Mantra Japanese Restaurant

Mantra is a dark and delightful little Japanese restaurant in St Albans. The blood red and fuchsia velvet walls and walnut tables give the intimate dining room an exotic and romantic atmosphere, and the food is dreamy. Delicious starters at Mantra include crispy soft shell crab with avocado and mango salad, and pan-seared scallop and squid served with spinach, chilli and coriander. The mains are dead sexy; our favourite being the pan-seared duck and foie gras served with nashi pear and yamamomo puree and sancho oil. If you're planning a romantic meal, or you just fancy eating in a restaurant that looks a bit like an opium den, Hertfordshire's bijou Mantra is the place for you.