to the fore. The drinks menu has also become a key part of its concept, with select cocktails like the Oh Ji Ice Tea and Salted Plum Negroni as well as a low intervention wine list.

In terms of its interiors, the small venue is stripped-back in style, made up of exposed concrete, diner-style furniture, and a dash of neon lighting for good measure.

Now, onto the food. Word to the wise: whatever you do, order the prawn toast. If the idea of a soft brioche bun filled with prawns, sweetcorn and a béchamel sauce, topped with oodles of parmesan doesn’t sound like sensory euphoria, the taste of it will. We also tried the prawn and pork stuffed chicken wings, which came with a slathering of sweet chilli glaze – an interesting dish, but not my favourite.

Then came the Sichuan-spiced fried chicken burger served in a pineapple bun. The sweetness of the bun together with the spiced and lightly-fried chicken was quite sensational. Alongside the burger, we had fries topped with chilli oil, Sichuan sauce, mayonnaise and coriander. Also delicious and, thanks to their toppings, unlike any other fries I’d tasted.

A cool, casual place in the heart of Soho for very good food. This team clearly knows what it’s doing… and it’s doing it so, so well.

Update, November 2022: Mr Ji has now sadly closed their Soho outpost, but in good news, you can now visit them in Camden instead.