“I want Skosh in London (along with its Yorkshire staff)” declares a southern fan of this perky eatery housed in a reimagined Grade II-listed building not far from York’s historic Micklegate Bar. It’s not big or flashy, but with “incredibly creative” food, real friendliness and a buzzing vibe, “you cannot help but smile” when eating here. The name is a contraction of the Japanese ‘sukoshi’ (meaning ‘a small amount’), so it’s no surprise that the (open) kitchen goes down the small plates route, gleaning influences from around the globe for a palate-teasing menu stuffed with “tasty innovative morsels”.
There’s a big ‘wow’ factor here, whether you’re nibbling on crab puris with broad beans and tamarind, crispy Saddleback pork with fig ketchup or spring peas and radish with lemongrass, coconut and Thai basil. Alternatively, fill up on bigger servings of hanger steak with kimchi turnips, grilled Goosnargh duck breast with rhubarb jam and chilli oil or tandoori-style Galician octopus with pickled gooseberry purée. Cheese is given a modish makeover, while sweets might bring mango lassi with a saffron custard doughnut. In short, “fantastic food in a wonderful city”.