THE night had been a mad rush against time but coming into the quiet calm of Konnichi Bar and Restaurant I felt the stress instantly lift.
Despite being 20 minutes late to meet my unimpressed fiancee, the calming atmosphere of the rooftop restaurant had obviously worked on her too, as I managed to appease her quickly.
It might be the views on to the fairy-light covered courtyard, the relaxing eastern melodies playing, or the dominance of white in the interior – however they've done it, Konnichi is a serene place to be.
Glass of wine in hand, I browsed the extensive menu.
From the medley of small dishes, we chose salt and chilli squid to share.
We also chose the Alaska sushi roll as a starter.
The squid and sushi arrived within 10 minutes and we were drooling at the sight of both dishes.
The medium-size squid plate was stacked with ample chunks of seafood along with sliced red and green chillies and onion.
Not for the faint-hearted, this spicy dish was a little too much for Katy.
However, I happily devoured the chewy squid along with the mountains of chillies, which I found mild to medium in strength.
The second starter, a large sushi roll chopped into eight pieces with salmon, crab stick, avocado, slices of surimi and Japanese radish, was also a hit.
Beautifully presented with attention to detail, the roll had so much salmon and avocado they were spilling out.
The combination tasted fresh, the ingredients high-quality and the rolls were incredibly filling.
For the main dishes, the choice was vast but of course the missus had her eye on the same dish as I did – Kushiyaki, a sirloin steak kebab.
After checking she'd give me a taste, I opted for the Pad Thai chicken.
Along with the steak kebab, Katy went for Udon noodles, which were covered with spring onions, chopped vegetables and fresh coriander.
The noodles were smoky in flavour and their consistency was like al dente pasta.
Katy found the steak a little chewy in parts, but the subtle caramelised flavour more than made up for that.
The Pad Thai chicken was served as a mountain of delicate chicken slivers with stir-fried noodles, sprinkled peanuts, sliced chillies and spring onions.
The creamy sauce binding it all together had a distinct kick and was a little heavy from the coconut milk.
While we were both too full to consider it, the sweets ranged from banana fritters to green tea ice-cream and fruit-filled sushi.
When the bill came, neither of us could believe our eyes – £37.55 for so much food in such tranquil surroundings seemed impossible.
It’s safe to say we’ll be back soon for some more budget TLC.