Overall, I would describe The Alchemist as more of a bar than eatery- and it does fantastically in that regard, serving up buckets of atmosphere paired with tasteful drink and delicious bar food. Sadly, it doesn't push any boundaries with flavour on its mains- focussing entirely on presentation, instead. You can't have good food without both however- and for that reason, I've only given three stars (I came for the main- not some chips and a drink.)

The atmosphere truly can't be understated though. The subdued dimly-lit interior of the seating area, meticulously cleaned, extending and darkening to an almost-ethereal set of lavatories that were spotless, really gives some great continuity. The seats are comfortable, and the tables shine with a brushed copper aesthetic- definitely pushing the design of the restaurant into a higher level. The choice of music is reasonable, too- if only a bit modern for the decor- and perfectly audible yet not as loud as to drown out the casual banter that guests make.

With regard to the actual food, I ordered Edamame to start, Chicken Katsu for main, and some Salt/Pepper chips for a stomach-filling side. The Edamame was delicious and unorthodox- with a unique aromatic infusion that matched the one found with the salt/pepper chips- honestly quite nice. Typical bar food is something they clearly excel with, and for this I've given 3/5 rather than the bare minimum.

I came for the main however- and this was disappointing to say the least. Before I mention anything else, I will note that the rice included was a long-grained rice, rather than short, and was clearly overcooked to the point of being a mush- they'd certainly not washed it either, as it felt quite glutinous. To anyone who's had Chicken Katsu before- that tells you all you need to know. The chicken itself was of reasonable quality- the breading however, was regular crumbs- not the "Panko" as advertised in the menu- it was however piping hot and clearly freshly made, so kudos for that. The sauce was average- a sauce one can find in a tub at most stores- it certainly didn't feel in-house which is a shame given how easy it is to make a decent well-keeping Katsu sauce. The presentation was immaculate- they missed the flavour, though.

My advice to the restaurant in this case is that if you're serving up a dish, make it accurate. People don't sit down for a chicken katsu to have mushy basmati with some chicken breast and a light-orange sauce. Chicken katsu is a delight- chicken thigh pounded down and double-layered in panko and egg, deep-fried until golden and glistening with oil, dumped atop freshly-steamed short-grain rice and drizzled in a light-orange elixir made of generic yet well-mixed spices... it's a family dish, one that is easy to do, yet one that has clearly been put on the menu here for the sake of following the usual fad of having Japanese food on a menu to seem "modern." I've had cheap chicken katsus up in random farm-ish izakayas in Asahikawa, to luxurious ones paired with the heads of the very chickens that went into the dish- this one compares to none of them, and it made me sad to have to eat it.

Though I didn't eat it, my compatriots had "Chicken in a Basket"- a dish as awkward as it sounds. Breaded deep-fried chicken atop some fries, with a red-cabbage slaw alongside it, served inside a metal-bottomed chicken-shaped basket- awkward to eat from. I didn't try any but the chicken itself resembled that of the Katsu, compounding my disappointment in that I'd paid for "Panko."

While not much of a drinks aficionado, I would say that they do their drinks well- the Piña colada I had was quite nice, and presented fantastically. The price was too high, though- especially given that it was served in a regular glass, no more than ~250 mL... £10 for 250 mL of Piña colada is pushing luxury, and mixing "well" with "luxury" isn't accurate.

Anyhow, an overpriced experience in good drinks, good bar food, but subpar "restaurant food."