Sushi Kanesaka
Behind a secret door in Mayfair’s 45 Park Lane Hotel might just be the most exquisite and intimate omakase offering in the city. With one room for a four-person sitting and another for ten, Sushi Kanesaka is the place to be for a super slick, intimate sushi service. For an hour and a half, you’ll sip sparkling sake and exchange notes with whoever you bump knees with as the team of chefs, led by Shinji Kanesaka himself, finely chops, layers and tops each bite to perfection. “That’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten,” is declared a handful of times, as we sample chutoro sushi, a piece of yuzu-dusted seabass nigiri that makes me want to cry when it’s over, and a chawanmushi (a silken Japanese egg custard), scallop and crab pot that instantly cures my October cold. Best of all, I’m surprised to say, is the simmered sweet octopus, which makes me wonder if I’ve been eating octopus wrong my whole life – until the chef tells me he spent half an hour massaging it pre-marinade. That’ll do it. Tamara Southward
Address: 45 Park Lane, London, W1K 1PN
Website: dorchestercollection.com
NIJŪ
Endo Kazutoshi, who features multiple times on this list, is the Culinary Director here. NIJŪ takes up prime residence on a corner of Berkeley Square – but unlike its eponymous neighbour across the street, this is the spot to come for truly sexy fish. The self-professed vibe here is “katei ryori”, or home-cooked dining, and the two dining rooms do feel warm and homely, all oak counters and amber lighting. The menu features sushi, sashimi and nigiri to order, but we opt for the chef’s nine-piece nigiri selection at a not-outrageous (for Mayfair) £62 per person. After a round of umami old fashioneds and a pleasant, if unobtrusive, plate of vegetable crudités with soy cream and softly smoky aubergine topped with white sesame, we marvel as Head Sushi Chef David Bury keeps up a stream of patter while slicing, rolling and blow-torching delicate slivers of fish in perfect cadence. Portuguese snapper topped with pale purple shiso flowers is unbelievably light, while the Korean flounder with yuzu juice and the Japanese red bream with seared skin are zestier, fierier and slightly sweet. A slice of UK chalkstream trout with roe in a dashi and vinegar jelly feels clean and classic, and the slightly seared yellowtail is accompanied by a punchy ponzu jelly. A parade of dry-aged tuna comes next: lean red tuna with a bang of citrus; belly with truffle shavings; briny, medium fatty tuna that needs no dressing up; and a buttery, indulgent collar that’s been aged for nine days, served with a generous dollop of caviar. After a bonus scallop nigiri and tuna hand roll, we don’t have room for dessert – but for those who might, there’s matcha madeleines and handmade wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets). Instead, we’d recommend stopping in at the sultry basement cocktail bar, the Pinnacle Guide-awarded Nipperkin, which serves seasonally inspired drinks in an atmosphere akin to a 1950s Japanese listening bar. Olivia Squire
Address: 20 Berkeley St, London W1J 8EE
Website: nijulondon.com
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